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Running head: HITCHCOCK?S INFLUENCE ON DAVID FINCHER
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HITCHCOCK?S INFLUENCE ON DAVID FINCHER
Alfred Hitchcock?s Influence on Contemporary Filmmaker David Fincher
Rebecca McLemore
Cleveland State University
Introduction
Introduce the master of suspense, Alfred Hitchcock
Reference Hitchcock as David Fincher?s inspiration.
Thesis Statement:
When watching a Fincher film, one can make direct and indirect comparisons to Alfred Hitchcock?s films, allowing you to see how Hitchcock did leave an impression on Fincher.
Body Paragraph 1- Hitchcock?s Roots
Hitchcock?s filmic roots
Hitchcock?s common themes & Devices
Body Paragraph 2- Suspense
Having the viewer be a participant
Voyeurism
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Hitchcock was born in England 1889 and moved to the United States to join the Hollywood film industry in 1940. He created over fifty films throughout his career citing ?my love for cinema is stronger than morality (Truffaut & Hitchcock, 1983, p. 20). Hitchcock often had reoccurring devices throughout his films like the famous MacGuffin that would drive the plot. ?Hitchcock discovered just the right mixture of humor, suspense, and revelation when using the MacGuffin? (Digou, 2003, p. 5). Hitchcock cleverly used the $40,000 in the bag in Psycho (Hitchcock, 1960) to drive the plot because the audience becomes more depressed that the money was buried along with Janet Leigh?s character. The wrong-man theme was often used as well in Hitchcock?s films like Strangers on a Train (1951) and Frenzy (1972). Hitchcock liked to confuse the audience by making an antagonist charming and likeable like Marian Crane (Janet Leigh) in Psycho (1960). Hitchcock films are studied and admired by many. Fran?ois Truffaut stated that ?he is not merely an expert at some specific aspect of cinema, but an all-round specialist, who excels at every image, each shot, and every scene (1983, p.