A Century of Hitchcock

The Man, the Myths, the Legacy

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by Tony Lee Moral

Type

Essays

Subject

Director > Alfred Hitchcock

Keywords

Alfred Hitchcock

Publishing date

2026 (June 09, 2026) (Upcoming)

Publisher

University Press of Kentucky

Collection

Screen Classics

Language

English

Relative size

Physical desc.

Hardcover • 304 pages
6 x 9 ¼ inches (15.5 x 23.5 cm)

ISBN

978-1-9859044-4-6

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Book Presentation:
For over a century, Alfred Hitchcock has remained one of cinema's most influential directors. Known as the "Master of Suspense," this visionary filmmaker directed more than fifty films over six decades. His thriller The Lodger (1927) marked the start of his signature style, which was later exemplified in classic films like Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963).

Hitchcock's work received tremendous success and critical acclaim. While he never won the competitive Academy Award for Best Director, he received five Oscar nominations, two Golden Globes, the Irving G. Thalberg Memorial Award, a BAFTA Fellowship, multiple lifetime achievement awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and the preservation of nine of his films in the United States National Film Registry. His mastery of tension, innovative camera techniques, and psychological depth continue to inspire and influence modern filmmakers such as Christopher Nolan, Jordan Peele, and Bong Joon Ho.

Drawing on new archival research, previously unpublished interviews, and a rigorous examination of key biographies, A Century of Hitchcock challenges the long-standing narratives that have shaped Hitchcock's legacy. Author Tony Lee Moral revisits controversial claims regarding Hitchcock's alleged abuses, scrutinizing biographer Donald Spoto's interpretations, particularly his portrayal of the director's relationship with actress Tippi Hedren. With his analysis of a 1980 interview between Spoto and Hedren, Moral reveals for the first time how one key document contradicts decades of exaggeration.

In this comprehensive reappraisal of Hitchcock's career, Moral encourages readers to explore the complexities of creative collaboration and the risks of relying on a single biographical narrative. Marking one hundred years since Hitchcock's first film, The Pleasure Garden, and fifty years since his last film, Family Plot, Moral reexamines the director's cinematic brilliance, storytelling mastery, creative partnerships, and controversies, offering a fresh perspective on Hitchcock's legacy in the post-#MeToo era.

About the Author:
Tony Lee Moral is a British filmmaker and author who specializes in film history, especially the work of Alfred Hitchcock. He is the author of Hitchcock and the Making of Marnie, The Making of Hitchcock's The Birds, The Young Alfred Hitchcock's Moviemaking Master Class, and Alfred Hitchcock Storyboards.

Press Reviews:
"Moral uses every weapon in the arsenal―including a series of conversations with Hitchcock collaborators, close examination of production notes, and a detailed review of interview transcripts―to provide fresh insights into the controversies surrounding the 'Master of Suspense' and establish his place at the pinnacle of cinematic history."―John Billheimer, author of Edgar Award–winning Hitchcock and the Censors

"Tony Lee Moral has been researching, writing, and conducting original interviews over the course of many years to bring this expert profile to life. The wait was well worth it. A Century of Hitchcock is a succinct and entertaining overview of the director's entire career, both British and American, as well as a deep dive into his relationship with biographer Donald Spoto and actress Tippi Hedren."―Anthony Slide, film scholar and writer

"It is great to find a read that captures the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, the man and his life with such great detail and respect. Having been witness to this world champion producer-director, I speak with authority having observed him close up as one of his employees. Thank you Tony Lee Moral."―Jerry Adler, producer of Alfred Hitchcock Presents

"Essential reading for anyone seeking to understand the complex dynamics between Hitchcock and his leading ladies, particularly Tippi Hedren. Drawing on previously unpublished materials, Tony Lee Moral offers a fresh and nuanced perspective on how personal experience becomes public narrative, and how memory, biography, and history shape our understanding."―Christina Lane, Edgar Award-winning author of Phantom Lady: Hollywood Producer Joan Harrison, the Forgotten Woman Behind Hitchcock

"Alfred Hitchcock is not here to address one biographer's seamy and speculative intrusion into his life but thankfully, Tony Lee Moral is. In A Century of Hitchcock, Moral, deftly and with scrupulous research, untangles the divergent narratives born out of vague and variable allegations. In his fair-handed study of shifting accounts and reconstructed history, Moral weaves a compelling chronicle of the public discussion of a man's private life while also smartly tracing Hitchcock's professional road from upstart of silent cinema to Hollywood legend."―Elisabeth Karlin, playwright and essayist

"At times, a historian's task is to challenge prevailing narratives surrounding mythic figures. Tony Lee Moral rises to that occasion with a masterful command of film history and archival research. Impeccably crafted and revelatory, this book is neither a repetition nor a revision of Hitchcock scholarship, but a vivid contemporary reassessment of cinema's most mythologized filmmaker. Drawing on untapped sources, Moral paints a fuller portrait of Hitchcock's personal and professional world. A vital contribution to Hitchcock studies for this century and beyond."―Sean Forrest, assistant teaching professor of Film Studies at University of Colorado-Colorado Springs

"Tony Lee Moral's A Century of Hitchcock is much more than a deeply-researched biography and thoughtful analysis of a legendary director's work and techniques. It is a once-in-a-generation historical correction, setting the record straight in shocking detail and restoring the director to his deserved stature as one of the most influential figures in Hollywood history. A Century of Hitchcock promises to stand as the definitive Hitchcock book for the century ahead."―Burt Kearns, author of Marlon Brando: Hollywood Rebel

"Tony Lee Moral's A Century of Hitchcock may change your mind about the Master's so-called "dark side." This compelling, provocative book uncovers fascinating facts and includes some brilliant insights into Hitchcock's influence on modern-day directors such as Scorsese, DePalma, Guillermo del Toro, David Fincher and Christopher Nolan. Meticulously-researched and beautifully-written, A Century of Hitchcock is a must for any film lover."―Kevin O'Brien, New York Times Bestselling Author

"Moral does double duty in A Century of Hitchcock, offering an insightful survey of Hitchcock's career―from his first pictures made in Germany to his last made in Hollywood―and at the same time providing a deep dive into the endlessly fascinating and occasionally fraught Hitchcock reception."―Noah Isenberg, bestselling author of We'll Always Have 'Casablanca': The Life, Legend, Afterlife of Hollywood's Most Beloved Movie

See the publisher website: University Press of Kentucky

See the complete filmography of Alfred Hitchcock on the website: IMDB ...