Hitchcock also said the macguffin is the thing that the spies are after but the audience dont care. Based on the famous series of dialogues between francois truffaut and alfred hitchcock from the 1960s, the book moves chronologically through hitchcocks films to discuss his career, techniques, and effects he achieved. Dialogue between truffaut and hitchcock translation of le cinema selon hitchcock bibliography. In hitchcock, film critic francois truffaut presents fifty hours of interviews with alfred hitchcock about the whole of his vast directorial career, from his silent movies in great britain to his. This book was first published in 1966 as le cinema selon hitchock by rbt. Its difficult to think of a more informative or entertaining introduction to hitchcocks art, interests, and peculiar sense of humor. Alfred hitchcock, 1966 interview with francois truffaut blackmail 1929 the glove. Were hunting for alfred hitchcock s greatest macguffins. Interviewed in 1966 by francois truffaut, hitchcock explained the term macguffin using the same story.
Hitchcocktruffaut documents british directors influence. We explore hitchcocks concept of the macguffin and how it lives on in movies today. In his 1962 interview with francois truffaut, hitchcock explains. Whats a macguffin in films and why is it called that. In the truffaut interview he insists that while it must seem to be of vital. The first man says, but there are no lions in the scottish highlands, and the other one answers well, then thats no mcguffin. It might be a scottish name, taken from a story about two. Iconic, groundbreaking interviews of alfred hitchcock by film critic francois truffaut providing insight into the cinematic method, the history of film, and one of the greatest directors of all time. The book is the inspiration for the 2015 documentary hitchcocktruffaut. Hitchcocks term macguffin helped him to assert that his films were in fact not what they appeared to be on the surface. After hitchcocks death, truffaut updated the book with a new preface and final chapter on hitchcocks later films. Im convinced of this, but i find it very difficult to prove it to others. First published by editions robert laffont, it is based on a 1962 exchange between hitchcock and truffaut, in which the two directors spent a week in a room at universal studios talking about movies.
Starting with hitchcocks silent film days spoto uses the artful movie stills of hitchcock himself to illustrate hitchcocks biography. Documentary film based upon hitchocktruffaut from kent jones featuring marin scorsese, wes anderson and many more. It is the edited record of a series of conversations, begun in 1962, between two great film directors, alfred hitchcock and francois truffaut, about the formers long moviemaking career, now in its fifth decade. Here is a rare opportunity to eavesdrop on two cinematic masters from very different backgrounds as they cover each of. Rent hitchcocktruffaut 2015 starring wes anderson and olivier assayas on dvd and bluray. Foreign corrspondent, definition of mcguffin introduction. Alfred hitchcock explains the plot device he called the macguffin. Sadly this proved to be shortly before truffauts own premature death aged only 52, following a stroke and the diagnosis of a brain tumor. Jul 24, 2012 in his 1966 interview book, le cinema selon hitchcock, truffaut told the master that every time he saw the film he intended to study the trains movements, the editing and the special effects.
Iconic, groundbreaking interviews of alfred hitchcock by film critic francois truffautproviding insight into the cinematic method, the history of film, and one of the greatest directors of all time. The macguffin a web site owned by hitchcock scholar and author ken mogg. Heres an excerpt from helen scott and francois truffauts book of interviews, hitchcock, published 1985 the first edition was published in 1967, based on 1964 interviews. One of the essential books for film lovers, and the essential book for hitchcock admirers. Discussions of technique and intentions are fascinating. The following is a list of mostly nonfiction english language titles relating to the life and career of alfred hitchcock hitchcock remains the most studied and writtenabout film director of all time and there are very few aspects of his life and work that remain undocumented. Hitchcocktruffaut gracefully steeps its viewers in this 21stcentury film culture, whereby a viewer might come to love hitchcocks work through a book, a documentary, or a favorite contemporary. By 1967, truffaut had met with hitchcock on several more occasions, each time asking him further questions about his career to date. May 29, 2015 touched by truffauts flattery, hitchcock granted his young admirer an eightday interview, conducted on the universal lot in the presence of translator helen scott and photographer philippe. The technical definition of a macguffin, now a common cinematic term, is the plot device upon which the tension of a film is hung the often intangible item which drives the narrative and maintains an element of suspense. Sep 22, 2016 we explore hitchcock s concept of the macguffin and how it lives on in movies today. May 20, 2014 hitchcocktruffaut if youre a hitchcock fan, you owe it to yourself to pick up a copy of francois truffauts 1966 interview or you can listen to it for free at. On the th of august 1962, hitchcocks 63rd birthday, french director francois truffaut began a 50hour interview of our now worldfamous.
Alfred hitchcock liked to call it the macguffin the mysterious object in a. Truffauts book revealed for critical audiences what should have been apparent all along. Scott, francois truffaut one is ravished by the density of insights into cinematic questions. Wonderful insight, for instance on who chooses the actors not hitchcock necessarily and the problems this causes. Filmmakers discuss how francois truffauts 1966 book cinema according to hitchcock influenced their work. Nearly 500 illustrations, taken directly from the film frame with shot by shot of scenes which include casts and credits of all hitchcocks films. Any booklength interview with alfred hitchcock is valuable, but conside. If the 1967 hitchcock truffaut can now be seen as something of a. Hitchcock is astonishingly open about his working process, his successes and failures, the times his ego got the best of him, what his worst movie was, and how to. Touched by truffauts flattery, hitchcock granted his young admirer an eightday interview, conducted on the universal lot in the presence of.
