Alfred Hitchcock: The Master of Suspense

to his stern and intimidating appearance. Marion appears anxious as the officer inquires about her well-being. Upon being questioned by the officer, she resumes her journey towards Sam's house.

Despite the police officer's doubts, he tails Marion to the car showroom where her odd actions also catch the salesman's attention. The intensity builds through close-ups of their faces as viewers worry that he'll suspect something. Ultimately, Marion reaches Bates Motel in a downpour, matching the horror genre's usual setting.

A typical horror scene is depicted through the use of dim lighting and a long shot with a low angle. The audience can see the shadow of a masculine figure in an isolated house, accompanied by an eerie mist of rain. The silhouette of the house is barely visible due to the lighting, creating a powerful impression. Meanwhile, a woman registers at a motel under the name Marie Samuels to conceal her identity as a criminal.

Ironically, the action of giving Marion the key to room one ends up concealing the identity of the murderer who later kills her. The suspenseful moment is when Norman Bates, the motel manager, hovers his hand over all the keys before eventually selecting the key for room one and pausing for a moment before giving it to Marion.

The audience is left anticipating Norman's next move as he has been friendly towards Marion but his true intentions remain unclear. The suspense increases when he opens the window in Marion's room and stumbles over the word 'bathroom'. This leaves us wondering about the reason for his nervousness. The conversation between Norman and Marion takes place in the parlour with Norman sitting in the shadows and

Marion in the spotlight.

The presence of stuffed birds in the room where Norman is questioning her creates an unpleasant and sinister atmosphere, inducing fear. The shower sequence utilizes various camera shots and sound effects to intensify the suspense and frighten viewers. The absence of music during Marion's solitary moment in her room heightens the tension. The act of flushing a sheet of paper down the toilet adds a touch of normalcy amidst the chaos.

The medium close-up camera shots allow the audience to view both the victim's full face and the background behind her. Initially, the scene displays normality as Marion prepares for her shower by closing the bathroom door. Despite the lack of foreshadowing or music, typical of horror thrillers, the audience retains a sense of anticipation for an impending event, keeping them on edge. Subsequently, medium close-up shots of Marion's upper body are replaced with shots of her legs. As Marion washes herself, over the shoulder and medium close-up shots are used to showcase her reactions and perspective. The camera zooms in further, creating a sense of surveillance, heightening the audience's suspense.

Although there is no music, the sound effects are amplified by the shower, providing a peaceful atmosphere as Marion enjoys her shower with a calm and composed demeanor. Nonetheless, as the camera switches to an over the shoulder shot, the audience is given a glimpse of a looming figure approaching, filled with an air of mystery and darkness. This sudden twist in the scene creates a sense of anticipation and apprehension within the audience, leaving them with an urge to warn Marion while also craving to unravel the mystery behind the

figure.

By using a medium close-up shot, Hitchcock creates a sense of uneasiness and mystery as the dark figure brandishing a large knife is revealed by pulling back the curtain. Despite this, the figure's face and other details remain obscured. The tense atmosphere is further heightened by the sharp screeching violin music played immediately after the reveal, keeping the audience on the edge of their seats. The fear in Marion's face as she screams is shown through a close-up shot, while an extreme close-up shot of her mouth emphasizes this emotion.

The scene employs a piercing sound effect, adding to its high tension and fear. The figure stabbing Marion is captured with a high angle camera shot resembling a CCTV recording. The music is unsettling and the sound of the knife repeatedly piercing the young woman is chilling, sustaining the drama and tension throughout the film.

Through a close-up shot depicting Marion's legs and blood flowing down the drain, the audience perceives that she is losing her life. Hitchcock's intent is for viewers to comprehend that Marion is dying, as well as to prompt them to question the reason for her murder. The eerie music continues to play, signaling that the attacker is still actively assaulting her. Finally, a medium close-up shot presents Marion's back, neck, and side profile as she turns away from her assailant.

Viewers are disgusted by the sight of the back, neck, and side due to regulations implemented in 1960 regarding the portrayal of certain body parts. The displayed imagery conveys the terror and vulnerability of a naked woman being violently killed. Despite the mother leaving, the sound of flowing water and eerie music

persist, causing the audience to remain apprehensive about what will happen next.

Through an over the shoulder shot, we witness the murderer's departure while Marion, severely wounded, gradually descends down the wall in a medium close up. This angle reveals Marion's expression and the rapid and shocking scenes compel the audience to the edge of their seats. In an extreme close up, we observe Marion's attempt to grasp the shower curtain, accentuating her agony and her fight for survival. The sound of the flowing water symbolizes her life slipping away. The extreme close up highlights the slow pace at which Marion succumbs to death.

With a high angle shot, Marion is seen falling forward and pulling off the shower curtain, emphasizing her powerlessness. Viewers are shocked as she is attacked seemingly without reason. Shown in an extreme camera shot, Marion lies dead on the bathroom floor with terror still evident in her eyes, having seen her killer before she died. Alfred Hitchcock achieved great success as a horror film producer, renowned for his talent in the genre.

It appears that his success stems from his ability to craft unsolvable enigmas captivate audiences, utilizing innovative and unconventional methods to establish high levels of tension and anticipation. These methods include unique lighting, various camera angles, strategic silences and jarring sound effects. Additionally, his characters are often incomplete or lack normal human traits, rendering them surreal and unrelatable to viewers.