Camera angles are just as powerful as audio and, when paired together, they can create a heady mix at the big screen. They are capable of influencing the viewer’s emotions, perceptions, and reactions to a single movie scene,

One of the most effective uses of camera angles is in building suspense, a critical component of many movie genres, namely dramas and thrillers. Within this article, we’ll explore how filmmakers have skilfully manipulated camera angles in years gone by to change the complexion of movies.

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1. Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock, 1960):=

This movie is arguably the pinnacle for cinematic drama and suspense. Alfred Hitchcock’s movie is a masterclass in building drama and intensity through camera angles. It’s no surprise it ranks as the best horror movie of all time. One of the most iconic scenes in film history is the shower scene, which uses a fusion of angles to create a feeling of terror and vulnerability.

The scene begins with a high-angle shot of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the shower, emphasising her nakedness and defenselessness. As the camera pans to a medium shot of the shower curtain, the suspense intensifies, as we know something is about to happen but can’t tell what is going to happen.

When the shadowy figure of Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) appears, the camera shifts to a low-angle shot looking up at him as he raises the knife. This portrays him as a looming, menacing presence, amplifying the horror.

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2. Owning Mahowny (Richard Kwietniowski, 2003):

The Canadian movie directed by Richard Kwietniowski is based on a true story of a bank manager named Brian Molony, played by Philip Seymour Hoffman. This is a tale of a bank clerk who embezzled money from his work to support his own life, including his spending at the casino tables.

During the movie, Mahowny is regularly seen playing and winning at the blackjack and baccarat tables, which have some of the lowest house edges on a casino floor. Even today, for those who offer baccarat on mobile and desktop devices, the house edge is as low as 1.06% on the Banker bet. It does rise to 1.24% for the Player bet and a whopping 14% for the Tie bet.

The film cleverly uses camera angles to help create a sense of claustrophobia and impending doom for Mahowny, as he realizes he’s going to be found out for stealing so much money. One of the most suspenseful scenes occurs when Mahowny is in a casino in Canada, trying to conceal his high-stakes gaming from casino staff, as well as the law enforcement closing in on him. The camera adopts high-angle shots, looking down on him to emphasize his vulnerability and the pressure he has placed on himself.

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3. The Shining (Stanley Kurkick, 1980):

Stanley Kubrick’s horror movie is renowned for its unsettling use of camera angles and perspectives to build cinematic suspense. The scene where Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) slowly descends into madness being a prime example.

Kubrick frequently uses long, uninterrupted tracking shots to follow characters through the Overlook Hotel’s labyrinth-like corridors. These shots evoke a sense of inevitable doom, suggesting the characters are trapped in a never-ending nightmare. One of these shots illustrates the top of this article.

High-angle shots are also effective in portraying Danny Torrance (Danny Lloyd) as vulnerable and weak within this vast, oppressive hotel. These angles, combined with the eerie steadiness of the camera movement, build an ongoing picture of dread and anguish.

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4. Jaws (Stephen Spielberg, 1975):

Even Steven Spielberg’s original Jaws movie has long been revered for its use of camera angles in creating a pervasive sense of dread about the unseen shark.

One of the most infamous scenes involves the shark’s attack on the young boy, Alex, on the beach. Spielberg’s blend of wide shots and frantic close-ups help to create a feeling that the viewer is totally out of control of the situation. The wide shots of the beach, filled with unsuspecting swimmers, juxtaposed with underwater shots from Jaws’ perspective, build the sense of despair.

The low-angle shots from beneath the water surface, looking up at the traumatised swimmers, indicate Jaws’ point of view, making the audience feel almost complicit in the impending attack.

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Through the decades, directors like Spielberg, Kwietniwoski, Hitchcock, and Kubrick have proven adept at manipulating angles and perspectives to evoke fear, anxiety, and anticipation – all the best kinds of cinematic drama.