Alfred HitchcockSummary
Born: 13th August 1899 in Leytonstone, Essex, England. Deceased.
Citizenship: U.K. (1899-1980) U.S (1955-1980)
Hitchcock was "the master of suspense" and was an English film director and producer. He created many elements of suspense as well as psychological thriller genres. Hitchcock was extremely successful in British Cinema, not only for silent films but also for the early 'talkies' which made his renown as the best director in England. Alfred Hitchcock moved to Hollywood in 1939 and then became a US citizen in 1955. He directed more than fifty feature films throughout his career which spans through six decades and is often considered as one of the most influential directors in the whole of cinematic history.
In 1925, Hitchcock created his very first film, which then led to him creating various thrillers at which he gained the attention of the whole world making everyone know him for his works. His film "Blackmail" is said the be the first British "talkie". He also directed classic suspense films such as The Man Who Knew Too Much made in 1934 and The 39 Steps which was created in 1935.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock
For more please visit: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/alfred-hitchcock-changed-the-way-we-watch-films-yet-he-remains-a-complete-unknown-8480472.html
Successful Films
Psycho (1960)
Psycho is a physiological horror that is based upon a book from 1959, the film centres around an encounter between a secretary Marion Crane who ends up in a secluded motel after she steals from her employer and ends up being chased about the motel by the disturbed manager and owner Norman Bates.
Something that made this film seem more interesting was the fact that it got mixed reviews, was created on such a low budget ($806.947) as well as being created in black and white picture, however even though this is the case, the film still gained a large box office return ($50 million). This made the critics soon change their minds and then nominate it for four academy awards, including best supporting actress for Leigh and best director for Hitchcock.
Hitchcock definitely changed the way movies are watched today just by this film alone. Before this film was in the theatre's people would just turn up to the picture house at whatever time and watch a film at any point it was playing at, however Hitchcock was the very first director to demand complete commitment to the story of the film which resulted in Psycho having it's own set viewing times. It was asked or even begged of the audiences who had watched it to not give away the ending of the film.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_(1960_film)
Rear Window (1954)
Rear Window is a American technicolor mystery thriller film that was directed by Alfred Hitchcock but was written by John Michael Hayes based on the short story 'It Had To Be Murder' written by Cornell Woolrich written in 1942. This film is considered by many critics, filmmakers and scholars as one of Hitchcock's best films as well as the best film to have ever been made.
This film is about a photographer called Jeff who breaks his leg when photographing a race car accident. He is then confined to a wheelchair in his apartment to recover. During a heatwave he watches his neighbours though his rear window as they all have their windows open to stay cool. One night Jeff hears Mrs Thorwald scream as well as glass smashing and is convinced her husband has killed her so he investigates.
This film's budget Just like Psycho this film has been nominated for four academy awards.
Rear Window was added to the United States National Film Registry in the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant"
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_Window
Born: 4th February 1940 The Bronx, New York, U.S. Currently 77.
Romero is a American-Canadian film maker and editor who is best known for his series of terrifying horror films about an 'imagined zombie apocalypse' which began with the creation of 'Night Of The Living Dead' in 1968.
Romero was brought up in the Bronx, and would then often ride on a train into Manhattan to rent film reals to watch at his house when he got home. After graduating Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in 1960 he began his career, shooting short films and commercials (Romero's farther also worked as a commercial artist). In the late 1960's Romero and nine of his friends formed their own independent company called 'Image Ten Productions' and then proceeded to produce 'Night Of The Living Dead in 1968.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_A._Romero
successful films:
Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
Even though this was the very first film Romero's company produced it was rather successful. The film was at a disadvantage with it's limited production budget, however managed to achieve $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally. Since then it has become a classic film to watch.
Night Of The Living Dead's story follows the character Ben, Barbra, and five others who are trapped in farmhouse which resides in the countryside in Western Pennsylvanian which is attacked by a large, ever growing group of the 'living dead'.
Though this film was judged upon the insane amount of gore it contained for it's time It eventually got selected by the Library Of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry and of course the film won this award in 1999.
This film is still a popular watch today if you're feeling like watching old style gory horror.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Living_Dead
Dawn Of The Dead (1978)
After an ever increasing amount of zombies have arisen from death, two S.W.A.T. team members along with a traffic reporter and his girlfriend who is a television executive, seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall, but is it really safe?
The budget for this film is estimated to be about $650.000 and ended up with an income of over $5 million in just the USA alone, and gaining profit of $55 million worldwide! Which knocks it out of the park for making it a great film.
