Inglourious Basterds - The Elements of Suspense

The opening scene of Inglourious Basterds is thrilling and suspenseful. Learn how Tarantino used his trademark style to create an amazing start for this movie that will leave you on the edge of your seat until it ends.

Takeaways

  • The intensity of the suspense is proportional to our emotional investment in what is going on.
  • Tension vs. Suspense: Tension is a diffuse, general state of anticipation. Suspense is a specific anticipation between clearly opposed outcomes.
  • The transition from tension to suspense is when you reveal "the ticking bomb that's about to go off".
  • There must be a payoff to the suspense, good or bad, in order to to achieve a new stability, and for the audience to release, reset, and prepare for what's next.