I must admit, until very recently my knowledge of Alfred Hitchcock’s work was limited. Sure, I had seen the typicals, the ones almost everyone has seen. Psycho, The Birds, and Strangers On A Train to name a few.
It wasn’t until I sat down for a back to back marathon of some of his greats that I really got a feel for the essence of what makes him the master of suspense. With each new film I viewed, I feel like I understood a little bit more about his vision and the way he wanted to tell a story. I can see now why so many of his films are thought of as iconic.
The first thing that struck me was the point of view. No matter the subject matter or plot, the overall view seems to be the same.
With the many movies I have seen over the years, I had gotten used to having this sort of privileged outlook of what is going on. I was granted access to things the characters could not know. With Hitchcock, you are right there with the character the entire time, seeing the world as they see it. If something is in shadow, it will remain there until visible by everyone present. If someone is whispering you will not hear it any louder than anyone else on the screen. You are left to guess, ponder, and analyze along.
You are also subject to the surroundings of the characters. Often it seems background noises infiltrate and interrupt scenes, especially those of dialogue, much like they do in reality. This is not a magical place where the entire world stops until the protagonist is done speaking, it reminds you that there is still a world existing despite the importance of these peoples situations. And often times these natural, worldly sounds are enhancing the emotions and actions of those on-screen, in a very subtle yet still impacting way.
It is also his use of soundtrack in combination to these noises that makes every little thing hold its own atmosphere. The well-known suite from Psycho emphasizes feelings of paranoia and anxiety, two things I found very prominent in almost all his films.
As mentioned previously, seeing the world through the characters eyes is also something I quite enjoyed about his films. It wasn’t constant, which is good, because if it were it would leave the viewer slightly dazed and probably annoyed or nauseated (Cloverfield, anyone?) but little moments that draw you in to the story. Seeing the neighbors through the camera lens in Rear Window, the tire at the edge of a cliff in North by Northwest, paint coming off the face of the dead man and onto the hands of Dr.McKenna in The Man Who Knew Too Much. These small perspective shots flash quickly, and just as quickly make you feel more involved.
All of these observations are just examples of the overall reason I am now a Hitchcock fan. When watching these films, you do not feel like you are an audience member, peacefully observing from home. No, as soon as the film began you were there, feeling as if you are subject to the same dangers, confusion, and affection as the characters. You know you will not be able to rest until you have found a resolution to the tale, and even when it comes you’re still not sure if it’s safe.
Bygone Films 