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Essay / Analysis of the Use of Camera and Music in Alfred Hitchcock's Films
Table of ContentsIntroductionConclusionBibliographyIntroductionAlfred Hitchcock is a well-known name in the film industry known for his use of cinematic techniques to create suspense. In particular, the use of visual techniques distinguished him from the rest of the filmmakers. North by Northwest and Rear Window are two films with different plots but which highlight Hitchcock's work. The use of point-of-view shots, high angle shots, and close-ups allows viewers to connect with the characters in the film, thereby encouraging the audience. The use of music in both films was also used to create suspense. The intriguing nature of these two films lies in the way the filmmaker fused cinematic techniques and music to create suspense. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”? Get the original essayAlfred Hitchcock is a British filmmaker known for using a unique style in film imagery. The visual technique used in the film evokes different feelings in the audience. Hitchcock's works stand out among the works of other filmmakers. For example, the use of low-key, peripheral lighting is used to create different moods in the film across films. Hitchcock used suspense to keep audiences wanting more using various cinematic techniques. While North by Northwest and Rear Window have different plots, the use of cinematic techniques and music has been used to create suspense in the films. Hitchcock uses different camera techniques in Rear Window and North by Northwest. In Rear Window, the filmmaker uses lighting literally. The lighting used is to show that the characters are aware of something that is happening. In the film, Jefferies is seen noting the lighting of neighboring apartments and they are on so he can see what the audience is doing. Additionally, when the lights are out, he sees a silhouette such that the audience and Jeffries cannot see who was in the next room. This contrast is used to show the difference between knowing something and not knowing. When the lights are turned off, it creates such suspense that the audience wants to know what is happening in the dark. Additionally, the filmmaker uses different shots to create perspective in the film. The entire film is structured in such a way that viewers see it through the protagonist's window. As the film progresses, different stories are revealed about those living in the apartment and the photos are as they are framed in windows. This makes the audience feel excluded from events in the rest of the world. The audience is brought into the world of the through a single shot. This happens when Thorwald discovers Lisa while searching her apartment. In North by Northwest, Hitchcock uses high angle shots to show that the character is in crisis and to create suspense. They are also used to show power differences between characters, making them smaller and less powerful. An example of using the high angle shot is when Cary Grand runs away from the UN building after learning that she has been accused of murder. Another example is when the shot is used in such a way that Thornhill appears smaller than he actually is. These scenes allow the viewer to see the helplessness and desperation in his eyes as two men force him to take whiskey. The high angle shot shows the audience howthese men belittled him to the point of forcing him to get drunk. For some viewers, this may make them sympathetic because he is helpless and there is nothing he can do to get out of the situation. Hithcock also uses low angle shots to make the character more powerful when zoomed in. Throughout the film, this technique is used to show Phillip Vandamm's power over the other characters in the film. In one of the scenes, Vandamm' is photographed sitting comfortably with his colleague next to him (Hitchcock, 1959). The facial expression in the scene makes Vandamm look arrogant and arrogant, thus showing that he was a powerful person. This scene reinforces the resentment that viewers have towards him because he has an attitude that is not sympathetic. Compared to the high-angle scene Thornhill is in, the director shows how much more powerful Vandamm is than him. In both films, the director uses similar cinematic styles, thereby bringing out the thoughts of the characters. This is seen when the director takes close-up shots of the characters to generate a dramatic response and show an object dangerous to the protagonist in both films. For Rear Window, close-ups are used to illuminate and show the beauty of the female characters in the film. This technique during a scene where Lisa, Strewart's girlfriend is introduced. This is a construction from the point of view shots allowing the viewer to see Lisa's beauty. Close shots arouse more emotion than wide shots. This is a technique that is also applied in North by Northwest. This is present in the scene where Eve Kendall is seen hugging Thornill. The close-up view shows Eve's disappointment as she was ashamed of what she had done. The photo also shows that Eve is worried, especially because she broke Thornhill's trust. It should be noted that these close-ups give the audience a mixed feeling of sympathy and hatred. A close-up view allows you to see the emotions Eve is feeling by looking closer at her face to see if she is remorseful or not. The photos claim that Eve did indeed have an ulterior motive when she fell in love with Thornill. In another scene, Thornill and Eve are in danger as Valerian and Leonard pursue them as they escape. They run towards the woods and arrive at the edge of the cliff which they later learn is the summit of Mount Rushmore. They both trip and have to hold on to the cliff to avoid falling. At this point of despair, Hithcock shows a close-up of Eve as she tries to save her life clinging to the cliff. This allows viewers to see how scared and desperate she was, thus triggering sadness and sympathy from the audience. Her desperation is even more visible when she cries for help, making the scene intense as the audience does not know what will happen next. The director uses point of view shots in Rear Window and North by Northwest. Usually, point-of-view shots place the audience in the protagonist's perspective, allowing the viewer to feel the protagonist's feelings at that moment. In this case, the director may want the viewer to experience desire, shock, fear, or confusion depending on the setting of the scene. In Rear Window, the entire film is seen through the lens of James Stewart who is stuck in a chair and secretly spies on his neighbor. The spying on his neighbors is such that he reduces them to objects invading their privacy. The viewer is taken through Stewart's long lens as he stalks his neighbors such as Miss Tors and Miss Lonely-hearts. Through. 2019