--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: My thinking was that today's spectator is…" description: "\"My thinking was that today's spectator is so well-versed in film language that all theories about suspense, as argued by Dreyer and Hitchcock, on what ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/bruno-dumont-16688_cinema_my-thinking-was-that-today-s-spectator-i_30770.png" --- # My thinking was that today's spectator is so well-versed… ![“My thinking was that today's spectator is so well-versed in film language that all theories about suspense, as argued by Dreyer and Hitchcock, on what makes you scared in cinema, can be ditched. It's the spectator, finally, who's going to construct the menace and the fear.” quote by Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/bruno-dumont-16688_cinema_my-thinking-was-that-today-s-spectator-i_30770.png) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/bruno-dumont-16688_cinema_my-thinking-was-that-today-s-spectator-i_30770.png) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/208/bruno-dumont-16688_cinema_my-thinking-was-that-today-s-spectator-i_30770.png) > “My thinking was that today's spectator is so well-versed in film language that all theories about suspense, as argued by Dreyer and Hitchcock, on what makes you scared in cinema, can be ditched. It's the spectator, finally, who's going to construct the menace and the fear.” [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. The viewer's knowledge of cinematic conventions allows them to generate tension themselves, making formal theories of suspense unnecessary. **In simple terms:** Audience constructs fear through familiarity with film language. Key Takeaway Suspense is co-created by viewer, not just director. Themes cinema theory spectator agency suspense visual language psychology of fear Mood thoughtful analytical Type analytical theoretical When to use this quote - watching a thriller - analyzing a horror scene - teaching film studies - designing a suspenseful ad Key Concepts film language suspense mechanics viewer perception Practical Applications - film criticism - creative storytelling Questions to Reflect On - How does prior knowledge of film tropes shape emotional response? - Can a director rely solely on audience imagination for tension? ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Cinema](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Film](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/film/) [Hitchcock](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/hitchcock/) [Language](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/language/) [Suspense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/suspense/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) [Today](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/today/) ## Related quotes > [Hitchcock makes it very clear to us. There's an objective and a subjective camera, like there's a third- and a first-person narrator in literature.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/manuel-puig/hitchcock-makes-it-very-clear-to-us-there-s-an-objective-and-a/) [Manuel Puig](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/manuel-puig/) > [Cinema builds memories; great films continue to exist in the spectator's mind. We are naturally capable of and prone to nostalgia. A spectator will…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/cinema-builds-memories-great-films-continue-to-exist-in-the-spectator/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [The more elaborate your narrative, the more the spectator shuts up and listens obediently. And if the filmmaker keeps quiet, the spectator will himself…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/the-more-elaborate-your-narrative-the-more-the-spectator-shuts-up-and/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [Hollywood films are alienating to the spectator because they use too much dialogue, too much explication and leave no space for the viewer. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/hollywood-films-are-alienating-to-the-spectator-because-they-use-too-2/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [Pornography and cooking shows have created two new spectator sports.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mason-cooley/pornography-and-cooking-shows-have-created-two-new-spectator-sports/) [Mason Cooley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mason-cooley/) > [... I was merely a disinterested spectator at the Banquet of Life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elaine-dundy/i-was-merely-a-disinterested-spectator-at-the-banquet-of-life/) [Elaine Dundy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elaine-dundy/) > [I wrote my first song, called Spectator,' when I was 11.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ananya-birla/i-wrote-my-first-song-called-spectator-when-i-was-11/) [Ananya Birla](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ananya-birla/) > [The canvas upon which the artist paints is the spectator's mind.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/okakura-kakuzo/the-canvas-upon-which-the-artist-paints-is-the-spectator-s-mind/) [Okakura Kakuzo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/okakura-kakuzo/) > [I believe that the artist doesn't know what he does. I attach even more importance to the spectator than to the artist.