WEBISODE 5 - WET SATURDAY EXPOSÉ
March 4, 2015 - Hitchcock still has a strong influence over multiple generations of directors. Plus, how unpredictable characters can heighten tension for the audience, as in "Wet Saturday" of Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Guest commentary by:
Benjamin Stirek
Parker Mott
William C. Martell
John P. Hess
Sponsored by:
NOTES:
In this webisode we first explore the question of why today's filmmakers care so much about studying Hitchcock's techniques.
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It's more than editing and camera tricks.
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Hitchcock has inspired generations of filmmakers, and as screenwriter Ben Stirek says, "As the Beetles were to Rock 'n' Roll, Hitchcock was to American film."
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Looks and Glances - Hitchcock used the camera to point out story and become involved with the characters' world.
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Secret Information - Sharing secrets with the audience creates suspense around whether the secret is going to get out.
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Sense of Humor - His work is more like a fun house gag than a gruesome thriller.
Then we examine the episode "Wet Saturday" as an example of unpredictable characters. It is often said that characters in your screenplay must be predictable. Hitchcock proved this wrong, and used it to his advantage to create a raw uncertainty in the audience.
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Unpreditable Characters - Characters change their mind on a whim. Suspense is built around an impulsive character that could snap at any moment, but the others are equally variable.
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Off-Screen Gore - Instead of using flashbacks, the camera stays with the characters when describing a murder that has happened before the story began.
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Comedy of the Absurd - Comedy counterpoints the uneasiness of the suspense. Broad acting and exaggerated wardrobe enhance this feeling.
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Macabre - The characters seem not to care about the dead body they're dragging around, treating it as merely an everyday nuisance.
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Looking into the Camera - When one of the characters begins revealing a secret, she turns to the camera and begins telling us. This involves us in the secret and increases uneasiness.
The full episode of "Wet Saturday" (1956) can be found on DVD, as well as Hulu.
TRIVIA QUESTION:
John Williams ties the record for most recurring appearances in the series: ten times. Who was the only other person to hold this record?
ANSWER: Patricia Hitchcock
