The American character has been an enticing subject of study in both imported and domestic cultures. To solve this problem, Hitchcock’s American movies extensively gave an understanding of the American culture by investigating the forms of emotions and conduct that usually shape characters.
Many critics argue that Hitchcock’s character and plot development in the Vertigo and Rear Window were influenced by a therapeutic culture or a revision of the Victorian character. In connection to this, I would argue that Hitchcock’s character and plot development in his films were strongly influenced by Edgar Allen Poe’s techniques of building suspense among the audience. From the above statement, it can be deduced that Hitchcock’s filmmaking techniques were both borrowed and original.
To support the above thesis, Charles Thomas Samuels argued that; Hitchcock like Poe was preoccupied with a small stock of circumstances that could be misinterpreted as major topics. On the other hand, Hitchcock frankly admitted that Poe was very crucial to his creative development chiefly on his verdict to make films. Based on this, Hitchcock admitted that he was concerned with Poe’s stories that encouraged him to create suspense films.
In addition, Hitchcock realized Poe’s importance in his talent especially focusing on viewers that fulfilled his aspiration for a terrifying yet safe cinematic skill. Further, he discovered Poe’s method of influencing the audience’s reactions to dread through ‘spellbinding logic’. As a result of this, he took this technique seriously in coming up with firm narratives that made his techniques to be considered as the most excellent. It should be noted that Hitchcock was mainly influenced by Poe’s mysteries; like ‘the murder and the lady vanishes’. In these mysteries, he realized the lessons about viewers’ responses and the delight in the safe fear that made him interested in making suspense films.
It is worth noting that, Hitchcock was influenced by the Poe-inspired surrealism of filmmakers like Bunuel, Clair, and Cocteau. This is evident from certain dream and fantasy sequences in some of his films. It can be deduced that Hitchcock learned a lot from Poe as far as creating the audience’s suspense is concerned. This can be seen from how he focused the audience’s attention on certain objects like the glass of milk in ‘Suspicion’ and the knife in ‘Sabotage’.
In addition, Hitchcock learned from Poe the technique of creating suspense among the audience by permitting them to be more knowledgeable than the characters. More so, Hitchcock was influenced by Poe not only in suspense-building but also in coming up with theories and methods of manipulating the audience’s attention. In this case, both Hitchcock and Poe acknowledged the need for sublimely skilled creativity; so that they could control the audience’s emotions as they create suspense. In support of this argument, Hitchcock frankly admitted that he could hear his audience screaming when he was making the picture.
To wind up, Hitchcock was deeply influenced by what he learned from Poe about the fears of self-destructive rascals of the wicked. From the above discussion, it can be said that Hitchcock’s work was greatly influenced by the work of Poe particularly in building the audience’s suspense and manipulating their attention. Based on this it can be argued that Hitchcock’s art and techniques were both borrowed and original.