Human Nature -- Hitchcock's Suspense Stories

Author: Wang Qiang
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1999-08-01
Features: "The Master of Suspense," Alfred Hitchcock, is a film artist who delves deeply into the human psyche. His exploration of the hidden depths of the human mind is unprecedented. Hitchcock has a profound understanding of the anxieties of modern humanity, and through compelling plot arrangements, he meticulouslys the guilt, restlessness, anxiety, desires, and hatred of modern people. He portrays the absurdity and chaos of modern society, perfectly blending popular culture with philosophy, earning him the title of "Freud of the cinema." Hitchcock's works offer vast interpretive space. Their rich implications make reading or watching his films a tremendous pleasure. What is suspense? Hitchcock once famously defined suspense: "If you want to show a group of people playing cards around a table and then suddenly an explosion occurs, you can only shoot a very dull scene of everyone being startled after the explosion. On the other hand, although you are showing the same scene, if you first show the under the table before the card game begins, you create suspense and captivate the audience's attention. Actually, Hitchcock's films are not just appealing due to suspense; their is far deeper."