[Daily Dose #7: Mr. Memory (Opening Scene from The 39 Steps)]

This opening also starts off very fast paced.  It seems to have more of a comical beginning instead of a suspenseful one though.

I agree with Rothman's assessment that is starts off with a more innocent character.  The main character seems very light hearted and not scary like in the other films.

The scene in the music hall is a pattern Hitchcock has by placing a main character in a crowded public place from the beginning.  It isn't as exotic as on the snowy mountains with the beautiful scenery but rather ordinary.  The people in the audience are all very funny and crack jokes when Mr. Memory wants them to be more serious. The MacGuffin element may be in play by having everyone's attention on the performer Mr. Memory.   

[Daily Dose #6: Knocking 'Em Cold (Opening Scene from The Man Who Knew Too Much)]

Which is more important - the characters or the plot?  It seems like the characters because in the opening scene the camera really focuses solely on the characters by zooming in on the skier, the dog, the girl, and the awkward meeting between the skier and Peter Lorre.

 

What do I learn about Peter Lorre and the character Abbott in this brief scene and how might it affect my view of him later in the film?  Well he seems to be a likable man.  I liked the way he laughed it off when he was knocked down by the skier.  But when he looked at the skier there was an eerie moment and it made me feel that something isn't exactly level with Abbot.  It's almost like foreshadowing that he will be the antagonist and the other guy is the protagonist.  

 

Comparing the opening scenes of The Pleasure Garden and The Lodger with the opening scene here:

I think in the silent films there was a collection of shots put together in a fast pace.  We had to get the major elements of where and when and who at the very beginning without much dialogue and sound. We relied only on the visual. In this opening scene there is action at the beginning but we can put things together through the characters' dialogue and interaction with each other.  I think the setting, plot, characters, and a hint of a climax coming up are given to us by what we learn from the opening scene.

[Daily Dose #4: Depends on Your Point of View (Scene from Downhill)]

I love the way Hitchcock uses the subjective point of view as if we are the camera.  I can feel the suspense building more this way rather than a wide angle shot of everything going on in the room.  I can see patterns in this movie such as the expressions on the actors and actresses are maximized by the zooming in - you can see the panic on the young mens' faces.  Although there wasn't sound in this it didn't need it because you can imagine being right there in the room.  You can see how Hitchcock was influenced by the German expressionism because there is a collection of images when the girl tells her story.  He uses this montage method in many of his movies to maybe add to the build up of emotions  - seeing everything going by in a fast pace - it makes one feel rather anxious.  You can see the patterns of using close up shots and different point of views in The Pleasure Garden, The Lodger and The Ring.  The audience feels empathy for the characters because we are put in the character's place.