It is hard to imagine how the history of cinema would have progressed without him. Even a good 125 years after Alfred Hitchcock’s birth, screenwriters, filmmakers and audiences alike still see his thrillers as masterclasses in spreading fear and horror effectively. They tap directly tap into our primal instincts. Like few others, the British filmmaker had the ability to take the pleasant frisson of horrific suspense to extremes. In doing so, he was one of the first to make targeted use of film music, the effects of which were calculated to the last detail in his films.
One of the absolute key scenes which (almost) everyone associates Alfred Hitchcock’s name with would certainly be far less effective without its music. The cascading strings of the famous shower scene from Psycho are etched into the memory of all, not just dedicated cinephiles, and to this day, they send shivers down the spines of anyone who dares to watch the film. During the 2025/26 season, you will have an opportunity to hear this iconic soundtrack live as the Luxembourg Philharmonic performs alongside the moving images on the screen.
All in all, Alfred Hitchcock will be the focus of three ciné-concerts this season, giving you three opportunities to (re)discover the ultimate pioneer of the thriller genre, including an outstanding early creation. Apart from the two box office hits Vertigo (1958) and Psycho (1960) with their equally famous soundtracks by Bernard Herrmann, our third screening will be Blackmail, a youth work dating back to the end of the Silent Era and which already shows Hitchcock’s mastery of apprehension and surprise. Experience a triple bill of pure thrills, enhanced by live orchestral accompaniment!
Tatjana Mehner
