Suspense in the film genre is linked to the creation of emotional unease and uncertainty when one is watching the film. There is the dangling threat of danger but as the spectator one is not certain of when it will occur. In suspense movie trailers the spectator builds their tension and nervousness around the protagonist. In addition, the feelings of the spectator oscillate between uncertainty and anticipation on the events that will happen next in the film. The aim is to keep the spectator interested in the film. The similarities in all the suspense movies is the unknown element which is built around the characters. The disparity in the movies stimulates from the plot of the stories and the characters used to bring the movie to life (Vorderer et al.). Suspense films focus on creating doubt that sparks an emotional attachment of anxiety as one looks forward to the revelation of the unknown situation. Suspense movies in the 1960’s were docile and centered on the American production code that restricted the use of beds, language, blood among other things. Psycho, a 1960 movie, revolutionized the playing field for suspense movies. The film broke from the conservative perceptions where the protagonist lasted longer in the films.
In addition, the villains in the movies were linked to aliens and not associated with the people one relates to in their daily life. In other words, the suspense was subtle (Vorderer et al.). In the Psycho, the producer used ordinary people to create an attachment with the viewers. In addition, the death of the protagonists through the film introduces a lot of uncertainty. In the movie the hyperbole idea a characteristic of 1960’s movies are shattered. At the end of the movie one is still left in suspense over what Norman the main character will do next despite being in custody (Hitchcock). The emotional turmoil that one goes through when watching the film makes one doubt the intention of all the characters. Moreover, it creates anxiety on what will happen to the different characters who appear as the movie progresses.In the 1970’s there was a change in the suspense movies. The situations were more vivid and they often alternated between inevitable life and death scenarios. The truth that the viewer held in their minds linked to a particular character was easily distorted as the film progressed ((Vorderer et al.).
An example is The Conversation 1974 movie, where the protagonist’s belief system on truth is altered by his actions. The actions of the protagonists create tension after 3 members result from his work. Every viewer wants to find out who will be the next victim in his latest job. The bloody handprint that is seen in by the protagonist increases suspense as we try to figure out who was killed. Moreover, the news that the protagonist is being watched and is in danger creates another suspense as we try to anticipate what will happen to him as the film culminates (Coppola).In the 1990’s suspense films evolved immensely. The sound tracks and the quality of the films played a vital role in accelerating the tension and uncertainty. The common factor that the viewer had knowledge of something that the characters did not know still remained in the film industry.
Moreover, the films incorporated the supernatural aspects and also had longer time frames. They were no longer movies but series that left the viewer in suspense of when the next episode will be released and what it will entail. In addition, the films either explore future settings or historical settings to attract the viewers’ attention (Vorderer et al.)An example is in Sleepy hollow 1999 movie where suspense is created by the deaths occurring in the Westchester county with decapitated bodies. The setting is historical in 1799 and has the protagonist begins his investigations the feelings of anxiety keep on alternating as he encounters different situations. The viewer has knowledge of the horse rider with the missing head which the protagonist does not know. The suspense is built when one tries to identify how the different characters that the horseman is selecting will die or escape. The soundtrack and the merge of the present and historical scene is captivating (Rudion and Schroeder). Moreover, each scene lives the viewer captivated and in a heightened sense of suspense of what it will entail.
CONCLUSION
In conclusion, the suspense genre has evolved from the 1960’s to date as discussed in the paper. Despite the changes one thing has remained that is the creation of anxiety and uncertainty that are linked to the manipulation of the viewers’ emotions. The different films described have disparity in their soundtracks, story plot, and visual presentation related to the characters and their surroundings. In the present time the introduction of series has created suspense not only centered on the films but the release date of the next episodes. The anxiety and adrenaline rush created when viewing the films is the reason that the genre continues to grow.
Works Cited
Coppola, Franklin. The Conversation 1974 . Online video clip. YouTube. 22 April, 2010. Web 31 November 2017.Hitchcock, Arthur. Psycho 1960 . Online video clip. YouTube. 28 February, 2017. Web 31 November 2017.Rudion, Scott and Schroeder, Adam. Sleeping Hollow 1999.Online video clip. YouTube. 19 May, 2017. Web 31 November 2017.Vorderer, Peter, Hans Jurgen Wulff, and Mike Friedrichsen, eds. Suspense: Conceptualizations, theoretical analyses, and empirical explorations. Routledge, 2013.[bookmark: _GoBack]