Violence in the Films of Alfred Hitchcock: A Study in Mimesis (Paperback) (ISBN-13: 9781611862393)

Parting ways with the Freudian and Lacanian readings that have dominated recent scholarly understanding of Hitchcock, David Humbert examines the roots of violence in the director's narratives and finds them not in human sexuality but in mimesis. Through an analysis of seven key films, he argues that Girard's model of mimetic desire--desire oriented by imitation of and competition with others--best explains a variety of well-recognized themes, including the MacGuffin, the double, the innocent victim, the wrong man, the transfer of guilt, and the scapegoat. This study will appeal not only to Hitchcock fans and film scholars but also to those interested in Freud and Girard and their competing theories of desire.


Author: David Humbert
ISBN-10: 1611862396
ISBN-13: 9781611862393
Publisher: Michigan State University Press
Language: English
Published: 05/01/2017
Pages: 210
Format: Paperback
Weight: 0.70lbs
Size: 8.90h x 6.00w x 0.60d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 10/01/2017