The 10 greatest movie macguffins that are not in a hitchcock. Iconic, groundbreaking interviews of alfred hitchcock by film critic francois truffautproviding insight into the cinematic method, the history of film, and one of the greatest directors of all time. Wonderful insight, for instance on who chooses the actors not hitchcock necessarily and the problems this causes. Maybe its because of its funnysounding name, or maybe its because it screams hitchcock as hitchcock screams for it, or maybe. This illuminating documentary explores the art and influence of alfred hitchcock through his famed 1962 interview with french auteur francois truffaut.
Truffauts resulting book is one of the classic texts on cinema, as hitchcock explains both his approach to his craft. Definitive list of hitchcock mcguffins the main thing ive learned over the years is that the macguffin is nothing. It changed the way hitchcock was perceived, as a popular director of suspense films such as psycho and the birds and revealed. The writers toolbox faculty articles gotham writers workshop. A definitive study of alfred hitchcock by francois truffaut. The macguffin also spelled mcguffin has always been one of my favorite techniques in screenwriting, and im not entirely sure why.
Although dorothy didnt know it, the true quest wasnt to capture the broom but to kill the witch because oz knew only the through death would dorothy be able to. Hitchcocktruffaut gracefully steeps its viewers in this 21stcentury film culture, whereby a viewer might come to love hitchcocks work through. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. En 1955, francois truffaut rencontre alfred hitchcock pour les cahiers du cinema. Hitchcock also said the macguffin is the thing that the spies are after but the audience dont care. Macguffin the alfred hitchcock wiki the hitchcock zone. The macguffin a web site owned by hitchcock scholar and author ken mogg alfred hitchcock the director and producer alfred hitchcock popularized both the term macguffin and the technique, with his films number seventeen 1932 and the 39 steps 1935 being early examples of the concept. Without further ado, here is the list of 10 of the best movie macguffins that appear somewhere else other than a hitchcock movie. In hitchcocks interview with francois truffaut, truffaut attempts to establish. Filmmakers discuss how francois truffauts 1966 book cinema according to hitchcock influenced their work.
It changed the way hitchcock was perceived, as a popular director of suspense films such as psycho and the birds. John russell taylors hitch 1978 was published in hitchcock s lifetime, and is relatively short but, like ackroyds book, is full of solid insights. Doug the hangover we kick off the list with a potentially controversial choice. Hitchcocktruffaut gracefully steeps its viewers in this 21stcentury film culture, whereby a viewer might come to love hitchcocks work through a book, a documentary, or a favorite contemporary. Truffaut and hitchcock began their interviews on august, hitchcocks 63rd birthday. Every film covered with hitchcock s own views on the plotactors. Alfred hitchcock explains the plot device he called the macguffin. A definitive study of alfred hitchcock francois truffaut isbn. Hitchcocks term macguffin helped him to assert that his films were in fact not what they appeared to be on the surface. He was also a talented and soughtafter film critic in france most notably, his work for cahiers du cinema, and one of the founders of the french new wave and the auteur theory. The macguffin, foreign correspondent, 1940 duration. Hitchcock is in the air that todays directors breathe, and hitchcocktruffaut aims to remind us of this fact.
Interviewed in 1966 by francois truffaut, alfred hitchcock illustrated the term macguffin with this story. Macguffin synonyms, macguffin pronunciation, macguffin translation, english dictionary definition of macguffin. The technical definition of a macguffin, now a common cinematic term, is the plot device upon which the tension of a film is hung the often intangible item which drives the narrative and maintains an element of suspense. Hitchcocktruffaut watch the hbo original documentary hbo. The book that gets inside alfred hitchcocks mind the new. The macguffin is the engine that sets the story in motion. Provides insight into the cinematic method, the history of film, and one of the greatest directors of all time. Originally coined by alfred hitchcock, this concept is one of those things thats easy to spot but difficult to.
