George Tomasini has been something of an unsung hero in the editing
business. He was for several years under contract to Paramount, before
joining
Alfred Hitchcock to
collaborate on nine projects, beginning with
Rear Window (1954). This partnership
was to span a ten-year period, ending in Tomasini's premature death
from a massive heart attack at the age of 55. Hitch's subsequent films
never again enjoyed the same level of artistic success. While Tomasini
may not have had the same creative freedom in selecting his own shots
as other editors, he nonetheless became highly intuitive about the
director's wishes. Tomasini was a master of time and space in editing
to heighten suspense and determine mood. Much of Hitch's best films
were strongly driven by editing, in particular
Vertigo (1958),
North by Northwest (1959),
Psycho (1960) and
The Birds (1963) (another classic, the
sub-Hitchcockian thriller
Cape Fear (1962) also falls into this
category, though directed by
J. Lee Thompson).
Tall and handsome, Tomasini was married to glamorous Hollywood star
Mary Brian.
The Birds: Tippi Hedren's Screen Test(2000)
In Harm's Way(1965)
Marnie(1964)
7 Faces of Dr. Lao(1964)
Who's Been Sleeping in My Bed?(1963)
Union Pacific(1939)
Red, Hot and Blue(1949)
Night Has a Thousand Eyes(1948)
Beyond Glory(1948)
'Rear Window' Ethics: Remembering and Restoring a Hitchcock Classic(2001)as Self
The Trouble with Marnie(2000)as Self
All About 'the Birds'(2000)as Self