Alfred Hitchcock's influence on cinema cannot be denied. His films live on and hold up well, despite the fact Hitchcock himself passed away in 1980, and his final film was released in 1976. Many of his best works don't feel like they live in the past, or merely feel like products of it. The best of his works still feel alive, exciting, and vital, and that's a reason other filmmakers have always been influenced by him, whether it was back when he was alive and making movies, or in the years since 1980.
Even for those not familiar with older cinema, Hitchcock films are worth exploring, simply because the man was so ahead of his time in many ways, and undeniably influential on filmmakers that followed him. As a director, Hitchcock made numerous movies in both the British and American film industries, starting with silent films in the 1920s, and continuing to direct into the 1970s. In total, he made about 60 films, and since the majority of those are worth watching, a ranking proves to be challenging, as there are naturally some omissions. However, for those unfamiliar with Hitchcock, or maybe only aware of his biggest hits, the following are all worth exploring, and collectively deliver hours of suspense, dark comedy, thrills, and intense psychological drama.
30 'Jamaica Inn' (1939)
Starring: Charles Laughton, Maureen O'Hara, Leslie Banks
There were some incredible movies released during 1939, and admittedly, Jamaica Inn isn't up there with the very best. It's commonly regarded as one of Hitchcock's lesser movies, in fact, being an adventure/crime/thriller movie with a slightly odd tone, and also being made shortly before the director started to make a name for himself in America.
It might not represent 1939 or Hitchcock at either's respective best, but it's a movie that's overly criticized sometimes, and is actually pretty decent, all things considered. Charles Laughton hams it up wonderfully in a villainous role, and Jamaica Inn is enough of an oddity to make it strangely engaging throughout much of its runtime.
29 'Family Plot' (1976)
Starring: Karen Black, Bruce Dern, Barbara Harris
Alfred Hitchcock's final film was Family Plot, and it was screened out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival just a few years before the director passed away. It's a fairly convoluted crime/comedy movie, bringing together con artists, kidnappers, and a missing heir into one complex narrative.
It's certainly not the most well-balanced Hitchcock movie out there, but Family Plot has a good deal to offer, as well as boasting some fun performances from a cast that includes Barbara Harris, Bruce Dern, and Karen Black. It also represents Hitchcock going out on his own terms as a filmmaker, being true to his style and favorite tropes/plot beats to the very end of his filmmaking career.
Family Plot
- Release Date
- April 9, 1976
- Director
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Cast
- Karen Black , Bruce Dern , Barbara Harris , William Devane , Ed Lauter , Cathleen Nesbitt , Katherine Helmond , Warren J. Kemmerling
- Runtime
- 120 Minutes
28 'Blackmail' (1929)
Starring: Anny Ondra, John Longden, Cyril Ritchard
The title Blackmail doesn't mess around, because this 1929 movie is straight to the point and indeed about what the title would suggest. It centers on two people who are experiencing their relationship grow apart, and what happens when one of them gets involved with another shady character who could ruin both of their lives.
Created just two years after the advent of sound in cinema, Blackmail is notable for being Alfred Hitchcock's first talkie, after he made a number of silent movies earlier in the 1920s. It's naturally dated and might not hold up to everyone's standards, but those who like very old movies or otherwise want to see Hitchcock experiment with having spoken dialogue for the first time should certainly check it out.