20 Myths and Truths About Alfred Hitchcock

MYTH: Hitchcock was mainly a black-and-white filmmaker. TRUTH: Although Psycho, Rebecca, and many British thrillers are monochrome, he became an exceptionally sophisticated user of color. Rope, Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and The Birds all exploit color for mood and meaning. Vertigo in particular turns green, red, costume, lighting, and décor into psychological signals. Hitchcock treated color as narrative information, not merely prettier photographic technology alone.