Who is Alfred Hitchcock?
Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, (13 August 1899 – 29 April 1980)was an English Filmaker and producer who created many techniques in the suspense and the way Thrillers played in a persons mind. After a successful career in his native United Kingdom in both Silent Films and early talkies, Hitchcock moved to Hollywood.
Hitchcock directed more than fifty feature films in a career spanning six decades! Hitchcock was often seen as the greatest British filmmaker.
which said: "Unquestionably the greatest filmmaker to emerge from these islands, Hitchcock did more than any director to shape modern cinema, which would be utterly different without him. His flair was for narrative, cruelly withholding crucial information (from his characters and from us) and engaging the emotions of the audience like no one else."
I Feel Alfred Hitchcock made a mark in the film industry, so i have decided to watch one of his films named "Shadow of a doubt-1943". I will discuss techniques that Alfred has used and input my own opinion.
The opening of "Shadow of a doubt" strikes me as very effective. Beginning the film with the Waltz contradicts many Thrillers, and striaght away grabs my attention. The persons in the scene Waltz to The merry Widow song, this proves significant as the film revolves around a Merry widow muderer. The film will be about a man who marrys widows and then kills them for their deceased husbands fortune. From the Waltz, the type of shot changes from general (long shot) to a particular (close-intimate shot). This allows me to see a closer inspection of what is happening in the scene, costumes and props will be alot more visable allowing me to be aware of the type of setting and time the film is presented in.
Uncle Charlie, the main focus, is then introduced in a very unique way. The shot Distances from the Waltz onto a grubby looking location, unclean children roam the streets, polluted rivers surround the area. Suddenly, an image of money comes into focus, i am then directed towards a frail looking figure on the bed. The Mysterious person seems quite wealthy due to the large amounts of money surrounding him, however, he seems unphased by they money due to it being on the floor. another sign of the mans wealth is due to his immaculate complection, his hair is neatly gelled backwards, and he appears to be wearing a tailored suit. At this stage i begin to see that this man contradicts the scene.
Right from the point when Uncle Charlie is introduced i begin to realise Hitchcock he has a unique approach. Alfred expresses who the characters are visually instead of through dialogue. I feel this is an effective way of portraying a film as it allows me to gain my own perspective of the film. I am not being told what is happening, i am being directed. For this reason the film will be more indepth and allows me to be interactive with whats happening in the scenes.
When the maid pulls the blinds shut in Uncle Charlies room he seems to come to life, this symbolises that he is a dark and mysterious person, im being kept in the dark and do not fully know or can trust this man. Uncle Charlie then smashes a glass against the wall, this represents that he has bottled up violence and untamed anger.
Uncle Charlie soon decides to leave his home, as he walks past two men, they begin to follow him. I begin to see how clever charlie is when he escapes the men tracking his movements with a gun. I begin to see without Charlie even speaking how smart, sharp, quick and clever he is, but also begin to see that there is a dark side to this man, and wonder is he as inocent as he appears?
I begin to see a Softer side of Uncle Charlie when Little Charlie is introduced, straight away i could see how fond Uncle charlie was of his niece. This could be seen through the phone call Uncle charlie had to his sister, asking to give little charlie some kisses from him. Little Charlies location contradacts her uncles, she lives in Santa Rosa- california, a location considered to be the perfect american small city. However this is where the differences end. We are introduced to small charlie with a graphic match, she is laying on her bed exactly as her uncle was, mirroring who he is, showing their simularities and that she will be a main focus in this Thriller alongside Uncle Charlie.
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