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Cinema Art: Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” Suspense Film Essay
I have selected to explore the film genre that I did not prefer or watch previously. I focused on horror films and thrillers. Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) was chosen for the critical analysis to answer the following question: why do Taylor (2013) and other critics recognize Hitchcock as ‘the master of suspense’?
When I started to watch the film I noticed that it seemed to be non-dynamic, but the tension experienced by the audience was significant because of expecting something to happen. I think that these thoughts are associated with the idea of ‘suspense’. I knew the plot, but I was shocked while observing the murder of the main character, and the scene was impressive because of the specific use of shots and lights.
Even though I knew a lot of details related to Psycho and studied its features previously, I had no opportunities to watch it from beginning to end. Therefore, this time, I have received a perfect opportunity to explore how the use of light to hide personalities, overhead shots, camera movement, and the point of view can influence the viewer’s perception (Martin & Jacobus, 2015). This critical approach to watching films and the focus on details concerning the studied concepts allowed for understanding what techniques can be used to achieve certain effects in cinema.
References
Martin, D., & Jacobus, L. A. (2015). The Humanities through the arts. New York, NY: McGraw-Hill Education.
Taylor, J. R. (2013). Hitch: The life and times of Alfred Hitchcock. New York, NY: A&C Black.
