Alfred Hitchcock’s dutch angle
Another day, another Hitchcock film in the books. Thankfully, today’s movie The Man Who Knew Too Much (the 1956 version) was WAY more entertaining and engaging than yesterday’s film. I would completely recommend this film to those who have not seen it. Aside from a better story, better writing, and a more cohesive plot line, TMWKTM has several great and inventive shots that really stand out when they come on screen. As with every Hitchcock effort I’ve seen so far, I did notice a key technique which I feel were really showcased.
When watching The Man Who Knew Too Much I immediately noticed how well each shot was composed. There is a consistent use of strong lines and frames within nearly every shot that really make the film a piece of art. The strong lines not only make everything look crisp but often create a clear separation between actors when their characters are distrustful of one another. The use of vertical lines is particularly interesting as they drew my eye directly to the focus of the shot. The bold lines also make dutch angle shots (shots where the camera is tilted pretty severely, usually about 45 degrees) incredibly interesting and makes the uneasy nature of a dutch angle even more exaggerated.
After yesterday’s tough trudge through a Hitchcock offering, today’s was extremely refreshing and I am very excited to see the next film.
