With the pomp and circumstance of the Academy Award Oscars behind us, it’s time to take a trip down memory lane and salute the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock, on National Alfred Hitchcock Day celebrated on March 12. It’s shocking and seems a sin that he never won an actual Oscar, yet Alfred Hitchcock Movies earned a total of 50 nominations, five of which were for Best Director. Talk about getting snubbed by the Academy!

Alfred Hitchcock was the first director to have himself appear in a cameo role in his films, and appears in all 30 of the films made in America…so from Rebecca on. This playful gesture became an Alfred Hitchcock signature. Moviegoers enjoyed spotting his cameo performances so much that the “game” of it was distracting audiences from the plot. He didn’t want the fun to take away from the movie, so he started appearing earlier in the films. He has the most prominent cameo in the movie Stage Fright and the least prominent in Lifeboat.  (Hint: See if you can spot his photograph in the newspaper!)

Alfred Hitchcock Made The Most Wanted Film In the World

Diehard Alfred Hitchcock fans all want to get their hands on his second film called The Mountain Eagle, a 1927 silent movie, which has been lost from the archives. Only six stills remain in existence. In 2012, 24 stills of the set were found, but the movie in its entirety has not been seen since 1927. The film is described as “the most wanted film in the world”, even though it received poor reviews from the critics, which proves that Alfred Hitchcock and his cinema legacy is still alive!

The Essential Top 10 Alfred Hitchcock Movies

With so many wonderful Alfred Hitchcock movies to choose from it is hard to pick the top 10. No two top 10 lists are ever the same because there are so many great Alfred Hitchcock movies, and everyone has their favorite. We put together a list of the ones that appear on almost all top 10 lists.

1. Vertigo
2. Psycho
3. Rear Window
4. North by Northwest
5. Rebecca
6. The 39 Steps
7. Strangers on a Train
8. Notorious
9. Shadow of a Doubt
10. The Lady Vanishes

I, personally, love the movie Rope because it takes place entirely in one location, yet Alfred Hitchcock has you sitting on the edge of your seat from the morbid opening scene. If you’re looking for a comedy, Mr. and Mrs. Smith is a fun romp through the dysfunctional relationship of a married couple. And who can resist the sensational and glamorous combination of the French Riviera, Cary Grant and Grace Kelly in To Catch A Thief?

An Alfred Hitchcock movie night wouldn’t be complete without some gourmet popcorn, so here are two of our favorite savory flavors for you to try for a yummy treat.

Ranch Popcorn
4 Tbsp melted butter
1 oz packet of dry ranch dressing
2 Tbsp chopped fresh chives
16 c hot popcorn
Salt
Mix together the butter and ranch. Pour over popcorn. Sprinkle with chives and season with salt.

Mustard Pretzel Popcorn
4 Tbsp melted butter
2 Tbsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
4 c crushed pretzels (large pieces)
12 c hot popcorn
Whisk together the butter, mustard, sugar and salt. Drizzle over popcorn. Mix with pretzels.

Celebrate National Alfred Hitchcock Day by watching one of his old movies with a bowl of popcorn and make sure you invite a friend over if you are going to watch Psycho! Share this list with your friends and pick your favorite to get together for a movie night. Or, get a group of friends together and act out your favorite Alfred Hitchcock scenes, then check out our Personalized Actor Ornaments as a prize for the best thespian!