In a radical new interpretation of the works of Alfred Hitchcock, Christopher Morris argues that suspense-the fundamental component of Hitchcock's cinema-is best understood through deconstruction of the very meaning of the word, which relates to dependence or hanging. He analyzes its portrayal first in painting and sculpture and then in Hitchcock's body of work. In this iconographic tradition, hanging figures challenge the significance of human identity and rationality, and further imply that closure, or an end to suspense, is all but illusory.
This work represents the first deconstructive approach to suspense, and the first-ever survey of the iconography of the hanging figure. Hitchcock's films provide ample opportunity for such discussion, with their constant use of the tool of suspense, and Morris argues that, essentially, all of human existence is in this very state, a state embodied particularly well by the films he discusses. Drawing on the work of Jacques Derrida, Paul de Man, and J. Hillis Miller, this cross-disciplinary study of an important cinematic oeuvre establishes the advantage of a deconstructive and figurative approach to an often-studied directorial style, one that nearly embodies a genre unto itself.
Rezensionen / Stimmen
'Morris's mastery of Hitchcock scholarship and contemporary deconstructionism alike make this one of those rare books on Hitchcock that will be welcomed by critics on both sides of the aisle. Even readers who resist his provocative readings of Rope, Vertigo, and The Birds will find themselves illuminated and challenged by a rethinking of Hitchcockian suspense that is certain to make this one the most influential studies of the world's most studied filmmaker.' Thomas Leitch, Professor of English, University of Delaware; 'I have read this book with great intellectual exhilaration. It is a wonderfully original book, the best comprehensive study so far on Hitchcock....a major work of scholarship, criticism, and theory.' J. Hillis Miller, University of California; 'One's first impression is how well informed this book is-by the history of criticism and "theory" in its myriad forms, by philosophy, by linguistics, by art history, and, of course, by film studies. This intellectual breadth yields stunningly original readings of less celebrated Hitchcock films (The Lodger, Rope) along with the canonical texts (Spellbound, Vertigo, Psycho). Like Morris' working definition of suspense, the insights put forth by his study never end.' Lloyd Michaels, Editor, Film Criticism
Sprache
Verlagsort
Verlagsgruppe
Bloomsbury Publishing Plc
Zielgruppe
Für höhere Schule und Studium
Für Beruf und Forschung
Interest Age: From 7 to 17 years
Maße
Höhe: 240 mm
Breite: 161 mm
Dicke: 22 mm
Gewicht
ISBN-13
978-0-275-97136-6 (9780275971366)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Klassifikation
CHRISTOPHER D. MORRIS is the Charles A. Dana Professor of English at Norwich University in Northfield, Vermont. He is the author of Models of Misrepresentation: On the Fiction of E. L. Doctorow, as well as many articles on English and American literature.
Introduction
Theories of Suspense
Current Theories of Suspense
Hitchcock on Suspense
The Iconography of the Hanging Figure
The Hanging Figure in Non-Cinematic Visual Art
The Hanging Figure in Hitchcock's Films
Suspense in Hitchcock
The Lodger: Deferred Identity in the Crucified Figured
Easy Virtue: Framed Nothing
The Ring: The Circularity of Reading
Spellbound: The Suspense of Black Marks on White
Notorious: Thresholds in the Glamorously Dangerous Charade
Rope: Suspense as the Absent Referent
Vertigo: The Futile Search for Something Tenable
North by Northwest: Groundless Figuration
Psycho: Empty Interiors
The Birds: Signs of a World without Cause or Meaning
Torn Curtain: The Hanging Figure
Afterword: Figures of Suspense
