Screen Studies: Genre Analysis Essay on Alfred Hitchcock

This essay provides a detailed genre analysis of Alfred Hitchcock's films, focusing on his utilization of the auteur theory and his engagement with the suspense, thriller, and psychological thriller genres. The essay explores Hitchcock's techniques, including his manipulation of audience perception, use of mise-en-scene, and recurring themes. It examines the interplay between the director's personal style (auteur) and the conventions of the chosen genres, highlighting how Hitchcock's approach allowed him to create suspense and establish himself as a master filmmaker. The analysis covers the impact of Hitchcock's work on the film industry and his influence on other filmmakers, as well as the key elements of his films that contributed to his success, such as his use of leading ladies, montage, and avoidance of cliché characters. It also provides an overview of the auteur theory and the genre studies approaches to studying screen texts, as well as the relative strengths and weaknesses of each approach.

Running Head: GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
Genre Analysis Essay: Alfred Hitchcock
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1GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
Alfred Hitchcock
An Auteur is considered to be the film director who is equivalent to an author who
writes novel or play. The Auteur is the one who mainly showcase the different aspects of the
story through their work (Ezra 2019). In this context, the auteur which the essay will focus
mainly is Alfred Hitchcock.
On the other hand, genre is considered to be the style in which the director of the
movie communicate with the audience. These is how the director conveys their message to
the audience and enable them to create a successful movie in the process (Selbo 2014).
Therefore, it can be noted that there is a difference between the auteur and genre as
they both are two different things, which is crucial for the movie to enjoy for the audience. It
can also be noted that the auteur is the one who select the genre in which the person wants to
make a movie (Hardison 2014).
History, Theory and Understanding
In the auteur theory, director are the one who is considered to be the major creative
force in the film making process. The theory of auteur, has been introduce in the year 1940
by France, which is being dubbed by the American film critic Andrew Sarris. The theory is
being introduce by Andre Bazin as well as Alexandre Astruc, which is introduce in the
system by the film maker in the filmmaking process. These theory is remarked as the
foundation stone which enable the other to develop the theories on the basis of this one theory
(Stam 2017). There are other theories which states that the director to be the author as they
are the ones who actually narrate the story to the audience in moving picture and that is main
reason for the consideration of the theory by the other directors so that they can narrate the
story in an appropriate way possible.

2GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
Later, this theory have become the French New Wave for all the movie director so
that they can narrate the movie in an effective way possible and enable them to become
successful in the process (Hogan 2013). On the other hand, genre is derived from the Latin
word kind or class, which is being used by the filmmaker as well as the other researcher or
scholar to categorize the film in the process. These will enable them to segregate which
movie will come under what segment. These will enable the audience to know about the type
of movie that the director is going to narrate to them (Elsaesser 2013).
The paper focuses on how the renowned director Alfred Hitchcock used the auteur
theory in his direction. Hitchcock is the main force in the movie as he is the one who provide
direction as well as narrate the movie in front of the audience. The director use the theory so
that he can showcase the viewpoint to the audience and manipulate the mind of the viewers
with his work. These enable the director to grab the attention of the audience who is viewing
the movie. The auteur theory explains how the director plays a vital role in the movie and
provide direction to the storyline (Stubbs, 2013) So, it can be considered that Alfred
Hitchcock is the Auteur in his movies. Alfred Hitchcock have rightly understood this theory
and that is the main reason he is able to manipulate the story along with the minds of the
viewers, which he want the audience to think by viewing the movie. These is how Alfred
Hitchcock become a renowned director in Hollywood and put impact in the filmmaking
industry.
The genre on the other hand, set the tone of the filmmaker to frame the story in the
way the director want to narrate it to the audience. These is essential for the filmmaker to
select the genre of the film that they are going to work on. Therefore, it can be noted that
auteur and the genre are the two different thing but very much crucial for the movie as it set
the way in which the movie is going to be presented to the audience (Wells 2019). So, these

3GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
two elements can be treated to be important for the movie and which will help the filmmaker
to showcase the view point to the audience.
The auteur theory, provide the filmmaker to provide the deeper meaning to the movie
that they are producing in the process. The movie directed by Alfred Hitchcock provide the
deeper meaning in the process by playing with the minds of the audience along with that the
director is able portrays the characters in his movie. These enable the director to grow in the
market and to become popular (Rogalski 2014). There are shots in his movie which increase
the intensity of the scene and he is able to portray the message to the audience without letting
the actors to deliver the dialogue in few of the scenes (Levy and Ransdell 2013). These can
be possible as the director is able to match the background music with the scene along with
the expression of the actor in the movie, which is quite essential in the moving pictures.
Alfred Hitchcock is best known as a ‘master of suspense’ as he is able to provide direction to
the movie and the genre which he usually choose is suspense/thriller/psychological thriller.
He started his career with the silent film in early 1920’s. Therefore, it can be said that
Hitchcock is able to use both the auteur theory by providing direction and genre theory by
using the genre in an effective way possible.
The genre also played a vital role in the movie to attract the audience towards the
movie, which is remarkable in the movie. The director mainly manipulates the thinking
process of the audience and make them think the way he wants them to think and that is the
main reason Hitchcock is being liked by the audience along with that his work in the film
industry (Blumenthal 2018). The director is able to do justify with the genre as he never
deviated from the genre in which he is making the movie, be it psychological thriller or
horror or any other genre. These is very much critical to portray as a genre but Hitchcock is
able to portray the storyline quite efficiently, which assist him to become a renounced
director in the market. Hitchcock mainly shoot the movie as per the requirement of the genre

4GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
and the storyline which enable him to generate the interest within the audience and the angle
which was being chosen by the director is quite excellent to portray the character in the
movie.
As the director, Alfred Hitchcock uses few techniques which enable the audience as
well as the other directors to recognize the work that is being done by him. These things are
essential and need to be followed by the other directors as well. Hitchcock usually use
leading ladies in his films to create the suspense by breaking the stereotypes. He use the
subjectivity in an effective way possible along with that he possess the information so as to
create a suspense in the process (Morgart 2014). Montage can be seen in his work which
make him unique from the others along with that he keeps the story simple, which help him
to direct the movie in an effective way possible. Lastly, Hitchcock avoid cliché characters so
that he can effectively create the suspense. These is how his work can be recognized, which
influence the other filmmakers to follow his footstep in making a suspense movie.
The suspense that Hitchcock create in his work is with the help of the mise-en-scene.
The best films which is being created by him in that actors were involved in the great visual
plan. It enable him to create the suspense and glued the audience with the fear of unknown
terror or unstoppable madness, which is about to break out. These is how Hitchcock make the
use of the mise-en-scene, which enable him to achieve what he want to from the audience.
These is an essential factors that need to be address by the directors to become successful in
creating the suspense.
Alfred Hitchcock mainly do Gothic and Melodramatic genres and showcase the
women to be strong in his movies, which is essential for the director to showcase the genre
effectively. The director showcase the past of the primary character effects the present so that
the suspense can be created in the process. Hitchcock mainly directs the movies in

5GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
thriller/suspense/psychological thriller genre and have done the justification with the genre he
choose and that can be notice with the work that have been done by him (Granbacka 2016).
These is an essential factor which need to be understand by the filmmaker so that they do not
deviate from the main theme of the movie and enable them to produce a movie that will
create an impact in the mind of the audience.
The genre of the movie mainly introduce the theme of the movie in front of the
audience and enable them to understand what they are going to see in the movie. These
includes the iconography where Hitchcock usually do justice with the poster of the movie.
The director is able to stick to the theme which is dealing in from the start till the end of the
movie, which also able to attract the audience to watch the movie (Granbacka 2016). These is
an essential factor which need to be understand by the filmmaker so that they do not deviate
from the main theme of the movie and enable them to produce a movie that will create an
impact in the mind of the audience. Hitchcock also showcase his work in the same
convention way so that he can portray the character as well as the theme of the movie in an
effective way possible. Hitchcock do not use the narrative trope in his movie and that is the
main reason he is different from the other directors in the market.
On the other hand the performance of the actors who worked in the movie are
remarkable as they are able to do justice with the character they are representing in the
movie. These enable the audience to understand the capabilities of the actors as well as the
director who are able to pull out it from them. The director have done justice with the
narration of the story which assist them to become a popular movies in the industry (Jung
2017). The director possess a set of regular crew in the making of the movie which can also
be considered as an important aspect to provide high level results and it depends on the
direction that have been provided by Alfred Hitchcock. These enable the audience to
understand the auteur theory where the director is able to provide a direction in the movie and

6GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
can be able to stick to the movie as per the genre theory as well. These two things need to be
address by the filmmaker to make the movie effective as well as attractive towards the
audience. These also helps the director to showcase their vision, which will enable them to
draw the attention of the audience. Therefore, it can be said that auteur and genre plays a vital
role in developing of an effective movie which will automatically help the director to become
popular in the market (Cavalcante 2013).
Alfred Hitchcock is able to narrate the movie quite successfully so that they can grab
the attention of the audience and can create that ambience, so that they can feel the story.
These will ultimately create an impact in the minds of the audience and will remain in the
subconscious mind. As per the genre Hitchcock usually chose psychological thriller or
psychological horror as the genre so the director is able to create the buzz within the audience
and able to portray the story in an effective way possible. The directors in this type of genre
keep the audience in a thinking process even after the movie is over so that they can be in the
minds of the audience for quite a long time.
These is the main reason Hitchcock is able to become a successful director in the
industry as he is able to involve the audience in his movies. These can be regarded as the best
feature of Hitchcock and is the sole reason for his success as a director in Hollywood Film
industry. Therefore, it can be said that Hitchcock is able to use the auteur as well as the genre
theory in his movie and that can be seen through his movies, which is quite remarkable and
able to grow in the industry. These assist the director to produce a movie which will be able
to grab the attention of the audience and will stay in their mind for quite a long time and will
make the director a successful one in the industry, which is essential for the growth of the
director in the market.

7GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
Conclusion
In the end it can be inferred that Alfred Hitchcock have done justice with the story
lines as well as the genre of the movie, which enable him to become a successful director in
the film industry. There is a difference in auteur theory as well as in genre theory and both
are essential for the development of the movie. These need to be kept in mind by the directors
as they are important in the film making process as they are the one who provide direction to
the movie and showcase their view point to the audience. The director need to keep in mind
about the theme as well as the story line so that they do not deviate from it.
In the movie Alfred Hitchcock is able to portray the description of the character which
is also a reason for the success of the movie along with the build-up that is usually done by
him. These assist him to direct the audience where they think the way he wants them to think
and that is the key advantage of the director to develop movies, which are attractive towards
the audience. Therefore, it can be said that Alfred Hitchcock is way more advance and
creative in the thinking process than the other director of his time. These is the main reason
for the success of the director as well as the movie in the film industry.

8GENRE ANALYSIS ESSAY: ALFRED HITCHCOCK
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