Queer Window: How did Alfred Hitchcock represent LGBT characters?
Queer Window: How did Alfred Hitchcock represent LGBT characters?
From the article:
You can’t ignore Alfred Hitchcock this year, despite the fact he’s been dead for 30 years. Hitchcock, a film looking at the relationship he had with his wife during the making of Psycho, is due for release later this month, there’s also the recent restoration of nine silent films by the renowned master of suspense, as well as a comprehensive season of his films programmed by the British Film Institute (BFI). But for all the angry birds, shrieking strings, nosy neighbours and little known comedies, just how did Hitchcock represent LGBT characters in his films?
As part of The Genius of Hitchcock season, the BFI released a book, The 39 Steps to the Genius of Hitchcock – a collection of essays from academics, practitioners, and journalists detailing 39 vital aspects of Hitchcock’s films. Step 19 is puntastically entitled ‘Queer Window’ and sets out various examples of LGBT characters, from the manipulative obsessions of the de Winter’s housekeeper in Rebecca, to the more subtle suggestion of a homosexual relationship between Brandon and Phillip in Rope. But what impact does Hitchcock’s silver screen image of gay men and women have? But more importantly, should we be bothered?
From the article:
You can’t ignore Alfred Hitchcock this year, despite the fact he’s been dead for 30 years. Hitchcock, a film looking at the relationship he had with his wife during the making of Psycho, is due for release later this month, there’s also the recent restoration of nine silent films by the renowned master of suspense, as well as a comprehensive season of his films programmed by the British Film Institute (BFI). But for all the angry birds, shrieking strings, nosy neighbours and little known comedies, just how did Hitchcock represent LGBT characters in his films?
As part of The Genius of Hitchcock season, the BFI released a book, The 39 Steps to the Genius of Hitchcock – a collection of essays from academics, practitioners, and journalists detailing 39 vital aspects of Hitchcock’s films. Step 19 is puntastically entitled ‘Queer Window’ and sets out various examples of LGBT characters, from the manipulative obsessions of the de Winter’s housekeeper in Rebecca, to the more subtle suggestion of a homosexual relationship between Brandon and Phillip in Rope. But what impact does Hitchcock’s silver screen image of gay men and women have? But more importantly, should we be bothered?
Comments
Post a Comment