NORTH BY NORTHWEST

BLOG THREE

“NORTH BY NORTHWEST” 

 

Hitchcock believed that the point of a thriller was to allow the audience “to put their toe in the cold water of fear to see what it is like”. More so, he believed that it was important to transfer the menace that appears on the screen into the minds of the audience. Hitchcock was able to perform these ideas in his work by the use of particular features including the, camera work; adjusting the camera at the right points to create a more emphasized atmosphere for that particular part of the film. The editing speed; which was mainly the increase of the pace to create suspense he was famous for these speed edits in his work. The sound; he adjusted the right effect and sounds at the exact time to give a more dramatic atmosphere when needed. Mise en scene, the basis of where he located his pieces of work including one of the famous parts of the north by northwest scene the “crop scene”. This was used as a blank canvas as he believed that not all thrillers had to have the basis of a dark built up setting that created anxiety. In fact it drew the audience, as it was different so they are waiting to see how this effect is better or just as useful in creating the best possible effect for a thriller atmosphere.

The crop scene

From beginning to end of this particular scene Hitchcock uses very clever features this makes this particular scene of a great relevance. In this particular scene, Hitchcock uses a blank canvas, a desolated piece of land with nothing but dirt and a road with man A standing there waiting for Kaplan.  Hitchcock tries to create the image that this man as vulnerable and deserted. This gives the audience the sense of suspense because there confused in which what is happening, as it’s not a typical thriller starter. The pace of the scene is at a calm collective atmosphere at the beginning with a delicate sound to suggest his impatient characteristic. As the scene carries on a point of view shot is used once at a car that’s travelled from nowhere this creates suspense for the audience because there wondering where the car may have come from as the area is deserted and what is going to happen to man A at this particular time. This is the entering point for man B the shot then is a wide shot, showing both men at opposites sides of the road, starring at each other in confusion. This then brings in a tracking shot showing man A crossing the road and approaching man B. Hitchcock is still using the idea of whom? And why? Man B is there.