This is one of the most delightful film books in print. Based on the famous series of dialogues between francois truffaut and alfred hitchcock from the 1960s, the book moves chronologically through hitchcocks films to discuss his career, techniques, and effects he achieved. His reason was that too many new directors tried too hard to make a mcguffin more important than the rest of the movie, he felt its overuse became a. Based on the famous series of dialogues between francois truffaut and alfred hitchcock from the 1960s, this book moves chronologically through hitchcock s films to discuss his career, techniques, and effects he achieved. The interview francois truffaut is obviously very knowledgeable, and a great director in his own right. This is a video by isaac niemand on vimeo where he animates alfred hitchcock in a macguffin. A love letter to cinema and two if its renowned talents. The main thing i ve learned over the years is that the macguffin is nothing. Hitchcock over the years described the macguffin as a plot device, or gimmick, on which to hang the tension in a film, the key element of any suspense story gottlieb.
The writers toolbox faculty articles gotham writers. Im convinced of this, but i find it very difficult to prove to others. Written by jeffrey michael bays, an awardwinning radio producer most widely known for not from space on xm satellite radio. Alfred hitchcock was confused by a laxative commercial. Of course, francois truffaut s book length interview with hitchcock english version, 1967 is a classic that has never been out of print and is now complemented by kent joness highly. Of course, francois truffauts booklength interview with hitchcock english version, 1967 is a classic that has never been out of print and is now complemented by kent joness highlypraised film hitchcocktruffaut. One point on which hitchcock was clear is that the macguffin is. Im convinced of this, but i find it very difficult to prove it to others. Foreign corrspondent, definition of mcguffin introduction. Alfred hitchcock believed in a film device called the mcguffin. Hitchcock francois truffaut, alfred hitchcock, helen g. Its most intriguing takeaway is a question hitchcock posed to truffaut.
The result is a portrait of one of the greatest directors the. Alfred hitchcock movies the rest of alfred hitchcock. In 1962, alfred hitchcock and a 30yearold francois truffaut sequestered themselves in a windowless hollywood office for a weeklong conversation. The following is a list of mostly nonfiction english language titles relating to the life and career of alfred hitchcock hitchcock remains the most studied and writtenabout film director of all time and there are very few aspects of his life and work that remain undocumented. Interviewed in 1966 by francois truffaut, hitchcock explained the term macguffin using the same story. And it took a good writer to build the structure of the macguffin in to the plots so well that hitchcock could ignore it and get on with making plotbased movies with powerful macguffins like rear window, the thirty nine steps, the lady vanishes, and strangers on a train. Represents, in an elegant collectors edition, hitchcock truffaut. After hitchcocks death, truffaut updated the book with a new preface and final chapter on hitchcocks later films. In the 1967 book hitchcock, by francois truffaut, hitchcock explained the interesting evolution of that particular macguffin and particularly how it inspired them to go from something important to nothing at all, which became a hallmark of his macguffins. Iconic, groundbreaking interviews of alfred hitchcock by film critic francois truffaut providing insight into the cinematic method, the history of film, and one of the greatest directors of all time. Welcome to the alfred hitchcock scholarsmacguffin website. A mcguffin is the thing the characters in the movie care about, but we as the audience ignore. Alfred hitchcock who popularized and mastered the use of the macguffin. Represents, in an elegant collectors edition, hitchcocktruffaut.
As an avid fan of alfred hitchcock, jeffrey directed. What is a macguffin to the man who popularized the concept. Because hitchcock lured the audience to such a high degree of sympathy for the characters through cinematic means, the reason behind their plight became irrelevant for the. Mcguffin an object, event, or character in a story that lacks intrinsic importance but serves to set and keep the plot in motion n. Documentary film based upon hitchocktruffaut from kent jones featuring marin scorsese, wes anderson and many more. Based on the famous series of dialogues between francois truffaut and alfred hitchcock from the 1960s, the book moves chronologically through hitchcock s films to discuss his career, techniques, and effects he achieved. In fiction, a macguffin sometimes mcguffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. Alfred hitchcock explains the plot device he called the. In hitchcock, film critic francois truffaut presents fifty hours of interviews with alfred hitchcock about the whole of his vast directorial career, from his silent movies in great britain to. We explore hitchcock s concept of the macguffin and how it lives on in movies today. Originally coined by alfred hitchcock, this concept is one of those things thats easy to spot but difficult to explainlike, say, the nickelback fandom. A macguffin is a plot device used in films or books that sets the. Based on the original recordings of this meeting used to produce the mythical book hitchcocktruffaut this film illustrates the greatest cinema lesson of all time and plummets us into the world of the creator of psycho, the birds, and vertigo.
