Shock is a feeling of fascination and excitement mixed with anxiety, tension, suspense and surprise developed by an unpredictable, mysterious and engaging source of entertainment ( Merriam Webster). Shock can occur whenever a suspended drama is perceived, where tension, suspense, or surprise are the primary emotions experienced by the audience as part of the situation (Dirks). However, the term is often used in reference to audience perception in dramatic works such as films. There is often a sense of shock in films due to the director's ability to manipulate technical elements such as sound and camera angles to evoke feelings. of suspense and tension on the part of the audience. More specifically, the definition of suspense suggests that this shocked emotion arises when someone is aware that they do not know the development of a significant event; therefore, suspense is a combination of anticipation and uncertainty that addresses the ambiguity of future events (Merriam-Webster). In terms of plot expectations, it can be contrasted with the unknown, curiosity, or surprise. Two films in which shock is used to attract, excite and surprise audiences are Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 thriller Psycho and Steven Spielberg's 1975 blockbuster Jaws. In both films the audience experiences suspense and shock when they expect something bad to happen and have (or believe they have) a superior perspective on events in the film's hierarchy of knowledge, but are powerless to intervene to prevent it from happening. The films differ, however, in the type of shock and suspense used. For example, Psycho relies much more on the use of psychological shock while Jaws exploits the absence of a villain to create...... middle of paper... an audience committed to watching the film until the climax. is achieved and the thrill, as well as the pleasure and shock, finally come to an end. For a moment in the film to be shocking, the tension doesn't have to be in the form of the villain haunting the protagonist. It can be much more direct, much less dramatic, but still have the ability to make the viewer want to keep watching. Shock is about surprise, tension and suspense, the obstacles that stand between the protagonist and his goal. The suspense of a story can be the point at which the viewer feels most anxious to know the end and what will happen next. It is often called the climax of a film; when the events of the film leave the audience with feelings of shock and amazement (Dirks). Shock is the most important element in a film as it allows both audiences and filmmakers to evolve and progress creatively.