The most definitive Hitchcock picture made, The 39 Steps is the gold standard that many espionage pictures have failed to match. Robert Donat has never been better, and Lucie Mannheim deserves credit for setting the tone. The formula of Alfred Hitchcock's many films can be readily found here.

This psycho-sexual thriller went on to become the game changer of the slasher genre. Taking a shower would never be the same again. Poor Marion Crane, she was the principal character for forty-eight minutes into the film and, all of a sudden, got bumped off in one of the greatest and most shocking scenes in cinema history. There's no actor who played a more famous villain than Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. Alfred Hitchcock was truly the Master of Suspense.

Vertigo is a technically, visually, psychologically, and brilliantly crafted neo-noir. All of the elements including acting, screenplay, in/exterior sets, fashion, sound, score, and cinematography come together so well that it's a rare achievement. It exemplfies what a legendary director Alfred Hitchcock was and why his movies are constantly revered to this day. There's something about them that remains timeless.

Look up the definition of the word "handsome," and you'll find a picture of Cary Grant. In top form, he never looked this good or had it better than John Robie aka The Cat who's by far the sexiest character of all Hitchcock films. Alfred Hitchcock's expertise is manifested through the well-written screenplay, exotic locales, perfect chemistry between Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, wonderful fashion designs by Edith Head, and resplendent cinematography of the French Riviera.

Daphne Du Maurier wrote Rebecca, and Alfred Hitchcock used his technical brilliance to transform the book into an outstanding picture. The performances by Laurence Olivier and Joan Fontaine are excellent. It's really she who makes the most of it, envoking suggestions of Ingrid Bergman-Casablanca moments.

No matter how much The Lady Vanishes resembles The 39 Steps, it's still a Hitchcock-worthy picture. What carries the show well is the marvelous pairings of Basil Radford and Naunton Wayne as the cricket enthusiasts, Charters and Caldicott, and Margaret Lockwood and Michael Redgrave.

It'll never happen in real life that a person is able to see everything that goes on in an apartment building because there are no curtains on most windows. But Alfred Hitchcock wants me to suspend my disbelief and just watch Rear Window for the sake of simplicity. Well, okay. It starts off slowly but easily races for a thrilling end. The mystery is compelling to follow. Hitchcock's technique is of the utmost importance here.

I disagree with the critics that Frenzy is the last good Hitchcock picture and have to say Family Plot is so much better. This one isn't formulaic like his other stuff and has some unique elements. It's also catchy and fun with worthwhile characters.

Believe it or not, Lifeboat is a disaster picture at the hands of Alfred Hitchcock. Stranded passengers are stuck in a lifeboat after the sinking of a ship. Melodrama results afterwards. Of course, to make things interesting, a German has to be on it with other American and English survivors. Then, to push the envelope further, the German has to be the bad guy, just to reinforce a point.

"From the Master of Shock...a Shocking Masterpiece!" is the tagline for Frenzy. It's a well-made Hitchcock picture, and for the first time ever, this one was slapped with an R rating for nudity and graphic scenes. Barry Foster is brilliant as the sex maniac killer Robert Rusk.

The title The Man Who Knew Too Much is misleading because the protagonist didn't know that much after all but just enough to follow up a lead. In many ways, the plot is similar to The Manchurian Candidate. Yes, it's a somewhat good thriller, breaking away free from the same tired formula that Alfred Hitchcock always used.

Suspicion is a fine Hitchcock movie that lacks logic in spots. Backed by decent writing, it has a good buildup of suspense leading to a fine ending. Although not envincing enough in chemisty, Cary Grant and Joan Fontaine make for a nice pair to generate thrills.