(#4) He Used Homosexuality To Create Uneasiness
Homosexuality is associated with crime, violence, and villainy in many of Hitchcock's films. Gay antagonists, and lots of subtext, can be found in 1948's Rope and 1951's Strangers On A Train. In the 1950s, homosexuality was still seen as a mental disorder by mainstream society.
Hitchcock used the uneasiness surrounding homosexuality to build tension in several films, including a housekeeper's strange behaviors in Rebecca and Norman Bates's cross dressing practices in Psycho.
(#6) He Wanted Cary Grant To Have A Sneezing Fit Inside Lincoln's Nose In 'North By Northwest'
Throughout the early 1950s, Hitchcock toyed with an idea he referred to as The Man In Lincoln's Nose. The project was conceived as a movie about a wrongly accused man trying to exonerate himself, and would include a scene in the United Nations, as well as a climatic scene at Mount Rushmore.
While developing the idea, Hitchcock wanted to include a scene in which Cary Grant's character hides in Lincoln's nose on Mount Rushmore and has a sneezing fit. The film was eventually named North By Northwest and Mount Rushmore refused permission for filming, requiring a reproduction set to be made. The sneezing idea was abandoned.
(#7) He Refused To Meet Steven Spielberg Because He Felt Like A Whore For Taking Money To Do A Voice For The Jaws Ride
When the Universal Studios theme park opened in 1964, Hitchcock was hired to help with promotion over the course of several years. He was paid $1 million to star in ads and promotional films for attractions, which, in the 1970s, included the Jaws ride.
Jaws director Steven Spielberg was a big Hitchcock fan and tried to meet his idol several times. Hitchcock always turned him down, eventually admitting the reason was "Because I'm the voice of the Jaws ride [at the Universal Studios them park]. They paid me a million dollars. And I took it and I did it. I'm such a whore. I can't sit down and talk to the boy who did the fish movie... I couldn't even touch his hand."
Perhaps even weirder still, all this information came compliments of Bruce Dern, who knew both directors and tried to put them in touch with one another.
(#1) He Terrorized Actress Tippi Hedren And Her Daughter
Alfred Hitchcock had a thing for blonde leading ladies, including Tippi Hedren, the star of 1963's The Birds and 1964's Marnie. He developed an odd obsession with her, and wanted to control everything about her life. While filming The Birds, he locked Hedren in a room with a bunch of angry live birds, some of which were tied to her body. She eventually collapsed in a crying fit and had to be carried off set, and required a week of bed rest. Hitchcock also sent Hedren's daughter, Melanie Griffith, a wax doll that resembled her mother and was nestled in a small coffin.
According to Hedren, this happened because she rejected Hitchcock's sexual advances. When he made things difficult, she threatened to stop working with him, at which point he told her he'd ruin her career if she did. She eventually extricated him from her life, to the detriment to her career.
Hitchcock had similar obsession with other leading ladies, including Grace Kelly, though claimed he was celibate, having only had sex once, with his wife, Alma. Some might say he terrorized Hedren as he did his other actors, for the sake of improving their performances.
(#2) He Was Terrified Of Eggs
In 1963, Hitchcock declared eggs terrified him.
“I’m frightened of eggs, worse than frightened, they revolt me. That white round thing without any holes … have you ever seen anything more revolting than an egg yolk breaking and spilling its yellow liquid? Blood is jolly, red. But egg yolk is yellow, revolting. I’ve never tasted it.”
(#13) He Bought As Many Copies Of The Book 'Psycho' As He Could To Avoid Spoiling The Ending
Hitchcock claimed he was drawn to Psycho by the unusual narrative device of the heroine's death appearing very early in the story. He anonymously purchased the rights to the book for $9,000. It was important to the director to keep the story's twist a secret from film audiences.
To make sure the ending wouldn't leak and viewers could be appropriately chilled, Hitchcock purchased every copy of the Psycho novel he could, keeping it out of the hands of readers.
New Random Displays Display All By Ranking
About This Tool
Alfred Hitchcock is the most legendary filmmaker in the history of the world and one of Hollywood's most famous idols. He directed many of the most memorable and classic horror scenes in movie history. However, few people know that his life is as fascinating as his movies. You might also think that the director who made the most horrifying movies would be a strange person.
In fact, he does have some little quirks, but these special details make him more interesting. For example, Hitchcock was named "Master of Suspense", but the outstanding filmmaker has a phobia. The random tool introduced 15 bizarre things about Alfred Hitchcock.
Our data comes from Ranker, If you want to participate in the ranking of items displayed on this page, please click here.