Alfred Hitchcock is one of the best directors of all time, known for his films that revolutionized the suspense-thriller genre. Truly the "Master of Suspense," most of his films revolved around murder and mystery, with witty dialogues and intelligent plots. Despite his mastery of filmmaking, he never won an Oscar for his work. Rebecca won Best Picture but not Best Director for Hitchcock. The following are some of the better-known films by the man himself.

Rebecca (1940)

Rebecca is a psychological thriller that stars Laurence Olivier (Maxim de Winter), Joan Fontaine (Maxim's second wife), and Judith Anderson (Mrs. Danvers). The gothic story centers on a woman who marries an aristocratic widower. The young woman, however, feels that she is living in the shadow of Rebecca, her husband's former wife who died mysteriously.

Rear Window (1954)

Rear Window, one of Hitchcock's more stylish thrillers, is based on Cornell Woolrich's short story It Had to Be Murder (1942). The film was entirely shot in or within view of the window of an apartment. A wheelchair-bound photographer spies on his neighbors using his binoculars and unwittingly discovers a possible murder. Rear Window stars Grace Kelly, James Stewart, Thelma Ritter, and Wendell Corey.

To Catch a Thief (1955)

To Catch A Thief, which stars Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, is based on David Dodge's 1952 novel of the same title. In this film, a retired thief is suspected in a series of burglaries. Loaded with double-entendres, this film features some of the wittiest dialogues ever written. To Catch A Thief blends romance, intrigue, and humor.

Vertigo (1958)

Vertigo is a haunting and dream-like thriller. It is about a retired police investigation officer (James Stewart) who follows a mysterious woman (Kim Novak) and eventually falls in love with her. His obsession turns out to be deadly as revealed near the end of the film. Although Vertigo received mixed review and performed poorly at the box office on its first release, it has since gained much discussion and is often cited as one the best films of all time.

North by Northwest (1959)

North by Northwest tells the story of an innocent Madison Avenue advertising executive (Cary Grant) who is mistaken for a double agent. He is pursued across the country by agents who are out to kill him. Many critics hail this film as Hitchcock's best take on comedy and thriller. This film is the first to use kinetic typography.

Psycho (1960)

Psycho is no doubt Hitchcock's most discussed film. Who has not heard the creepy violin shrieks during the unprecedented murder of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the shower? That lingering sound alone is enough to terrify the audience. This shower scene has also been cited and studied countless times in the academe much with the discussion on why this scene is so terrifying. With the heroine killed halfway through the film and the disturbed Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) extinguishing lives without care, Psycho has become the model for today's suspense films.