Shadow Of A Doubt (1943)

Shadow of a Doubt is yet another example of Alfred Hitchcock's ability to create a great Thriller film opening. Hitchcock starts telling us about the character 'Uncle Charlie' straight away, we find out he is rich in the first 4 minutes of the film, by the way the character leaves huge wods of cash lying around his bedroom. The way he is dressed also (in a smart suit) emphasis the wealthyness of the character. Hitchcock uses sound to great effect in the opening. The change of music when the blinds were pulled down, tells the audience that the atmosphere is changing. Before the blinds close there is no music and the light through the window, tells us as the audience that everything seems ok. When the mistress closes the blind, Hitchcock cleverly changes the music to an eerie, tense music, which shows that something may be about to happen. As well as the eerie tense music 'Uncle Charlie' gets up and throws his glass violently at the wall, to show all is not right with him, and that he may have some problems. The way Hitchcock reveals something about the character, but keeps somethings hidden is a clever ploy as it keeps the audience in enthralled into what is going on.
Hitchcock builds up a great anti climax, which he emphasises with the music quickening as 'Uncle Charlie' walks towards the two men on the edge of the street. It gets the audience entranced as they believe they are going to see a confrontation, however 'Uncle Charlie just walks straight past them and down the road. Hitchcock uses a great camera angle behind the two men and looking over there shoulder at 'Uncle Charlie' walking away as it shows they are now following him and accomponied with the rhythmic two time beat of the piano, it keeps the audience interest as they want to know what the two men want with 'Uncle Charle'.

All these techniques show Hitchcocks brilliance in setting a scene and attracting the audiences interest within the first few minutes of a film. This will also help me when it comes to creating my thriller opening, as i will now have good ideas into how i create my camera angles, music est.