October 2007

Dear Fellow Book Lovers:

HITCHCOCK: THE MASTER OF SUSPENSE - HAPPY HALLOWEEN

Recently, a classic movie channel showed Alfred Hitchcock movies for an entire week. I watched The Birds, Hitchcock’s 1963 thriller, and wondered if I would be as frightened as I was the first time I saw it. I was. Then I watched Psycho and Vertigo, and found them frightening as well. These films took me back to my youth when Alfred Hitchcock Presents was a weekly television program. This 30 minute program of terror and suspense premiered October 2, 1955. It began and ended with remarks by Hitchcock himself. He always appeared somewhere in the story, simply lurking in the shadows, or walking down the street. The episodes were open-ended, giving the appearance that “evil” had won, until he told you otherwise in his closing statements. Even the show’s music was menacing. One of the most interesting trademarks of the show was that Hitchcock often took jabs at the show’s sponsors. In the ten years that his show ran, he had families gathered around their television sets to watch this mastermind at work. Who was the villain? Would the new episode be more frightening than the week before? Which family member would be the first to spot Hitchcock in his brief appearance in the story?

Today’s children and young adults are attracted to horror and suspense in the same way children of past generations were. So, in honor of Alfred Hitchcock, and the approaching celebration of Halloween, allow young patrons to become young Hitchcocks. Have them research the man, his television shows, and his movies. Find out his signature characteristics. Then, divide patrons into groups and give them books and a camera and let them loose. Ask the groups to think about the following: the plot and how much they want to reveal; the number of characters; how music will be used to make the film scary; and appropriate sponsors to attack. Though groups may have favorite books that they feel appropriate for their film, titles from Random House that are especially suitable for this type of activity include:

The Face on the Milk Carton by Caroline B. Cooney (Ages 12 up)

Tell Me Lies by Patrick Cooper (Ages 14 up)

In the Middle of the Night by Robert Cormier (Ages 12 up)

Don't Look Behind You by Lois Duncan (Ages 12 up)

They Never Came Home by Lois Duncan (Ages 12 up)

Pure Dead Frozen (the Pure Dead Series) by Debi Gliori (Ages 10 up)

The Silver Kiss by Annett Curtis Klause (Ages 12 up)

Brothers, Boyfriends & Other Criminal Minds by April Lurie (Ages 12 up)

Hit and Run by Lurlene McDaniel (Ages 12 up)

The Confessional by J.L. Powers (Ages 14 up)

Harmless by Dana Reinhardt (Ages 12 up)

Young film-makers may also want to consider taking novels that aren’t in the mystery or suspense genre and write a film episode that turns the plot of the novel into suspense. Such titles may include:

The Chocolate War by Robert Cormier (Ages 12 up)

Prom Dates from Hell by Rosemary Clement-Moore (Ages 14 up)

Bucking the Sarge by Christopher Paul Curtis (Ages 12 up)

The Noah Confessions by Barbara Hall (Ages 12 up)

Kat Got Your Tongue by Lee Weatherly (Ages 12 up)

I realize that there isn’t anything here for younger children, but it’s not difficult to find ways to celebrate Halloween with them. Tune in another time for a column just for them.

You may email me at pscales@bellsouth.net.