Conrad introduces "The Hitchcock Murders" as a "grateful fan letter" to the legendary director after depicting his first viewing of "Psycho" as the experience in which he truly lost his virginity. What follows is an interesting mix of Hitchcock anecdotes, facts and steely analysis. Wearing his scholarly cap, Conrad does sometimes borrow the severe tone of a doctorate thesis, but employs none of the impenetrable academic jargon. Conrad muses on the nature of music, the innumerable facets of film and the nature of existence using Hitchcock's work as a touchstone, but does so with a respect and humility that is engaging and ultimately illuminating.

Conrad's knowledge of Hitchcock is frightening. The author seemingly knows, and relates in excruciating detail, every bit of information regarding the production of each film. The result is to understand how silly it is to assign any particular meaning to any given Hitchcock film, but when hard-pressed, Conrad rightfully settles on terror.

Each of Hitchcock's films, whether the technical showcase of "The Birds" or the psychodrama of "Spellbound," is about being human, and an essential emotion in life is terror. Hitchcock's terror is not blood splattered on the lens to cause the audience to leap from seats; it is the quiet terror of realizing one's existence in the face of a daunting, undefined universe. That may sound trite, but Conrad explores it better than anyone has before, and with such patience and openness that "The Hitchcock Murders" deserves the highest praise imaginable for a nonfiction work.

"The Hitchcock Murders"
by Peter Conrad
Faber & Faber, $25, 362 pages

Also by Joe Jarvis

FICTION REVIEW

(2001-10-18)

NOT MILK?
The kids receive Milk Sucker trading cards, much like those halcyon Garbage Pail Kids, but carrying PETA's agenda: Pimply Patty, Windy Wanda and friends suffer from side-effects of dairy consumption. The cards are a huge hit, although the kids seem decidedly less enthused over the other proferred material, such as pamphlets documenting dairy-industry horrors, complete with photographs of hormone-riddled cows, udders swollen to the ground.
(2001-03-01)

REPAIR WORK
Though this movement has existed conceptually for some time, never before has it physically materialized in such form. And despite the discussions, the organization of reparations remains a logistical nightmare.
(2001-02-08)