Movie fans can take a peek through the quivering shower curtain at the big screen skills of thriller genius Alfred Hitchcock at a special day school at Great Yarmouth.

An informal day of chat and clips delving into the techniques of the man known as the Master of Suspense will include the screening of two of his classic films.

The Hitchcock Day School is at St George’s Theatre on Saturday, January 27, running from 11am to 1.15pm and 3.30-5pm.

His 1943 film Shadow of a Doubt, a psychological thriller about a niece’s growing suspicion her uncle is the notorious Merry Widow Murderer, will be shown at 2pm.

At 7pm there is a screening of Rear Window where James Stewart stars as a man who confined to his apartment who spies on his neighbours and fears one of them is a killer.

Lecturer in film studies Nigel Herwin from Norwich, who will lead the sessions, said: “Hitchcock was a brilliant movie maker – one of greatest there has been. No-one has matched him since.

“We will look at work including his unrivalled skill of building suspense for the audience including the way he shoots images – often from an almost voyeuristic point of view – as well as the way he portrays women, many of which were blonde ice maidens. Hitchcock liked to joke that blood showed up better on blondes,” he added.

St George’s director Debbie Thompson said: “We are looking to increase our cinema offering and what better way to start than with the genius Alfred Hitchcock. As for movie events later in the year… we’ll keep you in suspense.”

London-born Alfred Hitchcock began his movie career as a title card and designer before moving into direction and pioneering many new camera and editing techniques.

He went on to make more than 50 films between the 1920s to the 1960s including The 39 Steps (1935), Rebecca (1940), Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963).

He died aged 80 in 1980 having been knighted the previous year. Tickets are £15 for the school and both screenings, or £5 per screening. Tickets and information from the St George’s box office on 01493 331484.