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/i-believe-that-the-artist-doesn-t-know-what-he-does-i-attach-even/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Don't live life as a spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/felix-baumgartner/don-t-live-life-as-a-spectator/) [Felix Baumgartner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/felix-baumgartner/) > [“she could begin again and not become so entangled in this long, horrible war, would she watch from the sidelines as a spectator this…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-austin/she-could-begin-again-and-not-become-so-entangled-in-this-long/) [Lynn Austin](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-austin/) > [The creative act is not performed by the artist alone; the spectator brings the work in contact with the external world by deciphering and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/marcel-duchamp/the-creative-act-is-not-performed-by-the-artist-alone-the-spectator/) [Marcel Duchamp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/marcel-duchamp/) > [Producing Bob Dylan was pretty much a spectator sport.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-kooper/producing-bob-dylan-was-pretty-much-a-spectator-sport/) [Al Kooper](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-kooper/) > [The ultimate justification of the work of art is to help the spectator to become a work of art himself.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bernard-berenson/the-ultimate-justification-of-the-work-of-art-is-to-help-the/) [Bernard Berenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bernard-berenson/) > [There cannot be any communication except through form. If there is no form, you cannot create emotion in the spectator.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/alain-resnais/there-cannot-be-any-communication-except-through-form-if-there-is-no/) [Alain Resnais](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/alain-resnais/) ## More by Bruno Dumont > [Cinema is my religion. It is a way to make people sensitive, through emotions. To make them feel, experience empathy. People are touched and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/cinema-is-my-religion-it-is-a-way-to-make-people-sensitive-through/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [Cinema is made to film material: the body. By filming the material, the mechanical, the worker, we arrive at the spiritual.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/cinema-is-made-to-film-material-the-body-by-filming-the-material-the/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [ There's a longstanding myth about the United States that is still very prevalent in Europe \[despite recent developments\]. Historically the "America" of this myth… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/there-s-a-longstanding-myth-about-the-united-states-that-is-still/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [The people follow what the media say. So if you said that Bruno Dumont is fantastic, it follows that more people would go to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/the-people-follow-what-the-media-say-so-if-you-said-that-bruno-dumont/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [When you make movies, you have to be preoccupied with the social problems, otherwise there is no point in making a movie. To have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/when-you-make-movies-you-have-to-be-preoccupied-with-the-social/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [The actor already comes with emotions to the scene: fear, the fear of being in front of the camera. It is this fear that…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/the-actor-already-comes-with-emotions-to-the-scene-fear-the-fear-of/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [At the root of the Noble Savage myth is this basic truth: the savage is good, but he's also violent. This is why Rousseau…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/at-the-root-of-the-noble-savage-myth-is-this-basic-truth-the-savage/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [I'm not Catholic. I don't believe in God. But at the same time, I'm obsessed by the sacred, by spirituality. The question of redemption…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/i-m-not-catholic-i-don-t-believe-in-god-but-at-the-same-time-i-m/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [Matching character and actor is what a good director does.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/matching-character-and-actor-is-what-a-good-director-does/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [I don't watch my own past films: when I watch them, I find they don't work very well, because I have changed. If I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/i-don-t-watch-my-own-past-films-when-i-watch-them-i-find-they-don-t/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [The landscape is a reflection of the inner life. Since I can't shoot the inner life, all I can shoot is the exterior but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/the-landscape-is-a-reflection-of-the-inner-life-since-i-can-t-shoot/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [Hollywood films are alienating to the spectator because they use too much dialogue, too much explication and leave no space for the viewer. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/hollywood-films-are-alienating-to-the-spectator-because-they-use-too/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [To retain his dignity, an artist must live in opposition. He must be critical of his country. If not, then he is worthless.