Hitchcock, Beyond Suspense

Lauded as the master of suspense, the work of Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980) goes far beyond this stereotype. A great deal has been written on the person who is considered to be one of the most brilliant creators of the 20th century, and although several decades on from his death he is still difficult to categorize, every interpretation coincides in highlighting the visual fascination that his films arouse, such as Rear Window, Vertigo and Psycho, and the power of his images, which have become genuine modern icons.

Hitchcock was one of the most successful film-makers of his era but at the same time he managed to combine commercial demands with the development of an oeuvre that was imbued with his own individual style, based on a spirit and an approach that was replicated film after film. The key to developing this style was his view of the role that a director should play, controlling every stage of the process – something quite unusual in the film industry of his day – from the choice of screenplay through, sometimes, to the promotion of the film itself. However, Hitchcock’s recognition as an auteur did not take hold until the 1950s, and originated from French film critics. From that moment on, interpretations of his work have been many and varied: the precursor of non-narrative film, the creator of stories centred on psychology, the cinéaste who was determined to portray the different eras in which he lived…

This exhibition features some of the keys to the Hitchcock style: his mastery of the resources of art and avant-garde cinema; his skill in surrounding himself with outstanding professionals, from technicians and actors to designers and screenwriters, over whom he exerted an iron control; the fundamental role of women in his films, and the complex relationships between the sexes. And, of course, the capacity of his films to reflect the times in which they were created and to evoke the atmosphere of every era.

The exhibition Hitchcock, Beyond Suspense, curated by the Film and Photography History Professor at Salamanca University’s faculty of Fine Arts (USAL), contributor to various national and international publications and a film director himself, Pablo Llorca, revolves around this concept of Hitchcock as the total creator; Hitchcock the auteur. It puts the film-maker into context with the moment in history in which he produced his work, examining how his time influenced him and how his films were impregnated with the habits and customs of society at that time.

The exhibition will be shown on the third floor of the Espacio Fundación Telefónica from 5 October 2016 through to 5 February 2017.

Guided tours:
– Tuesday: 12:00 | 18:00
– Wednesday: 18:00
– Saturday: 12:00