What Was That! The Science of Fearful Eyes
Fascinating article on Hitchcock and why our eyes go wide when we're afraid,
Cheryl G. Murphy: What Was That! The Science of Fearful Eyes:
From the story:
When I was a teenager, my dad, sister and I used to rent movies on the weekends. At one point, we got on an Alfred Hitchcock kick and each Friday we'd choose a different one to rent -- Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, and Frenzy, just to name a few. Hitchcock was a pro at triggering fear in me. As I watched, my heart would race, my breath became heavy and the palms of my hands would sting. And he didn't need 3D or other modern cinematic special effects to scare me, just a series of creative camera shots, erratic music, clever storylines and perhaps some chocolate syrup. It was almost as if he knew exactly how to use my own brain against me and that in and of itself was the ultimate "special effect." Hitchcock knew what would make people tick. How? Well, for one, my fright could have been activated in part by merely seeing the actors and actresses' eyes wide with fear on the screen.
Cheryl G. Murphy: What Was That! The Science of Fearful Eyes:
From the story:
When I was a teenager, my dad, sister and I used to rent movies on the weekends. At one point, we got on an Alfred Hitchcock kick and each Friday we'd choose a different one to rent -- Psycho, Rear Window, Vertigo, and Frenzy, just to name a few. Hitchcock was a pro at triggering fear in me. As I watched, my heart would race, my breath became heavy and the palms of my hands would sting. And he didn't need 3D or other modern cinematic special effects to scare me, just a series of creative camera shots, erratic music, clever storylines and perhaps some chocolate syrup. It was almost as if he knew exactly how to use my own brain against me and that in and of itself was the ultimate "special effect." Hitchcock knew what would make people tick. How? Well, for one, my fright could have been activated in part by merely seeing the actors and actresses' eyes wide with fear on the screen.
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