How Hitchcock Generates Suspense in his Films

Spoiler Alerts: I will be spoiling the films Vertigo and Psycho. Turn away if you intend to watch them.

As a child, one of the first directors whose work got me into watching “old films” was Alfred Hitchcock. My dad had recommended his films to me when I was around 13, and I have been watching them ever since.

With a career spanning six decades, Alfred Hitchcock is without a doubt one of the most influential and recognised filmmakers of all time, and labelled by many as “the master of suspense”.

What captivates me most about his films was how successfully he generates tension and mystery, no matter how unassuming the story-line may seem. Consider Rear Window, which is basically about a man with a broken leg spying on his neighbours for much of the film’s run time. Think of The Birds, which revolves around a town where birds start attacking humans. (And if you have not, watch them!)

Many of Alfred Hitchcock’s films start with a simple idea before it is turned into something that leaves audiences shaken and spellbound. But what is it that he does that makes his films so effective in suspense?

The Bomb Under the Table

Much of Hitchcock’s success can be attributed to his implementation of what he calls “the bomb theory”. In an…