How did Alfred Hitchcock use camera movement and editing to create suspense?

Alfred Hitchcock is widely recognized as a master of suspense, a reputation built upon his technical precision in both camera movement and editing. Rather than relying on aimless mobility, Hitchcock utilized the camera to control viewer perspective and manipulate audience sympathy.123

Camera Movement and Point of View

Hitchcock is considered a master of point of view, often using camera angles to align the audience with a character's psychological state. By carefully choosing where to place the camera, he could guide the viewer's focus, misguide their sympathies, or heighten the sense of menace in a scene. He cautioned against the unnecessary use of camera movement, believing that mobility should serve the story rather than act as a mere technical flourish.312

Editing and Montage

Hitchcock employed sophisticated editing techniques to build tension, often integrating sound and image to reflect a character's internal experience. For example, in Blackmail (1929), he used sound montage to repeat the word "knife," emphasizing the psychological distress of a character who believes she has committed murder. This mastery of technical elements allowed him to craft nightmarish, tense situations that remained grounded in human psychology.41