The A-Z of Hitchcock: The Ultimate Reference Guide

Though biographies and academic studies of Alfred Hitchcock abound, film buff Maxford (David Lean; The George Lucas Companion) found an opening for one more useful book about the renowned director when he""fixed upon the idea of an all-encompassing encyclopedia"" about the master's works. Organized alphabetically from""Academy Awards"" to""Ziegler, William,"" Maxford's encyclopedia includes entries for every film, television episode, actor and actress Hitchcock worked with, as well as entries for Hitchcock homages and remakes and all the key cinematographers, technicians, composers and special effects people who contributed to his films. (Ziegler was the editor who cut the film for Spellbound, Rope, Strangers on a Train and Topaz.) Readers may disagree with some of Maxford's evaluations--The Birds, he says, leaves him""curiously cold""--but his exhaustive, well-designed compilation of Hitchcock facts is sure to prove useful to any serious Hitchcock fan.