DJ Scene

How far does the impact of the films you have studied for this topic depend on distinctive uses of film techniques?

Steak'n'Fries made the decision to go out with the 'big boys'

La Haine Words

• Bleak - I have chosen this word as it shows the desolate nature of their lives and the environment that they live in. The characters living in the project have little opportunity in their lives to escape poverty, making bleak future with no prospects for many characters.
• Action-Packed
• Hopeless
• Sexist
• Pessimistic - this word describes La Haine as there is a tendency for bad outcomes, for example, Hubert builds a gym for the people of the project to spend time in rather than resorting to crime from violence, however the gym is burned down, we clearly see Hubert during this scene losing hope and resorting back to drug use.
• Real - This word describes the film well as it was about the riots at the time, including real footage from those. Also the actors, director and crew from the film lived in a real project to better inform themselves of the nature of poverty which resides in the projects, in order to convey the realest performance which they possibly could. 
• Menacing
• Enjoyable
• Exciting - 
• Tense - The last scene creates tension as we see the gun in the centre of the frame which was a motif throughout the film, showing that violence was at the centre of the film, we see 
• Heroic
• Innovative

La Haine

2 scenes discussed for poverty

• Pride
• Tricolour
• Misunderstanding 
• Unrest
• Loyalty
• Revolving

Conflict:

This scene shows conflict in the past and foreshadows the conflict between said and Hubert and Vinz, causing them to miss the train back home.

This scene shows the conflict between the police and the characters.

Power:

In this scene the gun has the power, it has high key lighting on it and it it in the centre of the screen.

They believe that they have the power to change their social standing as they graffiti on the poster that the world is "ours" changing it from yours. however they do not have the power to change their social standing 

Poverty:

Time passes and they are doing nothing throughout the film, showing that they have nothing to do, no job to go to and that they are stuck doing the same thing each day in a poverty trap

They are stuck in paris and due to boredom they have resorted to crime and trying to hot wire a car.

small scale research project - hitchcock

To what extent does Hitchcock's particular style of 'suspense' classify him as an auteur?

                                                 To what extent does Hitchcock's particular style of 'suspense' classify him as an auteur?

                                                    Films:

1.   Psycho (1960) - I chose Psycho as my focus film because out of all of Hitchcock's works, its themes, characters and use of sound are the most consistent with his atmosphere of suspense so this is an incredibly useful item. For example, I plan to discuss how the lead character of the film dies within the first quarter of the film, and how this leads to the creation of suspense. 

2.   Vertigo (1958) - I have chosen this film as "Scottie" is recruited to investigate the bizarre behavior and obsessions of his friend's wife. Ultimately when she meets her fate he becomes obsessed with her, throughout the film Hitchcock explores the theme of obsession. I plan to discuss how the use of a unique narrative creates suspense. This item is very useful as it is an example of Hitchcock’s suspense.

3.   Rear Window (1954) - I have chosen this as suspense is used to show the wheelchair bound main character's obsession that his neighbor has committed a murder, which is discovered through spying on them and stalking them through a window. I plan to discuss how the use of a vulnerable protagonist creates suspense. 

Interviews:

4.   Interview - Alfred Hitchcock: The difference between mystery and suspense (1970)  - this is an extract from a longer interview from the AFI Archive regarding Hitchock's own opinion of how he creates suspense in his films. He goes into depth about how the audience has just as much as a crucial role of the characters within his films. I plan to discuss how Hitchcock gave information about crucial plot points to the audience rather than the characters, and how this creates suspense.

5.   Interview with Alfred Hitchcock on his Specialty: Suspense - this source is an extract from an interview in 1973 regarding Hitchcock's unique style of film making. During the course of the interview, a point regarding Hitchcock’s signature style of suspense is raised. He responds through explaining how he uses structural narrative to manipulate the minds of the audience through various techniques such as: symbolism, abstract camera techniques and a focus on characterization. I plan to discuss how the long takes in psycho create an atmosphere of suspense. 

6.   Alfred Hitchcock On Mastering Cinematic Tension - this is also an extract from a longer interview, the scene features the infamous quotation from Hitchcock, where he explains about the bomb under the dinner table. he goes in depth about how the time from the reveal of the bomb, all the way up until its detonation, is crucial in creating suspense. In my presentation, I plan to discuss how the slow build-up of suspense is a reoccurring motif throughout his films

Documentaries:

7.   Psycho - How Alfred Hitchcock Manipulates An Audience - this documentary explains auteur theory and the themes of suspense which Hitchcock used within Psycho through showing events through different characters perspectives to create tension. I plan to discuss how he dramatically experimented with the style he had already created in this film.

