{"product_id":"hitchcocks-appetites-the-corpulent-plots-of-desire-and-dread","title":"Hitchcock's Appetites: The Corpulent Plots of Desire and Dread","description":"\u003cp\u003eIn this review of Hitchcock's Appetites, Casey McKittrick presents the first sustained scholarly study tying Alfred Hitchcock's body size to his cinema, arguing that the director's fat embodiment shaped his films and creative collaborations. This open access book is aimed at readers who want a rigorous, archival, and theoretically informed look at how biography and embodiment intersect with film form. The single biggest reason to read it is McKittrick's archival work combined with close film readings that make a persuasive case for considering physicality as central to Hitchcock studies.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eKey Features\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eOpen access:\u003c\/strong\u003e The full text is freely available online, making the research easy to access for students and scholars without cost barriers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eArchival research:\u003c\/strong\u003e McKittrick uses publicity materials, scripts, and personal communications to ground claims in primary sources rather than anecdote.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFilm readings:\u003c\/strong\u003e Close textual readings of Hitchcock's films link themes of appetite and dread to formal choices in editing, staging, and narrative.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eTheoretical framing:\u003c\/strong\u003e Feminist critique and theories of embodiment are woven into the analysis, offering a vocabulary to discuss body, desire, and authorship.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003e\n\u003cstrong\u003eFirst book-length study:\u003c\/strong\u003e This volume fills a clear gap in Hitchcock scholarship by centering his lived experience as a fat man in relation to his work.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eWho It's For\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eScholars, graduate students, and advanced undergraduates in film studies and gender studies will find this book particularly useful for research and seminar discussion, especially where questions of embodiment, auteurism, and publicity intersect. Its reliance on primary sources also makes it a solid reference for historians of film production.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eReaders seeking a general biography of Hitchcock, a light popular read, or a comprehensive filmography should look elsewhere; this is a focused, academic study that assumes some familiarity with film analysis and theory rather than offering a broad life narrative.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003ePros \u0026amp; Cons\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003ePros\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eGrounded archival evidence strengthens the book's central argument and provides useful primary material for researchers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe combination of feminist critique and embodiment theory opens new interpretive lines in Hitchcock scholarship.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eOpen access availability removes cost barriers, increasing reach to students and independent researchers.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eCons\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cul\u003e\n\u003cli\u003eThe book's academic tone and theoretical density may be challenging for casual readers unfamiliar with scholarly film studies.\u003c\/li\u003e\n\u003c\/ul\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eSpecifications\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003ctable\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eTitle\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eHitchcock's Appetites: The Corpulent Plots of Desire and Dread\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAuthor\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eCasey McKittrick\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eAccess\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eOpen access on bloomsburycollections.com\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFunding\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eKnowledge Unlatched\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eApproach\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eArchival research, feminist critique, embodiment theory\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003ctr\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eFocus\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003ctd\u003eRelationship between Hitchcock's body size and his cinema\u003c\/td\u003e\n\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\u003c\/table\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eOur Verdict\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eHitchcock's Appetites is a valuable, well-documented academic study that reframes Hitchcock scholarship by centering embodiment. Students and researchers in film and gender studies will find it especially worthwhile for its archival evidence and theoretical clarity. Its open access format also makes it strong value for those seeking rigorous, source-based analysis.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003ch2\u003eFrequently Asked Questions\u003c\/h2\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eIs the book freely available?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYes. The book is open access and available online at Bloomsbury Collections.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWhat is the main argument?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe author argues that Hitchcock's large body and appetite materially influenced his films, production, and public image, using archival sources and film readings to support this claim.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eWho funded the publication?\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe open access publication was funded by Knowledge Unlatched.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Casey McKittrick","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":48609856979163,"sku":"1501311654","price":157.31,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0724\/1043\/1707\/files\/812h2rEumOL._SL1500.jpg?v=1778359739","url":"https:\/\/gearmusthave.com\/products\/hitchcocks-appetites-the-corpulent-plots-of-desire-and-dread","provider":"GearMustHave","version":"1.0","type":"link"}