The interview francois truffaut is obviously very knowledgeable, and a great director in his own right. Any book length interview with alfred hitchcock is valuable, but considering that this volumes interlocutor is francois truffaut, the conversation is remarkable indeed. In hitchcock, film critic francois truffaut presents fifty hours of interviews with alfred hitchcock about the whole of his vast directorial career, from his silent movies in great britain to his color films in hollywood. Macguffin the alfred hitchcock wiki the hitchcock zone. A definitive study of alfred hitchcock by francois truffaut. Represents, in an elegant collectors edition, hitchcocktruffaut. In 1962, truffaut, still young and radiant with technical discovery, interviewed hitchcock about his work, using a translator. Welcome to the alfred hitchcock scholarsmacguffin website. One point on which hitchcock was clear is that the macguffin is unimportant. The main thing ive learned over the years is that the macguffin is nothing. Definitive list of macguffins alfred hitchcock screenwriting, film. Here is a rare opportunity to eavesdrop on two cinematic masters from very different backgrounds as they cover each of hitchs films in succession. Of course, francois truffaut s book length interview with hitchcock english version, 1967 is a classic that has never been out of print and is now complemented by kent joness highlypraised film hitchcock truffaut.
After hitchcock died in 1980, truffaut updated the book a third and last time with a new preface and final chapter on his later films. Hitchcock agreed and later that summer the interviews took place over the course of a week at the directors office on the universal studios lot whilst he was completing postproduction work on. In their meetings in hitchcocks offices at universal studios, their conversations formed the basis not only of a lifelong friendship but also of truffauts 1967 book, hitchcock. Hitchcock over the years described the macguffin as a plot device, or gimmick, on which to hang the tension in a film, the key element of any suspense story gottlieb. Alfred hitchcock was confused by a laxative commercial. Hitchcock s term macguffin helped him to assert that his films were in fact not what they appeared to be on the surface. In fiction, a macguffin sometimes mcguffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to.
Alfred hitchcock explains the plot device he called the. Film director alfred hitchcock coined the term macguffin when discussing the suspense techniques in his films. The director and producer alfred hitchcock popularized both the term macguffin and the technique, with his films number seventeen 1932 and the 39 steps 1935 being early examples of the concept. Hitchcocktruffaut gracefully steeps its viewers in this 21stcentury film culture, whereby a viewer might come to love hitchcocks work through a book. A definitive study of alfred hitchcock revised edition by truffaut, francois isbn. Because hitchcock lured the audience to such a high degree of sympathy for the characters through cinematic means, the reason behind their plight became irrelevant for the. What to read if you love hitchcock movies book riot. In the 1930 detective novel the maltese falcon, a small statuette provides both the. On june 2nd 1962, francois truffaut wrote a letter to alfred hitchcock asking whether he might interview him in depth about his life and career.
In the art of alfred hitchcock he gives us an excellent view of a movie career that started in a small london studio and ended in hollywood. In hitchcocks interview with francois truffaut, truffaut attempts to establish limits on the phrase is it the pretext for the plot. Young and innocent, 1937, the lady vanishes, 1938 and vertigo duration. Definitive list of hitchcock mcguffins the main thing ive learned over the years is that the macguffin is nothing. The result is a portrait of one of the greatest directors the world has ever known, an allround specialist who. Apr 01, 2017 in the 1967 book hitchcock, by francois truffaut, hitchcock explained the interesting evolution of that particular macguffin and particularly how it inspired them to go from something important to nothing at all, which became a hallmark of his macguffins.
It changed the way hitchcock was perceived, as a popular director of suspense films such as psycho and the birds and revealed. The pleasure garden the mountain eagle the first true hitchcock. Of course, francois truffauts book length interview with hitchcock english version, 1967 is a classic that has never been out of print and is now complemented by kent joness highlypraised film hitchcocktruffaut. Provides insight into the cinematic method, the history of film, and one of the greatest directors of all time. Alfred hitchcock, right, discusses his movies with francois truffaut, whose book on the interviews is the subject of hitchcocktruffaut. The macguffin is always particular often to the point of absurdity while the heros motivation is universal.
The single most valuable book on film ever published thus far. Hitchcock is in the air that todays directors breathe, and hitchcocktruffaut aims to remind us of this fact. Hitchcock thought that his best macguffin were the government secrets in north by northwest, since they were virtually nonexistent. The book that gets inside alfred hitchcocks mind the. Every film covered with hitchcocks own views on the plotactors. In 1962, alfred hitchcock and a 30yearold francois truffaut sequestered themselves in a windowless hollywood office for a weeklong conversation. In 1962, film critic and french new wave director francois truffaut sat down with alfred hitchcock to record a weeklong interview about hitchcocks entire body of work. In the 1967 book hitchcock, by francois truffaut, hitchcock explained the interesting evolution of that particular macguffin and particularly how it inspired them to go from something important to nothing at all, which became a hallmark of his macguffins. Of course, francois truffauts booklength interview with hitchcock english. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders.
The macguffin a web site owned by hitchcock scholar and author ken mogg alfred hitchcock the director and producer alfred hitchcock popularized both the term macguffin and the technique, with his films number seventeen 1932 and the 39 steps 1935 being early examples of the concept. Some of the characters may care about the macguffin, but the audience certainly does not. In an attempt to discuss the mechanism of suspense in his films, alfred hitchcock coined the term macguffin. If the 1967 hitchcocktruffaut can now be seen as something of a. In a book length interview conducted by new wave critic and director francois truffaut, hitchcock s entire career is discussed and analyzed. Starting with hitchcock s silent film days spoto uses the artful movie stills of hitchcock himself to illustrate hitchcock s biography from birth through those early movie days. Interviewed in 1966 by francois truffaut, alfred hitchcock illustrated the term macguffin with this story. Though this book was initially published in 1967 when hitchcock was still active, truffaut later prepared a revised edition that covered the final stages of his career. With wes anderson, peter bogdanovich, david fincher, bob balaban.