Abstract This paper analyzes AlfredHitchcock's masterpiece of suspense, the film "Psycho." The reviewer describes the innovations, taboos and transgressions that Hitchcock explored in this film. Additionally, the paper discusses the emotional states of fear and horror that the film inspired, and how Hitchcock enticed his audience by giving them just enough information to lure them into the world of the protagonist, Norman. The paper also discusses how Hitchcock promoted his film prior to its release. The reviewer concludes that in "Psycho," AlfredHitchcock lured his audience into the forbidden, made them uncomfortable but at the same time made them enjoy the brief experience of unspoken transgressions as seen in the film.
From the Paper " When Norman purposely gives Marion the key to room number 1 so he can watch her through a peephole in the office, Hitchcock is enticing the audience with another transgression, voyeurism. The audience is forced into this secret world, forced to participate in Norman's forbidden thrill as he watches her undress. Such scenes resulted in much criticism. For example, a letter to the New York Times claimed that Psycho was "deliberately calculated to stimulate the jaded appetites of the middle-aged and arouse the worst latent instincts of teen-agers," suggesting that the transgressions depicted might be contagious (Hendershot). "
Abstract This paper discusses the elements of film style used by AlfredHitchcock in his legendary films, particularly in "Strangers on a Train". The analysis notes the outstanding instances of Hitchcock's film technique, including his trademarks, considers the historical time in which the films were made, and evaluates the manner in which Hitchcock created the best suspense films in cinematic history.
Abstract This paper presents a detailed analysis of film techniques used in the scene, "Looking for Arbogast" in the AlfredHitchcock film, "Psycho".
From the Paper "In the scene "Looking for Arbogast", Hitchcock capitalizes on the shock value of the previous scene, "Death and the Detective", where we see Mother murder Arbogast. In this scene we see Lila, played by Vera Miles, and Sam Loomis, played by John Gavin. The lighting in the hardware store is very dim, creating many shadow effects. We see Lila back lit twice, which is reminiscent of the first time we see Mother, providing a nice contrast between the..."
Tags:Alfred, Hitchcock, Film, techniques, Scene, analysis, Looking, for, Arbogast
Abstract This paper reviews AlfredHitchcock's film 'The Man Who Knew Too Much'. According to the paper, it was first released in the United Kingdom in December of 1934. It was not released to American audiences until March of the following year. It was filmed at Lime Grove Studios in London England and filming began after Hitchcock completed his direction of Waltzes From Vienna in 1933. Producers, Michael Balcon and Ivor Montagu had the script prepared before Hitchcock agreed to take on the direction of the film. The paper further discusses how Hitchcock was said to have been given free reign over the direction of the film, although he was also given a small budget to complete the task. The cast for the film was recommended from varying sources. This included Peter Lorre, who was a German actor presented to Hitchcock through Sidney Bernstein.
Abstract This paper discusses and analyzes AlfredHitchcock's spy thrillers, "Sabotage", "The Man Who Knew Too Much", "The Lady Vanishes" and "The 39 Steps", and identifies consistencies in the thriller genre.
From the Paper "According to Martin Rubin, the label thriller describes a cinematic and literary genre which has certain identifiable characteristics and which represents a quantitative as well as qualitative concept. Rubin suggests that virtually all narrative films could be considered thrilling to some degree because they contain suspense and action and a sense of departure from the routine world into a realm that is more marvelous and exciting. However, to be a cinematic thriller, a film must meet other conditions, such as the doubling..."
Tags: Aflfred Hitchcock, thriller fims, spy films, The lady Vanishes, Sabotage, 39 Steps, The Nam Who knew Too Much
Abstract This paper shows how "Lost Highway" can be seen as a cinematic mixture of the concepts used by AlfredHitchcock in "Notorious" and "Strangers on a Train". Lynch's original presentation of those concepts shows that Hitchcock's influence did not stifle his own creativity. It explains how "Lost Highway" contains Hitchcock's trademarks, such as the wrong man theme and doubles. It also shows Hitchcock's directorial influence on David Lynch and the use of symbols by both directors. The examples provided are backed up by film quotes, music references, and quotes from a notable book on Hitchcock, Donald Spoto's "The Art of AlfredHitchcock".
