The annual tribute to the distinguished director Alfred Hitchcock returns to Gateway Film Center for its 12th year this October. Credit: Amal Saeed | Lantern File Photo
Black-and-white film is back in theaters at Gateway Film Center, giving audiences a taste of classical cinema.
Friday will mark the beginning of Hitchcocktober, a month-long program at Gateway dedicated to highlighting the work of acclaimed filmmaker Alfred Hitchcock, screening one of his films at 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. every Friday, Saturday and Sunday, according to the center’s website. Entering its 12th year, the program will feature 10 of Hitchcock’s thrillers, creating an eerie buildup to the playing of his iconic horror film “Psycho” to conclude the series on Halloween night.
“The film center is about fostering respect and appreciation for the art of film, and there really isn’t a better example than Hitchcock,” Grace Cole, vice president of marketing and communications for Gateway, said. “We really do see that Hitchcock has a legacy in the world of film, not only from a film literacy standpoint, but also [his films] are wildly entertaining.”
Cole said Hitchcocktober is an opportunity for those who are familiar with Hitchcock to see his films once more, perhaps on the big screen for the first time, or for someone who is unfamiliar with his work to discover it.
“I think having the option to see classic films at Gateway is amazing,” Annmarie Julian, a fifth-year in international studies and self-proclaimed Hitchcock fan, said. “You might get pushed a little bit outside your comfort zone and be like, ‘I’ve heard about that, but I’ve never actually seen it.’ ”
At 14 years old, Julian said she was introduced to her first Hitchcock movie through her grandfather. Having now watched five of his films, she said she considers “The Birds” — the story of a brewing romance interrupted by unexplained bird attacks in a small California town — to be her favorite.
Sean O’Sullivan, a professor in the Department of English who teaches “Special Topics in Film — Alfred Hitchcock and Christopher Nolan,” also listed “The Birds” as a favorite of his and said he has a strong admiration toward Hitchcock’s work and filmmaking style in general.
O’Sullivan said Hitchcock relished in the ability to draw an audience into a film and then either present them with information not readily available to the characters on screen or withhold that information from the audience altogether, creating anticipation for what would happen next.
“He did have a very strong sense of control,” O’Sullivan said. “When you watched one of his films, there was a sense you were under his eye. He was shaping something very clearly for you.”
Hitchcock’s approach towards suspense is what Julian said redefined her definition of a scary movie.
“I don’t think of a slasher film, I think of something like a slow burn, something that builds up,” she said. “I think Hitchcock.”
If students can jump over the barrier and accept the black-and-white presentation of classical films, Julian said she believes other young people may appreciate Hitchcock more than they realize.
“We have been exposed to so many, I don’t want to say terrible, but lesser-quality films that don’t really do a good job at weaving an intricate storyline and building suspense and using things other than blood and gore to instill fear in an audience,” Julian said.
Audiences who attend the program will get a taste of what it was like to be Hitchcock’s original audience as the movies will be presented on film — an increasingly rare opportunity, Cole said, as most venues do not have access to the kind of equipment or expertise needed to show Hitchcock in this way.
Julian said the experience offered at Gateway is one students should take advantage of.
“Go in with no expectations,” Julian said. “Turn your phone off and just sit and enjoy one of the greats because I think you’re going to remember the first time you see a Hitchcock film.”
