Hitchcock in the context of synthetic criticism. The flip side of the american family In Hollywood cinema: The monstrous family

Abstract

In studies on horror cinema, English critic Robin Wood is considered one of its leading theorists. His intellectual work encompasses not only horror cinema but also cinematography in general. Criticism, teaching, and the study of great directors such as Hitchcock, Hawks, Bergman, and Antonioni, among others. He was also co-founder of the famous magazine CineAction!. We propose to revisit some of Wood’s main reflections with the aim of reconstructing the category of “synthetic criticism.” This criticism, which is characterized by intertwining different film genres and explaining the ideology underlying each historical context, shapes our perspective on the analysis of Alfred Hitchcock’s film Shadow of a Doubt (1943).