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

1. The POV tracking shot of the boys walking caused the viewer to feel their dread and anxiety of being called to the admin's office. We could see the admin through their eyes, and he looked pretty intense and upset.

2. The technique added feeling to the scene. H forced us into their position, and possibly, made us sympathize with at least one of the young men.

3. What connections (visual techniques, images, motifs, themes) do you notice between films that came before this (The Pleasure Garden, The Lodger) and a film that came after it (The Ring)? Please cite specific examples.

The most obvious connection I saw was the closeup of the woman, which mirrored The Lodger. The flashback reminded me of the dancing and piano playing in The Ring.

I like the thought you gave about Hitchcock forcing us into the character's position. That is how I feel when watching any of his films and I think it's important in filmmaking to make your audience feel that way. 

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

Daily Dose #4: Downhill

1. In your own words, please describe the effect of watching the POV dolly shots / POV tracking shots in this scene? 
I think it was so smart to replace the music in the scene with the effect of the POV dolly shots. It really adds the drama to the scene and makes me feel the tension in the scene without there being any dialogue or music.

2. Why do you think Hitchcock uses the technique of a POV tracking shot? What does it add to his visual storytelling?
It adds a lot to the visual storytelling because the POV technique is what is used to convey a lot of different emotions in the scene. It is able to create mood without using any sound, which for a silent film is extremely crucial. Not many filmmakers are able to use this technique in our current era of cinema - and if more did, I think we'd have a lot more quality films. 

3. What connections (visual techniques, images, motifs, themes) do you notice between films that came before this (The Pleasure Garden, The Lodger) and a film that came after it (The Ring)? Please cite specific examples.
All of the films include montage which helps express the theme throughout the films. As well as the use of superimposition which was shown in The Ring and The Lodger. A lot of these techniques are also used in future Hitchcock films. 

[Daily Dose #3: Fighting For Her (Scene from The Ring)]

I felt exactly how the husband was feeling with the techniques used by Hitchcock such has the fun house mirrors which gave me a feeling of being disoriented and confused like a film noir.

I totally felt the same way about the mirrors. It gave me a feeling of disorientation and anxiety as well!

[Daily Dose #3: Fighting For Her (Scene from The Ring)]

Daily Dose #3: The Ring

 

1. How does Hitchcock use montage or expressive editing to add vitality and rhythm to this scene? 
Besides the editing, you can gain a lot of sense of vitality and rhythm from just watching the way the protagonist (the boxer) is worried about training for his competitions and the anxiety of what to do with his wife. He worries that if he leaves her to go training they may end up in divorce. Editing wise, I loved the shots of the mirrors and the quick shots from the dancers to the couple sitting and chatting about going to see their next show. 

2. As is the case with a lot of German Expressionist films, in this scene, there are many shots that are very subjective and put us into the psychological mind of a main character. Please note the various techniques Hitchcock uses to create that feeling of subjectivity. 
The usage of mirrors and the different ways they are used throughout the scene really add a lot of subjectivity. The way they often superimpose the people in the scenes adds to the message and theme that Hitchcock was trying to convey. The man playing the piano was one of the most subjective moments because it really opened up to what the protagonist was thinking.

3. How does Hitchcock stage the action, use set design, and editing techniques to increase the stakes in the rivalry between the two gentlemen? 
Using the mirrors definitely tells us there is a rivalry between the two gentlemen especially when one of them appears to have anxiety about leaving his wife when told to go to training and that his wife didn't need to go with him. The mirror is the gateway to the future! 

[Daily Dose #2: To-night Golden Curls (Opening Scene of The Lodger)]

2. Identify elements of the "Hitchcock style" in this sequence? Please provide specific examples. Even if you are not sure if it is the "Hitchcock style," what images or techniques stand out in your mind as powerful storytelling? Or images that provide an excess of emotion? 

 

It is a well-known fact that Hitchcock was invested in emotional storytelling. I often think of his greatest achievements (PSYCHO and REAR WINDOW always come to mind) as being filled with emotion rather than excessive dialogue. In the absence of sound during this early period, I can see where Hitchcock may have gotten his inspiration to continue relying so much on feeling rather than words.

 

The opening scream is a definite example of Hitchcock's powerful storytelling and the style of horror that would so often correspond with the emotions his characters evoked on screen. That, coupled with the reactions from the pedestrians as they hear of this murder, closely mirrors much of what you see with Hitchcock, even in his later years. The opening sequence of VERTIGO, for example (a Saul Bass collaboration I believe) shows facial expressions of Jimmy Stewart and nothing more. From that opening, the audience can see that the forthcoming picture, one of Hitchcock's films with the least amount of dialogue, will be laden with psychological thrill.

 

I think of Norma Desmond in SUNSET BOULEVARD saying, "We didn't need dialogue, we had faces!" as I watch this opening to THE LODGER. The excess of emotion is crucial to silent film storytelling but it became crucial for Hitch as he navigated ways to display themes of suspense such as psychological thrill, horror, and terror. He didn't need words, he had music and actors with great expressions!

