Alfred Hitchcock conducted a Master Class with AFI Conservatory Fellows on February 3, 1970. He had recently completed TOPAZ (1969) and had not yet started FRENZY (1972). Known as a master of suspense, the director's films include THE 39 STEPS (1935), LIFEBOAT (1944), SPELLBOUND (1945), REAR WINDOW (1954), VERTIGO (1958), PSYCHO (1960) and THE BIRDS (1963).
ON EXPOSITION...
"There are moments where you have to use a certain amount of footage to introduce the character. In that particular case (THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH) you don't just introduce them by small talk. You have a little boy wondering and accidentally pulling the veil off. You need some piece of action that would be interesting to look at rather than just 'This is John Smith, this is his wife and this is his son.' In other words, it's like all exposition – it's a pill that has to be sugarcoated. You are telling the audience something, giving them some piece of information, but it must appear to be something else."
Friday, October 5, 2012
Alfred Hitchcock's Own Words On The Art Of Sugarcoating
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