Stock Photo - Feb 04, 2008 - Berlin, GERMANY - The acknowledged master of the thriller genre he virtually invented, ALFRED HITCHCOCK was also a brilliant technician who deftly blended sex, suspense and humor. Praised by the inventor of 'auteur theory,' Francois Truffaut, as one of the directors who have such a distinctive style or consistent theme that their influence is unmistakable in the body of their work. Among his very best films are: North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960), and The Birds (1963). The latter two were particularly notable for their unconventional soundtracks, both by Bernard Herrmann: the screeching strings in the murder scene in Psycho pushed the limits of the time, and The Birds dispensed completely with conventional instruments, using an electronically produced soundtrack. (Credit Image: KEYSTONE Pictures USA/ZUMAPRESS.com)