From the Paper "There are some directors that make great movies, and then, there are some directors who create amazing lasting cinema features. The latter do not only achieve fame in their lifetime, but are often immortalized by their own pieces as well as by the imitation of their styles and ideas. This imitation is, of course, not just a reproduction of what the original director did. The imitation, when done correctly, becomes another great piece of cinema unto itself; one such imitation is David Lynch's Lost Highway. Although Lost Highway can be seen as a cinematic mixture of the concepts used by Alfred Hitchcock in Notorious and Strangers on the Train, Lynch's original presentation of those concepts shows that Hitchcock's influence did not stifle his own creativity."
Abstract This paper examines how AlfredHitchcock's films deal with many psychological themes, including the idea of voyeurism. It reviews two of his films; "Rear Window" (USA, 1954, AlfredHitchcock) and "Vertigo" (USA, 1958, AlfredHitchcock) and discusses the occurrence of voyeurism within the narratives of both films. It also looks at the idea that certain aspects of the films can be said to be representations of the voyeuristic nature of cinema-going itself.
From the Paper "I will now look at Vertigo and consider how the voyeurism and the gaze of the film can be seen as much more sexual than that of Rear Window. It has been said that Rear Window seems like a comical "test run" for the more obsessive and frightening nature of Vertigo, and that Rear Window, Vertigo and Psycho form a sort of trilogy of films that contained the them of voyeurism. Vertigo was not as popular on its original release as Rear Window. This is probably due to the fact that there is a lot more complexity and psychology in the story, or because James Stuart seemed too old to play the romantically obsessed man. The story is about Scotty (James Stewart), an acrophobic detective who has been hired by a friend to trail his beautiful and troubled wife, Madeline. His quest at first is an innocent one, but he soon becomes Madeline's obsessive stalker. "
Abstract In this article, the writer analyzes Hitchcock's portayal of women in his films. The writer first notes that regardless of the fact that Hitchcock portrayed many women as possessors of negative characteristics, feeble, and promiscuous, his portrayal of women, based on their careers and sexuality, is remarkably progressive for the age in which he created films. The writer then notes that, although Hitchcock's two most prominent career women are 'Psycho's' Marion and 'Rear Window's' Lisa Fremont, the two are implied to be relatively successful and certainly capable of greater career challenges. The writer maintains that although many claim that AlfredHitchcock's films are misogynistic, the same evidence can be used to suggest Hitchcock's progressive trends. The writer concludes that the negative portrayals of Hitchcock's women, therefore, can be implied as society's faults, while the progressive attitude toward women suggests their capabilities.
From the Paper "Coupled with the stereotype of sadomasochism is that of naivete. Throughout his films, Hitchcock manages to stun audiences with images of murder levied on naive victims. Brilliantly, this theme of naivete allows audience members to become involved in the drama of the murder, caring intimately and reacting strongly when the naive character or one close to him or her is killed. Although this scenario applies to a variety of characters, such as Strangers on a Train's Guy Haines, it is most brilliantly portrayed in Psycho, as naive Marion thoroughly enjoys her shower, unaware that her murderer lurks just outside the plastic curtain. The shower scene, reproduced so many times in both effigy and parody, allows viewers to glimpse the careless Marion lifting her arms, shutting her eyes, and opening and shutting her mouth in obvious enjoyment and relaxation. The audience can imagine and almost feel the hot water scalding on a blissful and naive Marion until Norman Bates throws open the curtain and thrusts a knife into the unsuspecting young woman. Audiences glimpse the anatomy of a smooth and attractive feminine stomach as Marion feebly attempts to fight her attacker. Finally, the scene ends with Marion's head, in all its feminine glory, drooping awkwardly over the bathtub."
Abstract This paper examines how AlfredHitchcock's films often showed the influence of national film movements such as German Expressionism, Soviet Expressive Realism and the British Realist Documentary. It looks at how "The Lodger" (1926), and "Sabotage" (1936) provide examples of these movements from the first three periods of Hitchcock's work. In these films, Hitchcock showed his powerful mastery of the forms, and often moved them to new and deeply disturbing and moving levels. It is through his combination of techniques and themes taken from these often complex and difficult film movements that Hitchcock establishes himself as one of the most creative and influential directors of our time.
