Shouts From Down Under

Are you being watched right now? It's just an eye. Isn't it?

What writer hasn't heard of the famous Alfred Hitchcock and his finesse with the subtle technique?

https://www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=RNuUVdPCJK7u8we7yJW4BQ&gws_rd=ssl#safe=s...

Sir Alfred Joseph Hitchcock, KBE was an English film director and producer. Often nicknamed "The Master of Suspense", he pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres

When we write ambiguously, can our minds choose effectively? Will the reader become confused, and will this help them to more easily feel horror?

Can our writing in the genres of horror and suspense have more effect than even those drugs we've never heard of (that we don't want to necessarily hear about now either)?



See, our words will be read and taken in visually by a reader who converts them in their trusty word processor, crunching out thoughts from the exhaust of their mind. This exhaust is fed into I don't know where, but it generally should have the gears selected before engaging its clutch. Often that doesn't happen, and what you have are thoughts that should be this, but are most likely to be that.

And that that is the that that counts.

I asked this of Mr Google. Is ambiguous writing creepy?

One link told me this happened. http://www.wired.com/2015/04/write-perfect-email-anyone-creepy-site/

The "creepy" site is:

https://www.crystalknows.com/

Don't be in a rush to improve your emails by the way.

and

This app is surprisingly close to an idea I included in my novel "Children Cloud". They must have stolen it. I'm certain of it. Yes, probably funded by the government of whichever country I happen to be in right now. I'm sure I'm right about this. They've got it in for me, just like everybody else! Can't you see? We are ALL in danger right now! Don't...DON'T go near the windows! Don't use your phone or credit card! They can even track your breakfast cereal spoons now with some new satelite imaging. Right?

Which brings me to what I was really aiming for in this Blog entry.

Paranoia.

Is that something we can use to advantage when trying to write more effectively? Are people really imagining monsters under their beds at night?
Does everyone, deep down in their psyche, believe in ghosts, in the stars (astrology), in picking the right lottery numbers from birthdays etc etc ETC!

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/04/feeling-paranoid-your-worries-are...

Can we take advantage of an increasing number of people's "deep seated belief they are in danger"? Could we justify such callous tactics?



Alfred Hitchcock did, almost too successfully. His advice however, of involving people directly in the action first hand will apply to writing and to people for a long time, perhaps forever, I believe.

http://www.hollywoodunmasked.com/alfredhitchcock.html

In psychiatry the experiences at the most debilitating end of the paranoid spectrum are termed persecutory delusions and they’re associated with a variety of serious problems, including anxiety, depression, and suicidal thoughts. As a result, people with severe paranoia are often admitted to psychiatric care, typically with a diagnosis such as schizophrenia, and are treated with anti-psychotic drugs.

http://www.goodreads.com/author/quotes/9420.Alfred_Hitchcock

“There is no terror in the bang, only in the anticipation of it.”

That should give a strong hint why Hitchcocks films held such impact for the audience. What an era it must have been, to experience a frontier in directing that pushed the acceptable limits.

Sometimes I lament how politically correct and safety conscious this generation has become. On some levels its very ok. On others, I think we've lost and will continue to lose many valuable discoveries.

Keep an eye out clicking on the next link!

http://giphy.com/gifs/QGHCx9rJFfMas/html5

Another fascinating quote from Mr A Hitchcock:

“There is a distinct difference between "suspense" and "surprise," and yet many pictures continually confuse the two. I'll explain what I mean.

We are now having a very innocent little chat. Let's suppose that there is a bomb underneath this table between us. Nothing happens, and then all of a sudden, "Boom!" There is an explosion. The public is surprised, but prior to this surprise, it has seen an absolutely ordinary scene, of no special consequence. Now, let us take a suspense situation. The bomb is underneath the table and the public knows it, probably because they have seen the anarchist place it there. The public is aware the bomb is going to explode at one o'clock and there is a clock in the decor. The public can see that it is a quarter to one. In these conditions, the same innocuous conversation becomes fascinating because the public is participating in the scene. The audience is longing to warn the characters on the screen: "You shouldn't be talking about such trivial matters. There is a bomb beneath you and it is about to explode!"

In the first case we have given the public fifteen seconds of surprise at the moment of the explosion. In the second we have provided them with fifteen minutes of suspense. The conclusion is that whenever possible the public must be informed. Except when the surprise is a twist, that is, when the unexpected ending is, in itself, the highlight of the story.”

I grew up reading Robert Arthur, Jr's Mystery series- The Three Investigators with an introduction by Alfred Hitchcock.

http://www.threeinvestigators.net/SD.html

It seems there is a mystery within the mystery series too. Alfred Hitchcock And The Case of Mistaken Identity.

"For almost thirty years now, misinformation about Robert Arthur’s life has been spreading through the world, starting with errors made in reference works, errors which have been replicated almost endlessly."


Yes. There is a lot we can learn, as writers forever learning of course, from studying Alfred Hitchcock.

Here's a treasure trove of nasty little secrets, whispers in your ear from someone behind your lounge room recliner, their breath every so prickly on your neck as you try to ignore the sensation of being watched.
But of course, if you turn suddenly, there'll be no one there. Are you 100% sure though?

http://www.borgus.com/hitch/index.htm

We hear so often of writing improvement "show, don't tell".

What if we extend that hint a little further and don't even show much either. In fact don't show anything. Just gently convince your reader that there might be something in a small intuition, a 6th sense, a suggestion ever so slight- that they may like to take notice of, if they have a minute some time.

Perhaps they would benefit from thinking more on the issue, even consider it as a matter of more importance say than the cup of tea they are sipping.

It could even be said that there is something on the edge of their attention (if not on the edge of their seat) that they will regret not focussing on very soon, in the next few minutes, no the next five seconds.

Maybe right now would be best. Not wanting to intrude, as Mr Jeeves (your butler) would no doubt murmur.

In fact, there really is no one there. Unless it's the guy holding something in his hand? No matter. It doesn't really mean anything surely? No. Nothing at all.
Perhaps it would be better to ignore anyone standing behind you. Easier. Leave any questions for others to ask. No need to worry on it at all.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Straight_razor



http://luxuryshaves.com/best-straightcut-throat-razors/

I'm not sure what made me think of razors. Or what made me ask the question of Google: How to cut people's throats with a cut throat razor?

https://www.google.com.au/?gfe_rd=cr&ei=2OyUVaCKDKbu8weBw52IAw&gws_rd=ssl#safe=s...

Or what made me consider the irony here.

The use of cut throat razors is dying out.

http://www.theguardian.com/theguardian/2014/nov/14/shaving-cut-throat-razor-dyin...

A weird reference came with the next link on the list.
http://www.journals.aiac.org.au/index.php/IJALEL/article/view/1147

There is another mystery within the somewhat shady cryogenic preservation industry.
Why was there no Alcor arrest and murder charge brought about?

http://mentalfloss.com/article/20849/quick-8-eight-people-who-have-been-cryonica...

Enough about paranoia, razors and cryogenic chambers with the cloak and dagger extensions.

Just watch out for that eye in the video you saw at the top of this blog entry. I'm pretty sure it blinked each time I scrolled. But it was probably just a trick of the pixels or screen refresh. Sometimes we imagine stuff don't we?

Often we wish what we imagined was real, and what was real was just illusory.



I often wondered what was behind some people's thoughts, but I couldn't face it.

Jeff Dunham has to face himself. What a strange being are we human beings.



Sparky