Alfred Hitchcock is one of the most well-known and respected names in British and American cinema. From his initial foray into cinema during the silent era and transitioning to sound cinema before heading to the United States to work in Hollywood, Hitchcock's influences can be traced to three distinct cinema and film styles and periods: German Expressionism, Soviet Constructivism, and Griersonian Documentary Realism. The combination of these three styles and periods are present in The 39 Steps (1935) and The Lady Vanishes (1938), two thriller films from Hitchcock's British Sound Period. Through The 39 Steps's and The Lady Vanishes's editing, mise-en-scene, and narrative, Hitchcock exploits the fundamental elements of German Expressionism, Soviet Constructionism, and Grierson Documentary Realism to create a unified film that draws in a willing and captive audience. Hitchcock was first introduced to German Expressionism in 1924 when he was sent to work at the UFA studios and collaborated directly with German Expressionist directors such as F.W. Murnau on Der Letze Mann (The Last Man) (1924). One of the most important contributions German Expressionism made to cinema was a focus on mise-en-scene, or how a scene is framed. This contention highly influenced how people, situations, and objects were represented onscreen; symbolism was injected into each scene through techniques that highlight the duality of characters and of society. Additionally, German Expressionist techniques helped to heighten suspense in each film. In Hitchcock, Francois Truffaut contends, "The art of creating suspense is also the art of involving the audience, so that the viewer is actually a participant of the film" (Truffaut 16). This involvement can only be achieved through what is presented on the screen through mise-en-scene and editing. Hitchcock claimed, "Our primary function is to create an emotion and our second job is to sustain that emotion. When a film is properly staged, it isn't necessary to rely upon the player's virtuosity or personality for tension and dramatic effects" (Truffaut 111). Moreover, Hitchcock depends on what is depicted...
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