"The Strange World of Suspense and Mystery Films" | Kamakura City Kawakita Film Museum
Exhibitions
Suspense and mystery films that captivate audiences are imbued with the skillful directorial techniques and wisdom developed by their predecessors to enhance their effects.
Alfred Hitchcock, invited to Hollywood from Britain, released his first American film, *Rebecca*, in 1940. Around this time, the genre name "suspense" became established, appearing alongside "mystery" and "whodunit" in Variety magazine's film section. Hitchcock, who created numerous masterpieces in the 1950s and was hailed as a "master of suspense," gained popularity for depicting "crime" and "suspicion" lurking within people's peaceful daily lives. From the 1960s onward, works focusing on the psychological states of characters were called "psychological thrillers," and various techniques were employed in visual expression dealing with dreams, flashbacks, and vague memories.
Suspense films, which evoke the thrill of being suspended in mid-air, and mystery films, which offer the enjoyment of solving puzzles, often overlap. In today's more complex cinema, these two genres play a crucial role, like spices blending into various dishes. This exhibition explores the appeal of both genres, from classics to recent works. Please enjoy the "strange and mysterious world" of suspense and mystery films, which have entertained and captivated us with their thrilling and enigmatic plots.
What is a "Strange World"?
The word "strange" has four meanings: , all of which represent something inexplicable and mysterious, a mystical, magical, bizarre world. In homage to the many groundbreaking directorial techniques in film history that developed from magic tricks, this exhibition uses the term "strange."