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/to-retain-his-dignity-an-artist-must-live-in-opposition-he-must-be/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [I feel I have a political duty to reach out to the general public. I want to make films that the people want to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/i-feel-i-have-a-political-duty-to-reach-out-to-the-general-public-i/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) > [Sound creates an intimate effect: the sensation to feel the place. It makes the viewer enter. You have the liberty to hear what you…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/bruno-dumont/sound-creates-an-intimate-effect-the-sensation-to-feel-the-place-it/) [Bruno Dumont](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) [Explore all 39 Bruno Dumont quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/bruno-dumont/) ## More Cinema quotes > [I made, like, five movies while I was in college. I think they just weren't memorable movies. I've taken breaks as the years have…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jodie-foster/i-made-like-five-movies-while-i-was-in-college-i-think-they-just/) [Jodie Foster](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jodie-foster/) > [You have to have a great director to make a great movie.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/thelma-schoonmaker/you-have-to-have-a-great-director-to-make-a-great-movie/) [Thelma Schoonmaker](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/thelma-schoonmaker/) > [I'm trying to write a film with my friend. I'd love to get the thrill of speaking actors making my work even funnier.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/russell-howard/i-m-trying-to-write-a-film-with-my-friend-i-d-love-to-get-the-thrill/) [Russell Howard](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/russell-howard/) > [I wasn't attracted to American cinema, but I fell in love with Los Angeles the minute I arrived.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/agnes-varda/i-wasn-t-attracted-to-american-cinema-but-i-fell-in-love-with-los/) [Agnes Varda](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/agnes-varda/) > [There was a time in the 1980s when I worked in 22 films a year.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/radha-ravi/there-was-a-time-in-the-1980s-when-i-worked-in-22-films-a-year/) [Radha Ravi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/radha-ravi/) > [To an ever greater extent out experience is governed by pictures, pictures in newspapers and magazines, on television and in the cinema. Next to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/douglas-crimp/to-an-ever-greater-extent-out-experience-is-governed-by-pictures/) [Douglas Crimp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/douglas-crimp/) > [In the future, I would like to do more films with contemporary themes. Perhaps comedy, which is something I have done in theater but…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/luke-evans/in-the-future-i-would-like-to-do-more-films-with-contemporary-themes/) [Luke Evans](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/luke-evans/) > [I am tired of our characters being so incomplete. When do we ever save the day in a film? When does a Latino actor…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/esai-morales/i-am-tired-of-our-characters-being-so-incomplete-when-do-we-ever-save/) [Esai Morales](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/esai-morales/) > [I love film people and actors and I am in the right world because I am one of those people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ewan-mcgregor/i-love-film-people-and-actors-and-i-am-in-the-right-world-because-i/) [Ewan McGregor](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ewan-mcgregor/) > [Personally, I prefer contemporary films, but the market calls for more period choices, especially since China opened up a cinema market in Hong Kong.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donnie-yen/personally-i-prefer-contemporary-films-but-the-market-calls-for-more/) [Donnie Yen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donnie-yen/) > [I'd love to work in the States; I'd love to work anywhere where you get a good script and a good part to play.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laura-carmichael/i-d-love-to-work-in-the-states-i-d-love-to-work-anywhere-where-you/) [Laura Carmichael](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laura-carmichael/) > [I even see the cinema itself as a woman, with its alternation of light and darkness, of appearing and disappearing images](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/federico-fellini/i-even-see-the-cinema-itself-as-a-woman-with-its-alternation-of-light/) [Federico Fellini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/federico-fellini/) > ['Rear Window' isn't really a horror film, but it is a psychological drama, which I love. It is very tense.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diana-silvers/rear-window-isn-t-really-a-horror-film-but-it-is-a-psychological/) [Diana Silvers](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diana-silvers/) > [What a thrill. You know you've entered new territory when you realise that your outfit cost more than your film.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jessica-yu/what-a-thrill-you-know-you-ve-entered-new-territory-when-you-realise/) Jessica Yu > [I am not interested in churning out a certain number of films every year. For me, it's about the quality of work. I think…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/deepika-padukone/i-am-not-interested-in-churning-out-a-certain-number-of-films-every/) [Deepika Padukone](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/deepika-padukone/) [Browse all 23,940 Cinema quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cinema/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "My thinking was that today's spectator is so well-versed in film language that all theories about suspense, as argued by Dreyer and Hitchcock, on what makes you scared in cinema, can be ditched. 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