Abstract

Suckfüll regards movie reception as an interplay between modes of reception that serve to involve or distance the audience. In this contribution, Suckfüll focuses on the withholding of relevant information, a movie feature that triggers distancing reactions in the audience. For 52 viewers of a full-length movie, heart rate deceleration and corrugator activity were measured during reception, and narrative engagement was measured after reception. The exploratory results indicate that the withholding of information enhances attention when the viewer is provided with hints for resolving uncertainties. On the other hand, omissions, which deny cues for the viewer’s interpretation, as well as the withholding of spatial information by abstaining from establishing shots, are discrepant with the audience’s expectations. However, deviations from the Hollywood Style do not hinder narrative understanding and emotional engagement.

Monika Suckfüll: The Effects of Withholding Information in Movies: Explorations into Cinema Beyond Hollywood. in: Benjamin Krämer/Felix Frey (Hg.): How We Use the Media Strategies, Modes and Styles. Wiesbaden 2020. S. 71–91.

https://link.springer.com/chapter/10.1007/978-3-030-41313-2_4