Even though the final film in his prolific career was released nearly 50 years ago, Alfred Hitchcock is a name that still resonates with audiences across the globe. At best, a director like Hitchcock comes along once in a generation, creating a name for themselves even bigger than the movies they make or the actors that star in them. With films spanning the 1920s into the 1970s, Hitchcock’s career is certainly littered with can’t-miss highlights. Here are some of his very best films, and where you can watch them.
Rear Window
Incredibly, Hitchhock’s films hardly feel dated at all. They still stand as a testament that great directing and storytelling are timeless. Rear Window is a mystery thriller that demonstrates what happens when Hitchcock is firing on all cylinders. The plot revolves around a man spying on his neighbors through his apartment window, leading him to become convinced that one of his neighbors committed murder. Rear Window has inspired numerous well-known thrillers since – does anyone remember Disturbia?
Rear Window is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.
Vertigo
The debate has raged on amongst cinephiles for decades: is Rear Window Hitchcock’s best film, or is it Vertigo? The world is blessed to have both. Vertigo is the kind of thriller it’s best not to read much about, lest we spoil the best parts. The plot revolves around a retired detective who’s hired to follow a woman whose belief that she’s possessed by a spirit might make her a danger to herself; along the way, he becomes obsessed with her and another woman who feels profoundly familiar. Just watch it – you’ve never seen anything quite like this.
Vertigo is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.
Psycho
Psycho is undebatably one of the most defining movies of the thriller genre. Upon its release, the multiple shocking twists contained in Psycho shook the landscape of film forever. And just like many of Hitchcock’s other films, it’s still highly engaging now and doesn’t feel dated. Even if you know nothing else about this movie, surely you’re familiar with “The Shower Scene,” which has been referenced in songs, movies, and books in every decade since.
Psycho is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.
Strangers on a Train
Strangers on a Train starts off quickly with an interesting premise that’s summed up perfectly on IMDb – “a psychopath forces a tennis star to comply with his theory that two strangers can get away with murder.” We don’t know about you, but if we were reading that for the first time, we’d have an awful lot of questions. So what do you think, can strangers get away with murder? Watch and find out.
Strangers on a Train is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.
North by Northwest
North by Northwest was a bit of a surprising turn by the director when it was released. How would Hitchcock’s signature sense of tension and mystery carry over to the action-adventure/spy genre? Spoiler alert – he nailed it. It’s twisty, romantic, packed with espionage, and ultimately, one of Hitchcock’s very best.
North By Northwest is available to rent on Prime Video, Apple TV, and more.