2022 marks the hundred-year anniversary of Alfred Hitchcock’s first feature; a century on, Hitchcock remains one of the most influential filmmakers in the history of cinema. But how does his vast body of work and legacy hold up in today’s society? Mark Cousins, the award-winning filmmaker behind The Story of Film: An Odyssey, The Eyes of Orson Welles and The Story of Looking, tackles this question and looks at the auteur with a new and radical approach: through the use of his own voice. As Hitchcock rewatches his films, we are taken on an odyssey through his vast career – whether explaining the importance of camera movement, delighting in Strangers on a Train’s runaway carousel climax, or taking the measure of James Stewart’s desire for Grace Kelly in Rear Window, Cousins reveals a work of deep scholarship yet one that is humorous and playful.

Age recommendation: 15+

Notes by David O’Mahony