The Hanging Figure

'Morris's mastery of Hitchcock scholarship and contemporary deconstructionism alike make this one of those rare books on Hitchcock that will be welcomed by critics on both sides of the aisle. Even readers who resist his provocative readings of Rope, Vertigo, and The Birds will find themselves illuminated and challenged by a rethinking of Hitchcockian suspense that is certain to make this one the most influential studies of the world's most studied filmmaker.' Thomas Leitch, Professor of English, University of Delaware; 'I have read this book with great intellectual exhilaration. It is a wonderfully original book, the best comprehensive study so far on Hitchcock....a major work of scholarship, criticism, and theory.' J. Hillis Miller, University of California; 'One's first impression is how well informed this book is-by the history of criticism and "theory" in its myriad forms, by philosophy, by linguistics, by art history, and, of course, by film studies. This intellectual breadth yields stunningly original readings of less celebrated Hitchcock films (The Lodger, Rope) along with the canonical texts (Spellbound, Vertigo, Psycho). Like Morris' working definition of suspense, the insights put forth by his study never end.' Lloyd Michaels, Editor, Film Criticism