Evan Prunty 1
Outline
Introduction
Hitchcock's Themes
Symbolism Hitchcock and David Fincher Use in Their Films
Hitchcock's films directly influenced and relate to David Fincher's Gone Girl
Conclusion
Evan Prunty
Professor Kimberly Neuendorf
COM 320
15 October 2015
Introduction
David Fincher?s modern masterpiece of cinema Gone Girl premiered around this time last year. Around that time, I was in COM 221 an intro to film class that is offered at CSU. In the class we had just viewed Alfred Hitchcock's film Strangers on a Train. Being lucky enough to view these films in relative sequence I began to see the distinct thematic connections between the two directors work. It was apparent throughout the film that Fincher …show more content…
He produced many blockbusters as well as many film masterpieces. He had the talent of appealing to mass audiences while still sticking with his artististic craft. One of the greatest aspects of any creative art form is that you can learn plethora of information about a director or writer based on the themes that continuously to show up in their films or writing. When it comes to Hitchcock?s work, a theme that was seen through many of his films that also creates an immense amount of tension comes is Hitchcock?s general distrust of established law and their inability to handle situations. We see this theme specifically in Strangers on a Train but the real captivating aspect of this movie is perpetuated when another one of Hitchcock?s favorite themes is combined. That is the theme of the main character being wrongfully accused of a crime that they did not commit. In this situation the main character cannot go to the already less than helpful law enforcement for help because they are considered to be at fault for the crime that has been committed. ?Quote From The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: After the success of The 39 Steps, Hitchcock knew that the innocent man on the run was compelling protagonist for audience.? (Spoto, 1992). This creates extreme anxiety and pressure for the audience because the main character has to take matters into their own hands. They have little to no outside help. Their family isn?t …show more content…
Gone Girl definitely tackles one of Hitchcock?s favorite themes that we spoke of before; the innocent man on the run. However, as you?ll notice with this film, it takes many of Hitchcock?s favorite themes and takes them in a direction you might think Hitchcock would go with them but instead turns them on their head. For example, with the innocent man on the run theme, David Fincher ends the film in a different place than the average Hitchcock film. Affleck?s character Nick isn?t really innocent, yeah his wife commits horrible crimes compared to what Nick has done but Nick isn?t the clean cut every man that we are used to in a Hitchcock film. He has to pay for his sins at the end of the movie by being trapped in a thematic purgatory. For most of the movie, we are rooting for his character regardless of some of the more questionable actions he had taken because compared to his wife what he did was tame. We want him to come out okay in the situation and we expect this because it is a plot that has been played out many times before. Fincher uses this to his advantage and we get that feeling of tension even as the credits are
Outline
Introduction
Hitchcock's Themes
Symbolism Hitchcock and David Fincher Use in Their Films
Hitchcock's films directly influenced and relate to David Fincher's Gone Girl
Conclusion
Evan Prunty
Professor Kimberly Neuendorf
COM 320
15 October 2015
Introduction
David Fincher?s modern masterpiece of cinema Gone Girl premiered around this time last year. Around that time, I was in COM 221 an intro to film class that is offered at CSU. In the class we had just viewed Alfred Hitchcock's film Strangers on a Train. Being lucky enough to view these films in relative sequence I began to see the distinct thematic connections between the two directors work. It was apparent throughout the film that Fincher …show more content…
He produced many blockbusters as well as many film masterpieces. He had the talent of appealing to mass audiences while still sticking with his artististic craft. One of the greatest aspects of any creative art form is that you can learn plethora of information about a director or writer based on the themes that continuously to show up in their films or writing. When it comes to Hitchcock?s work, a theme that was seen through many of his films that also creates an immense amount of tension comes is Hitchcock?s general distrust of established law and their inability to handle situations. We see this theme specifically in Strangers on a Train but the real captivating aspect of this movie is perpetuated when another one of Hitchcock?s favorite themes is combined. That is the theme of the main character being wrongfully accused of a crime that they did not commit. In this situation the main character cannot go to the already less than helpful law enforcement for help because they are considered to be at fault for the crime that has been committed. ?Quote From The Art of Alfred Hitchcock: After the success of The 39 Steps, Hitchcock knew that the innocent man on the run was compelling protagonist for audience.? (Spoto, 1992). This creates extreme anxiety and pressure for the audience because the main character has to take matters into their own hands. They have little to no outside help. Their family isn?t …show more content…
Gone Girl definitely tackles one of Hitchcock?s favorite themes that we spoke of before; the innocent man on the run. However, as you?ll notice with this film, it takes many of Hitchcock?s favorite themes and takes them in a direction you might think Hitchcock would go with them but instead turns them on their head. For example, with the innocent man on the run theme, David Fincher ends the film in a different place than the average Hitchcock film. Affleck?s character Nick isn?t really innocent, yeah his wife commits horrible crimes compared to what Nick has done but Nick isn?t the clean cut every man that we are used to in a Hitchcock film. He has to pay for his sins at the end of the movie by being trapped in a thematic purgatory. For most of the movie, we are rooting for his character regardless of some of the more questionable actions he had taken because compared to his wife what he did was tame. We want him to come out okay in the situation and we expect this because it is a plot that has been played out many times before. Fincher uses this to his advantage and we get that feeling of tension even as the credits are