 

I agree a lot with you about the Norma Desmond quote because in those days the character's an actor's really needed to show emotion in their faces to get their point across due to lack of sound. I wish this was more prevalent in today's cinema because I feel there is a constant lack of emotion. 

[Daily Dose #2: To-night Golden Curls (Opening Scene of The Lodger)]

Daily Dose #2: To-Night Golden Curls (The Lodger)

 

1.Compare the opening of The Lodger to the opening of The Pleasure Garden - what similarities and differences do you see between the two films? 

Some of the differences between The Lodger and The Pleasure Garden are easily recognizable in the first few seconds. For example, The Pleasure Garden starts out a little bit more upbeat with the dancing girls and a lot of shots of them coming down a spiral staircase to an audience full of men who are definitely giving the "male gaze" to the women. The Lodger starts out way differently with a man laying on the floor, a woman who is in panic, and a police officer who is trying to help them out. You can very clearly see the German Expressionism influence in the first few minutes of The Lodger. These two are quite similar in the way that they both pack quite the punch when trying to get their point across. Even though the storylines may be different, you can see they were both made by the same filmmaker who loves to use a dark twist.

 

2. Identify elements of the "Hitchcock style" in this sequence? Please provide specific examples. Even if you are not sure if it is the "Hitchcock style," what images or techniques stand out in your mind as powerful storytelling? Or images that provide an excess of emotion? 

You can see the dark aesthetic that Hitchcock usually goes for in all of his films. It is very evident that there is heavy German Expressionism involved because this clip reminded me a lot of various German foreigns films i've watched or have seen clips of in other film classes. The amount activity from scene to scene really reminded me of Vertigo in the sense that there is a lot happening from scene to scene without it having to be consistently explained, like many of the current era films evoke. 

 

3. Even though this is a "silent" film, the opening image is one of a woman screaming. What do you notice in how Hitchcock frames that particular shot that makes it work in a silent film even though no audible scream that can be heard. And what other screams like that come to mind from Hitchcock's later work? 

The really amazing thing about this film is that you can feel so much emotion coming from the woman in the beginning even though you can't hear her. The scream she does in the beginning is one that you can feel even though you can't audibly hear her. It reminds me a lot of the scream from Psycho (even though that one is audible) because you can sense so much emotion coming from the character's expressions before it happens. It gets you to feel that danger is near or has happened and immerses you more into the scene. 

[Daily Dose #1: Spiralling into View: The Pleasure Garden (1925)]

1. Do you see the beginnings of the "Hitchcock touch" in this sequence? Please provide specific examples.

 

Because I've never seen a Hitchcock movie, I am not qualified to respond to this or the next question.

 

2. Do you agree or disagree with Strauss, Yacowar, and Spoto assessments that this sequence contains elements, themes, or approaches that we will see throughout Hitchcock's 50-year career?

 

See above.

 

3. Since this is a silent film, do you feel there were any limitations on these opening scenes due to the lack of synchronous spoken dialogue?

 

I was surprised by the music. I thought silent meant silent rather than no audible dialogue.

Initially I viewed it truly silently, but when I replayed it with the music, I was no longer distracted by the dancing to the music, and I could better connect with the movie. Reading the expressions of the dancing girl as she danced was not easy.

 

I think it's pretty exciting that you've never seen a Hitchcock movie before! This class is totally going to open you up to some incredible films! I do agree with you in that I was also surprised by the music in the clip. There are different types of silent films depending on the time they were made (some include music while other's don't) and I think I liked that this one included music because it delivered the dark feeling of the movie. 

[Daily Dose #1: Spiralling into View: The Pleasure Garden (1925)]

Daily Dose #1: The Pleasure Garden

 

1. Do you see the beginnings of the "Hitchcock touch" in this sequence? Please provide specific examples.

Watching this clip from the "Pleasure Garden" reminded me a lot of some of the sequences in "Rear Window" specifically the woman's legs showing in the beginning. It's not quite the same but it has the same kind of vibe that would've been found in "Rear Window". A lot of the beginning shots with the dances and the spiral staircase also feel very Hitchcock and they seem to be identifiable to a lot of people that have participated in this discussion thus far.

 

2. Do you agree or disagree with Strauss, Yacowar, and Spoto assessments that this sequence contains elements, themes, or approaches that we will see throughout Hitchcock's 50-year career? 

I highly agree with Strauss, Yacowar, and Spoto that this clip is foreshadowing that what we will continue to see through this course. The clip had a lot of elements and themes that Hitchcock liked to reuse and recycle throughout this films. Many of Hitchcock's best films have a dark feel to them and it's no different from "Pleasure Garden". I think it's important noting where it all started.

 

3. Since this is a silent film, do you feel there were any limitations on these opening scenes due to the lack of synchronous spoken dialogue? 

I don't really think there was too many limitations from lack of spoken dialogue. I am a huge fan of silent films because of the fact that they are able to get the entire storyline across with little to no sound (besides music from time to time). The only issue I had was that this silent film didn't always use the word screens to say what they were saying and so I found myself struggling to follow along with the basic conversation the woman and man were having towards the end of the clip.