Alfred Hitchcocks Creation Of Tension In Psycho And The Birds

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Alfred Hitchcock’s Creation Of Tension In “Psycho” And “The Birds”

Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most well known movie directors of all time. He is especially well known for his skill to create tension in an effective way. Hitchcock is able to create tension and suspense by using certain camera angles and a careful selection of music and sounds. Hitchcock has made such an impact in the film industry that he is now known as the “Master of Suspense”.

Hitchcock was born in Leytonstone in 1899. From a young age he enjoyed reading novels, especially those by Dickens, G K Chesterton and Edgar Allan Poe. He left school when he was fourteen and started work at the Islington film studios in 1920.

In 1927 he directed his first film, The Lodger in which he appeared in himself. When Hitchcock started making films audio was not invented. His first films were silent so when sound was used in films, Hitchcock was able to use both sound and silence in a way that would complement each other to create tension.

Hitchcock has made some of the most psychological films of all time. His highlights include Psycho (1960), The Birds (1963) and Marnie (1961).

Hitchcock used sounds to boost the effect to tension and suspense. He also knew the importance of storyboarding. Before filming a film Hitchcock knew exactly what he wanted and has cartoons demonstrating the camera angles he would use and the way the film would progress.

Hitchcock has done many films in black and white which have all been very successful because of the way Hitchcock was able to use specific camera angles to create a certain effect on the audience.

In this essay I will be looking at two films made by Hitchcock. I will look at how Hitchcock creates tension and shock in ‘Psycho’ and ‘The Birds’.

The opening sequence of Psycho immediately sets the tone for the film. The opening sequence starts with a black background which gives a feeling of fear and vulnerability. There are bars going across the screen which represents the atmosphere of a prison.

The opening sequence is backed up by a very sister soundtrack composed by Bernard Hermann who composed the entire soundtrack in the film. The music is fast and ominous which creates tension.

As soon as the opening sequence ends the music stops. Hitchcock does this to calm the audience. The film starts with an extreme long shot showing the tall buildings of the city of Phoenix, Arizona. We are given the time and as the camera pans across the city, the camera zooms into a hotel window. The film starts in this way to show the normality of the whole atmosphere is as if there is something waiting to go wrong.

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Hitchcock knew how to play with people’s minds. At the start of the film the audience is made to think that the film is of a romance genre where the main plot of the film is where Marion tries desperately to find enough money for her to get married. However by fifteen minutes into the film the audience know that they are wrong and that there is a much serious theme to the film as Marion ‘steals’ the money and heads out of town.

Another thing that the audience can see as soon as the film starts is ...

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