From the Paper "During the 1920s, German film gave rise to a type of cinema that mirrored many of the conventions and styles of the expressionism art movement of the same time. This German movement "sought to express - often critically - the very essence of post-war life, its moods and concerns" (Mogg). The techniques that were used within the expressionism art movement often came from melodrama and the works of author Charles Dickens, such as Great Expectations, Oliver Twist, and A Christmas Carol. The techniques of the expressionism movement included an emphasis on irrational behavior that were often expressed through the actions of mobs and crowds (Mogg)."
Abstract This paper discusses the "king" of melodramatic films, AlfredHitchcock. The paper contends that Hitchcock was (and remains) the originator and master of a kind of mystery thriller that no one has been able to duplicate. The paper presents a biography of Hitchcock's film career and a brief synopsis of several of his films. The paper explores Hitchcock's recurrent theme of an innocent protagonist being falsely accused for a crime.
From the Paper "Hitchcock started in the movie industry, age 19, when he was hired to design titles at the Famous Players- Lasky London studios. He learned scripting, editing and art direction, and rose to become assistant director by 1922. That year, he directed his first (and unfinished) film, "No. 13, or Mrs. Peabody". It was three years later that he directed and completed his film "The Pleasure Garden", an Anglo-German production filmed in Munich. "This experience, plus a sting at Germany's UFA studios as an assistant director, help account for the Expressionistic character of his films, both in their visual schemes and thematic concerns.""
Abstract A comparison and contrast of the writing styles of AlfredHitchcock and Stephen King. It looks at how both are similar in presenting the everyday life and in terms of building suspense, sexual tension and the macabre. It also discusses Hitchcock's collaboration with screenwriters on the scripts for the films and King's prolific output as a novelist who is more graphic than Hitchcock.
From the Paper "The writing styles of Alfred Hitchcock and Stephen King are similar in a number of ways. Both writers exhibit a writing style in which we find suspense, sexual tension, the macabre and inhibited or uninhibited character ..."
Tags: suspense, tension, macabre, characterization, everyman, supernatural, psyche, fear
Abstract The paper discusses how in the films "Psycho," "North By Northwest," and "Rear Window," AlfredHitchcock uses the action of the camera to invite the audience to take part in the voyeuristic activities of the characters. In "Psycho" and in "Rear Window" Hitchcock invites the audience into very specific moments in which the main characters observe others in the films without their knowledge. The paper depicts how these voyeuristic moments were a trademark of Hitchcock films that provided a moment in time for the audience to be part of the film and view action that called the audience in as second party voyeurs lead by Hitchcock himself.
Abstract This paper explores director AlfredHitchcock's stylistic signature through a compare/contrast of two of his films: "Rear Window" and "The Birds". The author explores some of Hitchcock's themes, such as marriage and voyeurism, that are common to both films.
From the Paper "He has been called the Master of Suspense. Alfred Hitchcock would probably say that this tagline was merely invented to sell more cinema tickets, but many of his films contain elements that back up this formidable title. In Rear Window and The Birds, Hitchcock explores several different themes. However, each of these films still carries the true flavor of a Hitchcock film."
Abstract This paper evaluates the first two scenes "Rear Window" by AlfredHitchcock by looking at his filming methodologies shot by shot. The main character Jeffries sits and watches life through the window much as the viewer sits and watches that same life on a movie screen. The paper shows how Hitchcock's manner of presentation points to the thematic issues to be considered in the plot--voyeurism, guilt, isolation and reaching out to others.
From the Paper "The opening scene in the film takes place in a single shot, and Hitchcock uses a fluid camera to pan in a nearly 360-degree arc to show the entire setting. This establishes the setting, many of the characters, the situation that exists at the beginning of the film, the role of the central character, and much about that character. An enormous amount of information is conveyed visually as the camera pans around the courtyard, remaining always in the window of the photographer's window, which will be the point of view of the courtyard throughout the film until near the end."
Abstract An analysis of three movies of AlfredHitchcock, and how he deviated from Hollywood norms. By understanding the use of German Expressionism and Documentary Realism in Hitchcock's films, we can see the Hollywood glamour of moviemaking he counteracts.
