How is suspense created in the film you watched in class?

Suspense is often created in many different ways within film. They help make the audience feel as if they are gaining an experience while watching the film. Whilst watching The Stepfather i looked for at least three examples of a suspenseful moment.

My first example is at the scene of the basement. As the audience already know that the Stepfather is a murderer we already feel that something is going to happen (Dramatic Irony). This is when the Stepfather (David) asked the son (Micheal) to meet him in the basement so they could "talk". When Micheal goes down it was very dark and and the light was extremely dim. We as the audience probably feel that he will end up dead or threatened by David as his character seems intimidating. Sinister music started to play as he continued to look around the basement. He began to feel all the locks that were on the cabinets. As they were firmly shut there was no way in which he could get inside. Leaving the audience still in a suspenseful atmosphere as we wondered what was hidden inside. David purposely scared Micheal when he came down to meet him in the basement and this causes the audience to "Jump".

My second example was the scenes when Kelly (Micheals girlfriend) and Micheal begin to try and find out more about David and what he is actually up to. Regrettably they are caught and David punches Kelly while locking Micheal in the basement. Tension begins to build up as we as the audience start to ask ourselves questions like weather or not David will end up killing one of them or what his next move will be. The 'Wife to be' realises that he is not 'David' and really the murderer that is on the run after their unintentional mix up conversation in the kitchen. They both then have a physical battle where she stabs him in the neck with a piece of broken glass. David is tyring to capture the mum, Micheal and Kelly in the loaf. Kelly then grabs hold of a saw attempting to hurt David. As the floor boards dramatically break Kelly  falls through and then the saw falls and we instantly think that it will slice her head off. However it just misses her and this as a result created a very suspenseful moment in the film.

My third example is better known as false plateau which is usally used for suspenseful momenets so it was easy to identify. Basically it was when David  killed this littleold lady that lives up the road who recently warned his fiance about how David looks very simialar to the guy that the police are looking for. As David was very concerned that the old lady will probably be hanging around causing mischief he took action went to her house and threw her down the stairs, suffocating her by blocking her nose and mouth. Her doorbell rings and when she goes to answer it she notices that nobody is outside as she looks around. She then goes back into the house to find one of her cats acting strangely. When she finally calms it down after it trying to hid in a wardrobe, she closes the wardrobe  and David is behind her. At this point the audience jump as we kind of wondered that he would probably appear.