ABSTRACT
In order to explore if suspense can be created in cultural historical exhibitions the same way it is produced in classical Hollywood films, it is necessary first to understand its specific nature and modes of operation in the context of this kind of media. This chapter explains therefore how suspense is created in popular films. More specifically, this chapter describes how events are commonly selected, arranged and connected in these films in order to provoke suspense. The chapter will introduce empathy as a central means to let audiences connect with stories and experience them as relevant. The chapter will foreground the recipients’ responses. This will be achieved by applying cognitive film theory and using screenwriting manuals which both take film audiences as their starting point. Both fields complement each other because while David Bordwell’s and Noël Carroll’s theoretical approaches focus on audiences’ cognitive responses, the authors of how-to guides describe ways to involve target groups emotionally.
