Question

1) How does Hitchcock feel about what he describes as “whodunit or puzzler” movies? (2) Cite evidence that explains Hitchcock’s point of view toward these kinds of films, and (3) explain what Hitchcock believes is the difference between suspense and surprise.

Answer 1

According to Hitchcock, using the resource of puzzling the audience is not the core of suspense. That is why he had never directed a puzzler or a whodunit. We can find evidence from this in an inteview he gave for the Hollywood Reporter in 1948, called 'Let'Em Play God', in which he clearly says: "I do not believe that puzzling the audience is the essence of suspense."

Regarding the difference between surprise and suspense, he explains that a surprise is something that produces a fright in the audice from a sudden. There is no expectation or tension before it because the scene has been created to take them by surprise. Otherwise, when a director creates suspense, the audience is prepared to what it will come, because you make them participate in the scene, you make them part of the situation.