Just one week after publication, a new book A Century of Hitchcock: The Man, the Myths, the Legacy is generating intense debate in newspapers, film magazines and websites around the world, reigniting the controversy about Alfred Hitchcock’s reputation, the Tippi Hedren allegations, Donald Spoto’s biographies and how the #MeToo movement has influenced the way audiences view the legendary director.

Published by the University Press of Kentucky to coincide with the centenary of Hitchcock’s first film, The Pleasure Garden (1925), the book examines Hitchcock’s life and films as well as the battle over his legacy and the writing of his memoirs after his death in 1980.

Perhaps the most striking response has come from reviewers who have focused on Part Three of the book, Hitchcock’s Legacy, which explores how Hitchcock’s public image was shaped by biographers, journalists and changing cultural attitudes. Reviewing the book in The Film Stage, the critic highlighted the section dealing with Donald Spoto’s controversial biography The Dark Side of Genius, noting: “Of particular note is the story of Donald Spoto’s salacious, still-controversial biography, The Dark Side of Genius.”

Meanwhile, Dutch newspaper de Volkskrant examined the way stories about Hitchcock have evolved over time, asking whether the director was really the “sadistic tyrant” often portrayed in popular culture. Reviewer Floortje Smit concluded that one of the book’s most interesting arguments is that personal memories, cultural change and competing narratives can make an objective historical reconstruction difficult.

In Australia, The Australian explored a question that has become increasingly common in recent years: Would Alfred Hitchcock survive the #MeToo era? The article examined how contemporary audiences interpret allegations made against Hitchcock and whether historical figures should be judged solely through a modern lens.

The discussion reflects one of the central themes of A Century of Hitchcock: that the story of Alfred Hitchcock did not end with his death. Instead, a second battle emerged over who would control the narrative of his life and career. Competing biographers John Russell Taylor and Donald Spoto gave very different accounts of the director’s life. Taylor was the offifical biographer but Spoto may have been spurred by personal grievances – Hitchcock’s dog bit him and the director reportedly disliked him.

For decades, Donald Spoto’s bestselling biographies helped define Hitchcock’s public image. Later, HBO’s The Girlintroduced that interpretation to a new generation of viewers. Yet many of Hitchcock’s collaborators, friends and family members disputed those accounts, leading to an ongoing debate that continues today.

As Entertainment Focus observed in its review: “The third and final part of the book – Hitchcock’s Legacy – is perhaps the most compelling part of Moral’s book.”

Whether readers may agree or disagree with the book’s conclusions, the international response suggests that Hitchcock remains one of cinema’s most fascinating and contested figures. One hundred years after the release of his first film, the debate over Alfred Hitchcock’s life, work and reputation shows no sign of ending. Drop you thoughts in the comments below.

A Century of Hitchcock: The Man, the Myths, the Legacy is published by the University Press of Kentucky. https://www.amazon.com/Century-Hitchcock-Legacy-Screen-Classics/dp/1985904446