In 1962, truffaut, still young and radiant with technical discovery, interviewed hitchcock about his work, using a translator. Film director alfred hitchcock coined the term macguffin when discussing the suspense techniques in his films. In the 39 steps, it is secrets vital to your air defence. The book is the inspiration for the 2015 documentary hitchcocktruffaut. The alfred hitchcock story titan books, london, 1999 and 2008. In an attempt to discuss the mechanism of suspense in his films, alfred hitchcock coined the term macguffin. Je dedie ce livre a patricia hitchcock oconnell, francois truffaut, octobre 83, jaquette, bon etat. Whats a macguffin in films and why is it called that.
Simon and schuster, 1967 motion picture producers and directors 256 pages. Macguffin definition of macguffin by the free dictionary. Hitchcocks term macguffin helped him to assert that his films were in fact not what they appeared to be. Mar 06, 2014 without further ado, here is the list of 10 of the best movie macguffins that appear somewhere else other than a hitchcock movie. In 1962 francois truffaut spent a week interviewing alfred hitchcock to hear his recollections of directing some forty films both in england and the us. The broom in the wizard of oz becomes an active mcguffin. Jeffrey has written for peter marshalls directors chair, and is currently writing a book for micheal wiese publishing.
The main thing ive learned over the years is that the mcguffin is nothing. Strangers mcguffin may be the best ever conceived for a film. The result is a portrait of one of the greatest directors the world has ever known, an allround specialist who. With wes anderson, peter bogdanovich, david fincher, bob balaban. Maybe its because of its funnysounding name, or maybe its because it screams hitchcock as hitchcock screams for it, or maybe its because its allaround awesome in its simplicity. Some spoilers are discussed mildly, but nothing that isnt mostly common knowledge. The 10 greatest movie macguffins that are not in a. In fiction, a macguffin sometimes mcguffin is an object, device, or event that is necessary to. First published by editions robert laffont, it is based on a 1962 exchange between hitchcock and truffaut, in which the two directors spent a week in a room at universal studios talking about movies. Buy hitchcock by francois truffaut from waterstones today. The single most valuable book on film ever published thus far. Alfred hitchcock liked to call it the macguffin the mysterious object in a spy thriller that sets the whole chain of events into motion.
May 12, 2015 truffaut and hitchcock began their interviews on august, hitchcocks 63rd birthday. It might be a scottish name, taken from a story about two. By no means original with hitchcock, the mcguffin is a hoary british joke about a parceltoting man on a train meeting another man, who inquires. But despite the supposed centrality of the macguffin, a hitchcock movie is always about something else. In 1962, film critic and french new wave director francois truffaut sat down with alfred hitchcock to record a weeklong interview about hitchcocks entire body of work. Filmmakers discuss how francois truffaut s 1966 book cinema according to hitchcock influenced their work.
The term was originated by angus macphail for film, adopted by alfred hitchcock, and later extended to a similar device in other fiction the macguffin technique is common in films, especially. In hitchcock, film critic francois truffaut presents fifty hours of interviews with alfred hitchcock about the whole of his vast directorial career, from his silent movies in great britain to his color films in hollywood. Everything always seems easier after the writer has done his job. Every film covered with hitchcocks own views on the plotactors. Truffauts resulting book is one of the classic texts on cinema, as hitchcock explains both his approach to his craft and the way he went about making each film.
343 617 458 1299 1549 1002 945 1541 409 1566 329 127 274 84 1301 1068 1090 441 1347 316 109 1627 1166 1254 817 1343 1154 1562 699 99 1416 1420 607 41 936 1004 1270 885 174 39 986 121 393 849 767 332 1250 1003 1420