What Key Decisions Did Hitchcock Make in His Works That Make Him an ‘Auteur?’
What key decisions did Hitchcock make in his works that make him an ‘Auteur?’
By Liam Davis.
According to The Film Experience " … a film bears the creative imprint of one individual, usually the director …" and that it " … is taken to reveal the personality of its director …" such that the director is referred to as an auteur (p. 464). Certain decisions made by the director Alfred Hitchcock to employ similar idealistic themes throughout the movies Psycho, The Birds and Rear Window let him express his creative style. Voyeurism is undoubtedly the most recognizable feature in Hitchcock’s movies, similarly addressed in each movie in the form of an assault, where the audience’s dimension of voyeurism feels somewhat compromised as the characters of each movie are poetically punished for their voyeurism following an eloquent, skin crawling suspense, causing both the audience and characters to reflect and question the voyeurism we are somewhat predetermined to do.
In Rear Window, the protagonist infers that the salesman across the street has killed his wife after spending an inordinate amount of time observing his neighbours for his own pleasure. Unwittingly, the audience gains pleasure from watching others too. When the protagonist is ultimately attacked by the person he is watching, this can be construed as the director attacking the audience's voyeurism, leading to suspense. The fear of the protagonist being attacked creates suspense, since, similarly to the incapacitated protagonist who can only watch, the audience is forced to watch, both being unable to act.
A common, albeit subtle theme found in The Birds is the incessant bird watching, by both the characters and the audience. The voyeur’s tools (eyes) being destroyed by their subject serves as a commentary on the audience’s voyeurism. Shots of birds flying at and attacking the screen give the impression the voyeuristic audience being attacked. This is another example of voyeurism being associated with
By Liam Davis.
According to The Film Experience " … a film bears the creative imprint of one individual, usually the director …" and that it " … is taken to reveal the personality of its director …" such that the director is referred to as an auteur (p. 464). Certain decisions made by the director Alfred Hitchcock to employ similar idealistic themes throughout the movies Psycho, The Birds and Rear Window let him express his creative style. Voyeurism is undoubtedly the most recognizable feature in Hitchcock’s movies, similarly addressed in each movie in the form of an assault, where the audience’s dimension of voyeurism feels somewhat compromised as the characters of each movie are poetically punished for their voyeurism following an eloquent, skin crawling suspense, causing both the audience and characters to reflect and question the voyeurism we are somewhat predetermined to do.
In Rear Window, the protagonist infers that the salesman across the street has killed his wife after spending an inordinate amount of time observing his neighbours for his own pleasure. Unwittingly, the audience gains pleasure from watching others too. When the protagonist is ultimately attacked by the person he is watching, this can be construed as the director attacking the audience's voyeurism, leading to suspense. The fear of the protagonist being attacked creates suspense, since, similarly to the incapacitated protagonist who can only watch, the audience is forced to watch, both being unable to act.
A common, albeit subtle theme found in The Birds is the incessant bird watching, by both the characters and the audience. The voyeur’s tools (eyes) being destroyed by their subject serves as a commentary on the audience’s voyeurism. Shots of birds flying at and attacking the screen give the impression the voyeuristic audience being attacked. This is another example of voyeurism being associated with