Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most renowned and influential film directors. His career ushered in two key periods of cinema history – the arrival of sound and the introduction of colour. He perfected his art in both disciplines, reverting back to black and white when he felt the need, and mastering not only silent pictures but sound and colour ones too. Hitchcock, surprisingly, never won an Oscar for Best Director but he did lose out to John Ford and Billy Wilder twice so remained in good company. For many, however, he is the greatest director who ever lived. The following ten films are my picks for his best work. What are your favourite Hitchcock films?

If the best thing about Disturbia is how it updates the age-old story of the mysterious next-door neighbour for a 21st century audience groomed on mobile phones, Ipods, and online gaming, we’re clutching at straws. I’m talking about the sort of straws Tom Hanks couldn’t get his hands on in The ‘Burbs (there was no following people around taking pictures on phones, or getting mini-DV footage of the culprit doing nasty deeds). Yet he, and the film, was better for it. Indeed, dress-up any bad movie in all the bells and whistles you can find from jump cuts to scantily-clad young actresses to pop culture references and you’re still left with a bad, uninspired cinematic experience.

The allure of the single location film
Films set in a single location (or predominantly in a single location) have always fascinated me. Perhaps it’s their theatre roots, as many single-location films derive from the work of playwrights. The consequence of that is strong characterisation, an emphasis on good acting, and tight control of plot that usually takes place over a few hours.
Another reason I am a fan of single location (and indeed single day films or those set over a short prescribed period of time) derives from my distaste …