Dawn Of The Dead has been nominated for seventeen awards since it's release, unfortunately only winning one which was the Golden Trailer Award for best horror/thriller in 2004. Even though this film only won one award it is fairly obvious of it's greatness just for the fact that it was nominated for so many things.
For more please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077402/
Of Course Romero is still popular today as he has made resent films in 2014, would it really be a surprise to see his name again. Not to mention there are multiple versions, parodies and comedies about Dawn Of The Dead making it ever more popular in today's audiences.
Born: 22nd February 1977, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (Currently 39)
Nationality: Australian
Even though Wan is a Malaysian-born Australian film director, screen writer and producer he lives in in U.S. in Los Angeles, California.
James Wan is mostly known for his work on Saw as he directed the film made in 2004, and wrote the story for Saw 3 in 2006. Of course everyone remembers the rather scary puppet that is used in the Saw films, well Billy the puppet was also created by Wan.
Wan is also well known for doing Insidious chapters one to four, Annabelle, lights out, The Conjuring one and two and furious seven.
James Wan has become closely associated with high quality horror films that has produced an extremely high profit when at the box office, which makes him one of the successful horror directors to recent.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wan
Successful films:
The Conjuring (2013)
The Conjuring is a film based upon a true story from the 1970's. In 1971 the Perron family move to a run down Rhode Island farm house and soon start to face strange happenings. In fear of running into peril Carolyn Perron contacts paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren. What's discovered next is the whole area is haunted by a satanic being which then follows the Perron Family no matter where they go.
The budget for this film was around $20 million and the box office profit was $318 million which meant it received it's budget almost sixteen times over.
As expected from such a successful director and a successful film The Conjuring has been nominated for twenty one awards and has won fourteen. Obviously that is a lot to list so here is a few.
For more please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1457767/
Insidious (2010)
Insidious is a supernatural horror. The story revolves around a couple who's son suddenly; without explanation enters a coma and becomes a container for various ghosts who are in a "Astral Dimension" which want to occupy his body so that they may 'live' once more.
The film was created on a $1.5 million budget and made a box office amount of $97 million when released.
In fact Insidious was actually somewhat created in order for Wan to prove to others in his line of work that he can create a film that is not on the same level as the Saw films.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insidious_(film)
Along with the success came award nominations here are just a few examples:
For more awards please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/awards
In 1925, Hitchcock created his very first film, which then led to him creating various thrillers at which he gained the attention of the whole world making everyone know him for his works. His film "Blackmail" is said the be the first British "talkie". He also directed classic suspense films such as The Man Who Knew Too Much made in 1934 and The 39 Steps which was created in 1935.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alfred_Hitchcock
For more please visit: http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/comment/alfred-hitchcock-changed-the-way-we-watch-films-yet-he-remains-a-complete-unknown-8480472.html
Successful Films
Psycho (1960)
Something that made this film seem more interesting was the fact that it got mixed reviews, was created on such a low budget ($806.947) as well as being created in black and white picture, however even though this is the case, the film still gained a large box office return ($50 million). This made the critics soon change their minds and then nominate it for four academy awards, including best supporting actress for Leigh and best director for Hitchcock.
Hitchcock definitely changed the way movies are watched today just by this film alone. Before this film was in the theatre's people would just turn up to the picture house at whatever time and watch a film at any point it was playing at, however Hitchcock was the very first director to demand complete commitment to the story of the film which resulted in Psycho having it's own set viewing times. It was asked or even begged of the audiences who had watched it to not give away the ending of the film.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_(1960_film)
Rear Window (1954)
This film is about a photographer called Jeff who breaks his leg when photographing a race car accident. He is then confined to a wheelchair in his apartment to recover. During a heatwave he watches his neighbours though his rear window as they all have their windows open to stay cool. One night Jeff hears Mrs Thorwald scream as well as glass smashing and is convinced her husband has killed her so he investigates.This film's budget Just like Psycho this film has been nominated for four academy awards.
Rear Window was added to the United States National Film Registry in the Library of Congress as being "culturally, historically or aesthetically significant"
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rear_Window
George A. Romero
Born: 4th February 1940 The Bronx, New York, U.S. Currently 77.
Romero is a American-Canadian film maker and editor who is best known for his series of terrifying horror films about an 'imagined zombie apocalypse' which began with the creation of 'Night Of The Living Dead' in 1968.
