Hitchcock on Grace Kelly's Kiss Effects (1 Viewer)

[Doug Otte]

After seeing the excellent documentary about the Hitchcock/Truffaut sessions a couple of months back, I bought the book, and have been reading through it occasionally. Today I came across something very interesting.

Here is the exchange on page 222 of the latest paperback edition:

"F.T. Both in Rear Window and in To Catch a Thief the kiss is a process shot. Not the kiss itself, but the approach to the faces is jerky, as if you had double-printed that frame in the cutting room.

A.H. Not at all. These are puslations (sic) that I get by shaking the camera by hand or dollying backward and forward, or sometimes by doing both[...]"

I have no idea how the effect was done, but neither of these techniques seems right. Any cinematography experts have any idea? Thanks.

 

[bigshot]

It's an optical effect called cascading. They print the frames before and after over the top to create an effect of trailing and/or leading action.

It's usually used in dream sequences and drug POVs. Hitchcock is the only one I know to use it for anticipation like that. Very clever.

 

[Doug Otte]

Thanks for the response. It makes a lot more sense than what Hitchcock was quoted as saying.

 

[DavidJ]

Good question and thanks for the answer, bigshot.