8.   Vertigo - Renegade Cut - I have chosen this documentary as again, it discusses the themes of the film and how they are used to create suspense, but also the documentary outlines how Hitchcock inspired the narrative structure of films to the present day through his revolutionary filmmaking style. I plan to discuss how Hitchcock has influenced the conventions of horror/thrillers through his creation of suspense.

9.   Vertigo - Renegade Cut - I have chosen this documentary as it compares Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' to a modern thriller. Similarly, it talks about how Hitchcock's themes create suspense but interestingly it also focuses on how the audience's role contributes to the suspense of Hitchcock's films. I plan to discuss how Hitchcock's revolutionary style is still recreated today by modern filmmakers. 

Websites

10.                 https://www.britannica.com/art/auteur-theory - this item is incredibly useful as it gives a definition for the auteur theory. I will use this in my presentation to answer my question in able for me to determine whether Hitchcock should be classified as an auteur.

11.                 http://www.imagesjournal.com/issue02/features/psycho.htm - I have chosen this website as it explores the mise-en-scene in my focus film ‘Psycho’ and explores how the mise-en-scene adds suspense to the film. For example we are made to feel that Norman Bates is an isolated character as he lives alone with his mother as we learn that he stuffs dead birds, this is reinforced through the mention or birds and the placement of birds throughout the film.

12.                 http://borgus.com/hitch/hitch2011.htm - I have chosen this item as it shows a step-by-step of how to create a Hitchcock movie. It explains the conventions of how Hitchcock used suspense and shows how you can use it in a modern film to recreate Hitchcock’s revolutionary style of suspense. I plan to use this item to discuss how he uses the camera to create a view from the characters perspective, and explore how this creates suspense.

Magazines

13.                 http://www.independent.co.uk/news/people/news/alfred-hitchcock-facts-10-not-so-hidden-secrets-about-the-master-of-suspense-9047071.html - This article lists facts about Hitchcock’s life, including problems that he had in his early life, handling obesity at a young age, his irrational fear of the police due to his parents strict ideals and his fear of watching his own films. I plan on using this item to discuss whether his early mental state and low self-esteem contributed to him capturing the mind of a psychopath unlike any other director at the time, making him an auteur.

14.                 http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/magazine/8593508.stm - this article highlights key themes which Hitchcock used to create suspense throughout the film Psycho. This is a useful item as it focuses around the use of graphic violence (the iconic shower scene), sexual explicitness how the music in my focus film creates tension. I will discuss how his unique use of graphic violence creates a sense of suspense.

15.                 http://www.empireonline.com/movies/empire-essay-psycho/review/ - I have chosen this article as it explains why certain shots were used and the effect it has on the audience and how it creates suspense. I plan to use this article to discuss the shots used in Psycho and the reasoning for them to discuss whether Hitchcock can be classified as an auteur.

Books

16.                 Hitchcock’s Motifs – I have chosen this book as it explores the uses of all of Hitchcock’s motifs. I will use the section of “Enclosed Spaces” to discuss why Hitchcock uses “bathrooms and washrooms” throughout his works. This item will be useful as the world-famous shower scene from my focus film Psycho was shot in a bathroom and specifically a bathroom in a hotel which is also a recurring motif. (page 113)

17.                 This book explores Hitchcock’s auteur theory and explores the idea that he always uses something called the MacGuffin to drive the narrative forward, however the MacGuffin may not always be relevant to the continuation of the narrative. This item includes the McGuffin which is included in all three of my chosen films so this is a useful item.

Rejected Items

·      Hitchcock’s America – I have chosen to reject this book as I feel it does not explore how Hitchcock created suspense, so it would not offer much help in answering my question.

·      The Pleasure Garden (1925) – I have chosen to reject this film as it was the first film that he directed so I don’t believe that he was able to experiment enough with his visual style of suspense to be classified as an auteur this early on.

·      Always Tell Your Wife (1923)  - this was a short film that Hitchcock co-directed, it is a comedy film so I have rejected this as it does not contain suspense.

·      https://eng3122.wordpress.com/group-3-main/ -  I have chosen to reject this item as although it is about auteur theory, I already have multiple sources which explore this so I think it is irrelevant

·      http://humor.about.com/od/moviecommentary/tp/alfredhitchcock.htm - I have chosen to reject this item as it explains how Hitchcock uses comedy in his films, I do not believe this is relevant to how he creates suspense and does not contribute to his auteur theory.