Romero was brought up in the Bronx, and would then often ride on a train into Manhattan to rent film reals to watch at his house when he got home. After graduating Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh in 1960 he began his career, shooting short films and commercials (Romero's farther also worked as a commercial artist). In the late 1960's Romero and nine of his friends formed their own independent company called 'Image Ten Productions' and then proceeded to produce 'Night Of The Living Dead in 1968.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_A._Romero
successful films:
Night Of The Living Dead (1968)
Even though this was the very first film Romero's company produced it was rather successful. The film was at a disadvantage with it's limited production budget, however managed to achieve $12 million domestically and $18 million internationally. Since then it has become a classic film to watch.Night Of The Living Dead's story follows the character Ben, Barbra, and five others who are trapped in farmhouse which resides in the countryside in Western Pennsylvanian which is attacked by a large, ever growing group of the 'living dead'.
Though this film was judged upon the insane amount of gore it contained for it's time It eventually got selected by the Library Of Congress for preservation in the National Film Registry and of course the film won this award in 1999.This film is still a popular watch today if you're feeling like watching old style gory horror.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Night_of_the_Living_Dead
For more awards please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0063350/awards
After an ever increasing amount of zombies have arisen from death, two S.W.A.T. team members along with a traffic reporter and his girlfriend who is a television executive, seek refuge in a secluded shopping mall, but is it really safe?
The budget for this film is estimated to be about $650.000 and ended up with an income of over $5 million in just the USA alone, and gaining profit of $55 million worldwide! Which knocks it out of the park for making it a great film.
Dawn Of The Dead has been nominated for seventeen awards since it's release, unfortunately only winning one which was the Golden Trailer Award for best horror/thriller in 2004. Even though this film only won one award it is fairly obvious of it's greatness just for the fact that it was nominated for so many things.
For more please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0077402/
For more awards please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0363547/awards
Of Course Romero is still popular today as he has made resent films in 2014, would it really be a surprise to see his name again. Not to mention there are multiple versions, parodies and comedies about Dawn Of The Dead making it ever more popular in today's audiences.
James Wan
Born: 22nd February 1977, Kuching, Sarawak, Malaysia (Currently 39)
Nationality: Australian
Even though Wan is a Malaysian-born Australian film director, screen writer and producer he lives in in U.S. in Los Angeles, California.
James Wan is mostly known for his work on Saw as he directed the film made in 2004, and wrote the story for Saw 3 in 2006. Of course everyone remembers the rather scary puppet that is used in the Saw films, well Billy the puppet was also created by Wan.
Wan is also well known for doing Insidious chapters one to four, Annabelle, lights out, The Conjuring one and two and furious seven.
James Wan has become closely associated with high quality horror films that has produced an extremely high profit when at the box office, which makes him one of the successful horror directors to recent.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Wan
Successful films:
The Conjuring (2013)
The budget for this film was around $20 million and the box office profit was $318 million which meant it received it's budget almost sixteen times over.
As expected from such a successful director and a successful film The Conjuring has been nominated for twenty one awards and has won fourteen. Obviously that is a lot to list so here is a few.
For more please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1457767/
- Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, 2014 - Won the Saturn Award for best horror film.
- Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards, 2014 - Nominated Critics Choice Awards for Best Sci-Fi/Horror Film
- Empire Awards UK, 2014 - Won the Empire Award for Best Horror
- Hollywood Film Awards, 2013 - Nominated for a Hollywood Movie Award for James Wan
Insidious (2010)
Insidious is a supernatural horror. The story revolves around a couple who's son suddenly; without explanation enters a coma and becomes a container for various ghosts who are in a "Astral Dimension" which want to occupy his body so that they may 'live' once more.
The film was created on a $1.5 million budget and made a box office amount of $97 million when released.
In fact Insidious was actually somewhat created in order for Wan to prove to others in his line of work that he can create a film that is not on the same level as the Saw films.
For more please visit: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Insidious_(film)
Along with the success came award nominations here are just a few examples:
- Academy of Science Fiction, Fantasy & Horror Films, USA, 2012 - Nominated for the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress (Lin Shaye)
- Empire Awards, UK, 2012 - Nominated for the Empire Award for best horror
- Fangoria Chainsaw Awards, 2012 - Won the chainsaw award for: Best Supporting Actress (Lin Shaye), Best Wide-Release Film, Best Actress (Rose Byrne) as well as Best Score (Joseph Bishara)
For more awards please visit: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1591095/awards
