Alfred Hitchcock’s horrors: Take a look at his timeless thrillers

Alfred Hitchcock’s thrillers are known to keep audiences on the edge of their seats.

The University of Miami will host Marnie Re-visited, an event that features a screening of “Marnie” and a discussion featuring celebrated Hitchcock experts, Murray Pomerance and William Rothman.

The two scholars have studied Hitchcock’s work intensively. Pomerance is an author of various books, such as “An Eye for Hitchcock,” and a professor at Ryerson University’s Department of Sociology. Rothman is a UM motion pictures professor and the author of numerous books, including the prominent analysis “Hitchcock – The Murderous Gaze.”

“He is, for film, the equivalent of Shakespeare for theater,” Rothman said.

The film is about a thief, Marnie, who uses her beauty to rob her employers and then changes her identity. However, when Marnie sets her eyes on publishing mogul Mark Rutland, she gets more than she expected when he becomes obsessed with trapping her. Hitchcock’s 1964 film has enjoyed much attention due to its complexity and interpretation of characters.

“Hitchcock is one of the greatest masters of the art of pure cinema,” Rothman said. “He started his career in the silent period and for half a century made a long series of films, each one of which was popular. Everybody enjoyed his films. They were understandable by everyone, nonetheless very deep.”

Hitchcock’s films have remained popular even decades after their releases due to his distinctive take on directing.

“He masters every step of filmmaking, from writing, even if he does not write, to editing, lighting,” said graduate student Nicolas Bordage, who is studying literature and romance studies. “He understands the deep psychology of cinema and knows the dark side of human kind.  He also has a very British sense of humor.”

Hitchcock’s style of directing is different from that of most directors.

“It is genuinely personal,” graduate student Oscar Jubis said.  “His style of directing reflects a personal vision.”

The screening, brought to campus by the School of Communication’s Norton Herrick Center for Motion Picture Studies, will be followed by a brief intermission and a panel discussion at 4:30 p.m.

For more information, visit cosfordcinema.com.