It was so popular last year that we decided to do it again! Join us this holiday season as we introduce you to twelve of our favourite podcasts in the 12 Days of Podmas.
Personally, this contributor is a big fan of the legendary British director Alfred Hitchcock, who transformed cinema forever on both sides of the Atlantic with such films as The Lodger and Vertigo. It’s well known to any film fan that his influence extends across the cinematic landscape, and the richness of his films and contribution to filmmaking during his lifetime makes his body of work ripe for the podcast treatment.
HitchPod is, as the show’s tagline suggests, a “podcast about Alfred Hitchcock movies”. It has been running since 2016 and is hosted by Australian film fans Cat Jones and Dan Liebke who are, incidentally, also cricket fans and who also co-host a podcast on the sport. It’s safe to say they’re fairly passionate about both.
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Their easy-going camaraderie is a big part of this podcast’s appeal. The essential premise of HitchPod is that every month or so the two hosts sit down to watch a Hitchcock movie and then discuss it. The films are drawn at random, so they are not reviewed in any sort of chronological order. Where Cat is the resident Hitchcock fan, Dan is the newcomer to the auteur’s back catalogue, so it’s always engaging to hear their different views and opinions.
As well as providing a deep-dive into the films, Cat and Dan also have a sense of humour when it comes to the show, giving it a light hearted aspect which helps to make it accessible. They have created brilliantly entertaining segments such as the Hitchcock Cinematic Universe, gently poking fun at the MCU and suggesting ways in which all Hitch’s films are connected. They also go one step further and have created a Google Docs spreadsheet with suggestions of Hitchcock-esque films to discover.
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Further discussion is promoted across social media via their Facebook group, where fans and listeners alike can interact along with the hosts to enrich the experience. Occasionally, guests are invited to contribute to episodes. Most recently, documentary filmmaker, author and producer Laurent Bouzereau (known for many “making of” featurettes across a range of titles) has appeared to discuss the recent 4K release Alfred Hitchcock Classics Collection box set, revealing details of his interviews with some of the director’s leading ladies such as Tippi Hedren and Janet Leigh, among others.
If you’re a fan of Hitchcock, then HitchPod is an excellent place to start, and listening to this show is well worth your time.