The document analyzes the 1959 Alfred Hitchcock thriller film North by Northwest. It discusses conventions of the thriller genre that the film employs, such as a resourceful hero facing powerful villains. Key scenes like the crop duster attack are examined in detail. Theories of narrative, representation, and gaze are applied to elements of the film like its characters, plot, and visual style. Hitchcock's directorial techniques are also considered, such as his meticulous planning of shots.

2. Analyse the Trailer
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qk0GbTM
MbP0
• Why will this appeal to the audience?

3. North by Northwest (1959)
• A ‘innocent’ New York advertising executive is
mistaken for a government agent by a group of
foreign spies, and is pursued across the country
while he looks for a way to survive.
• Director:
• Alfred Hitchcock
• Writer:
• Ernest Lehman
• Stars:
• Cary Grant, Eva Marie Saint and James Mason

4. Hitchcock
• Every scene planned (visually) in advance.
• Before shooting Hitchcock has learned all the
dialogue and rarely needs to look at a script.
Hitchcock likens it to a conductor conducting
an orchestra without a score.
• When directing, Hitchcock never looked at the
camera – he always imagined he was looking
at a cinema screen.

5. “North by North West”
In what ways is this an archetypal
thriller?

6. “North by North West” Thriller
Conventions.
• “Thrillers are characterized by fast pacing,
frequent action,”
• Find examples of this in “North by Northwest”

7. “North by North West” Thriller
Conventions.
• “resourceful heroes who must thwart the
plans of more powerful and better equipped
villains.”
• Is this true of “North by Northwest”?

8. “North by North West” Thriller
Conventions.
• “Devices such as suspense, red herrings and
cliffhangers are used extensively.”
• Find examples of this in “North by
Northwest” Be specific!
• The ‘Auction’ scene
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dl0JcK4-
Dx0

9. Crop Duster Scene
• Watch a few times.
• Analyse the scene and write up how/why it is an iconic action sequence.
• Hitchcock believed the stress on the visual makes cinema accessible in
different languages.
• Hitchcock likes the subjective viewpoint. Close ups on a face then what
they are looking at then a close up again as the character reacts to what
has been seen. Hitchcock said he wants to transfer the menace that
appears on screen into the mind of the audience.
Hitchcock analyses the scene (French TV).
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ig_7Es1h0eQ
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g458w2X9uHc

10. Hitchcock
• Setting is important. Mount Rushmore is a
symbol of order – Hitchcock throws in
disorder.
• Hitchcock said that audiences often need
relief from suspense – a change of pace –
possibly a laugh.

11. “North by North West”
• “A thriller is a villain driven plot, whereby he
presents obstacles the hero must overcome.”
• Is this true of “North by Northwest”?

12. “”The McGuffin”
• Hitchcock said the McGuffin is the plot device
that causes the action to happen.
• The McGuffin usually comes in the first part of
the film and sometimes returns at the end.
• In his thrillers the audience don’t really care
about the McGuffin.
• In this film it is the Microfilm.

13. Do these theories apply to this film?
Where? When? Be specific!
• Explain why narrative is so important to this thriller – what conventions does it follow? Does it
follow?:
1. Classic Hollywood narratives – linear (chronological), few, if any, sub-plots, tendency towards
closure at end of film.
Three Act Structure = the typical Hollywood narrative = set up (25% time)
/confrontation (50%) /climax (Final 25% of film time)
2. Vladimir Propp – character types – analysed traditional folk stories – 8 key
character roles: Hero/Villain/Helper/Donor(Provider)/Father/Dispatcher/Princess/False Hero -
N.B. one character can perform more than one role – how many in your thriller?
3. Todorov – equilibrium – disruption –acknowledgement - resolution – new equilibrium

14. Do these theories apply to this film?
Where? When? Be specific!
4. Roland Barthes: all texts are ‘complex’ bundles of meaning.
• Enigma codes (problems introduced) – usually in
‘disruption’ stage.
• Open – not resolved at end
• Closed texts – resolved at end
• Polysemic texts – lots of different meanings
5. Levi Strauss – Binary Opposition –
narratives can be organised through binary opposition - two
things opposed – often dominant vs subordinate - e.g.
male/female, hero/villain

15. “North by North West”
• Hitchcock said thrillers allow the audience, "to
put their toe in the cold water of fear to see
what it's like”
Has he succeeded in this film? Where? When?

16. Representation in
“North by Northwest”
• How are different groups are represented in
“North by Northwest”?
• Men/Women,
• Ethnic Minorities,
• Gay/Straight,
• Old/Young,
• Able/Disabled, upper/middle/lower Class,
• Regional Identity- North/South, country/town
• Disabled/Able bodied

17. Representation of different groups in
“North by Northwest”
• Link to Levi Strauss’ idea of binary opposition
with dominant and a subordinate groups.
• Is the Representation positive or negative?
• Does it challenge/reinforce stereotypes?
• Are they archetypes (typical examples) or generic
types (only found in Thriller genre)?
• What is conventional representation within the
Thriller genre?

18. Representation of Women in
“North by Northwest”
• Consider apply Laura Mulvey’s theory of The
Male Gaze.
• Laura Mulvey – “Visual Pleasure and Narrative
Cinema” (1975). She said:

19. The Representation of Women in
“North by Northwest”.
The male gaze =
• women viewed as the objects of male erotic desire – in film
and audience
• men active / women passive.
• Women do not have agency – they do not move the plot
forward.
• The audience is forced to identify with male gaze.
• Cinema reflects patriarchal (male dominated) society
• Patriarchy and phallocentrism linked – phallus (penis) a
symbol of power – e.g. in cinema guns = phallus = power.

20. Analyse a key scene from the film in terms of media language.
• Camera work: angle, shot, movement, position; high
or low tilt; long, medium or close up; wide shot, over
the shoulder, zoom, reverse shot, point of view,
tracking, pan, steadycam, rolling, hand held, deep
focus etc.
• Editing: speed (long or short take); Style – straight
cut, dissolve, fade, wipe, jump cut; shot/reverse
shot, Eyeline match, Action match, Montage, Slow
motion, Graphic match, Ellipsis (showing what
happens before and after – audience fill in the
middle).

21. Analyse a key scene from the film in terms of media language
(continued).
• Sound: diegetic/non-diegetic, parallel/contrapuntal,
on screen/off screen, sound effects, sound bridges,
pace, dialogue and music.
• Mise en Scene: setting/location, props; hair/make
up/costume; positioning of characters in frame (deep
focus); body language/facial expression; colour –
denotation/connotation; lighting – high
• key/low key; SFX.