Hitchcock and Philosophy: Dial M for Metaphysics (Popular Culture and Philosophy, 27) by David Baggett


Hitchcock and Philosophy: Dial M for Metaphysics (Popular Culture and Philosophy, 27)
Title : Hitchcock and Philosophy: Dial M for Metaphysics (Popular Culture and Philosophy, 27)
Author :
Rating :
ISBN : 0812696166
ISBN-10 : 9780812696165
Language : English
Format Type : Paperback
Number of Pages : 288
Publication : First published January 1, 2007

The shower scene in Psycho; Cary Grant running for his life through a cornfield; “innocent” birds lined up on a fence waiting, watching — these seminal cinematic moments are as real to moviegoers as their own lives. But what makes them so? What deeper forces are at work in Hitchcock’s films that so captivate his fans? This collection of articles in the series that’s explored such pop-culture phenomena as Seinfeld and The Simpsons examines those forces with fresh eyes. These essays demonstrate a fascinating range of topics: Sabotage’s lessons about the morality of terrorism and counter-terrorism; Rope’s debatable Nietzschean underpinnings; Strangers on a Train’s definition of morality. Some of the essays look at more overarching questions, such as why Hitchcock relies so heavily on the Freudian unconscious. In all, the book features 18 philosophers paying a special homage to the legendary auteur in a way that’s accessible even to casual fans.

Hitchcock and Philosophy: Dial M for Metaphysics (Popular Culture and Philosophy, 27) Reviews

  • Στέφανος Κυριαζίδης

    Αν σας αρέσει ο Χίτσκοκ, διαβάστε αυτό το βιβλίο.

    Αν σας αρέσουν οι ταινίες γενικά, διαβάστε αυτό το βιβλίο.

    Αν σας αρέσει η φιλοσοφία, διαβάστε αυτό το βιβλίο.

    Τώρα, αν δεν σας αρέσει τίποτα από τα παραπάνω... ε κάντε ότι νομίζετε, τι να σας πω και εγώ!!!😀

  • michelle

    good collection of essays about the greatest movies ever made. Most of the essays have the same kind of ideas, and unfortunately not all of them are not zizek-level interpretations of his films, but this is a very very fun read nonetheless

  • Mary Foxe

    Good introduction to philosophical ideas to Hitchcock fans.

  • Lyzette Wanzer

    A must-read for the avid Hitchcock fan. The book's written in somewhat of a pithy, academic delivery, but if you watch all things Hitchcock, you won't want to miss this volume. I can attest to the fact that I've never watched The Birds the same way again. Two philosophy professors edited this essay collection (some readers might call them "papers"). This book was published by the well-known Open Court Publishing Company, one of the earliest academic presses in the nation. So a fair amount of cultural literacy and liberal-arts grounding is expected. The essays have titles like "Rear Window: Hitchcock's Allegory of the Cave," "Rope: Nietzsche and the Art of Murder," and "Vertigo: Scientific Method, Obsession, and Human Minds."

    In my opinion, you'll get the most out of this anthology if you've seen the majority of Hitchcock's movies, and perhaps some of his Hitchcock Presents entries. After you read this book, go and watch your favorites again. How has your viewer's lens transformed? Is the film really about the topic you thought it was about prior to reading this book? I'll bet it isn't.

  • Christopher Munroe

    I continue to be a sucker for these, philosophy essays drawn from works of pop culture, using TV, Music or Film as entryways to a discussion of larger issues. Old Hitchcock films, this time around, and discussion of identity, the nature of knowledge, and whether morality is a fixed or flexible thing. If you enjoy the filmography of Alfred Hitchcock, the films make for a fun entryway to the book as a whole. If not, these are still interesting essays that give you a lot to think about. On the whole, highly recommended.

  • Melanie

    Rewatching several Hitchcock classics and reading essays along with them; it's hit or miss as all these compilation types are, but some really good stuff around Hitch's concept of evil, the trouble of 'knowing', and distrust of authority.