ALFRED HITCHCOCK ALL THE FILMS The story behind every movie, episode,

The star of this second volume (after Steven Spielberg, All the Films) in the "All the Films" series is the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. Authors Benoliel, Gilles Esposito, Jean-François Rauger, and Murielle Joudet cover all of his feature films, television productions, and unfinished works; this may be the most visually complete appreciation of Hitchcock's career yet. Each Hitchcock project is covered with enough details to delight existing fans and entice new ones. The text is filled with hundreds of interesting anecdotes, sidebars about Hitchcock's famous cameo appearances, and sections on key collaborators and his innovative stylistic ideas. It's also packed with images, including publicity shots, countless behind-the-scenes photos, and storyboard art. Critical evaluation takes a backseat to how the films were cast, written, and filmed. It also steers clear of Hitchcock's private life, leaving details of how he treated his leading actresses and descriptions of his personality and persona to other biographers. VERDICT Readers interested in Hitchcock's work instead of his personal life will find this an essential volume. It's a wonderful treat for all fans of Hitchcock and filmmaking.--Peter Thornell