Suspense

Alfred Hitchcock was often referred to as "The Master of Suspense." Hitchcock devoted nearly his entire career in film to the genre, which is also related to mystery and thriller. Hitchcock was very devoted to creating and building suspense through the use of innovative camera work beyond all else. Hitchcock believed that the cinematic quality of a film surpassed the need for a solid script or plausibility, that the audience was willing to forgive certain things if the story and its images could carry them forward.

One popular misconception, in Hitchcock's mind, is that suspense is always related to fear or surprise. The director said that this is untrue. Suspense is the building of anxiety, particularly when the audience knows something that the characters on the screen do not. This can revolve around any type of scenario, from the famous murder scene in "Psycho" to a scene in...