> 7. The Man Who Knew Too Much (1955
version). There's a footsteps-only hand-held
shot, taken from Jimmy Stewart's perspective,
as he walks down a sidewalk. Another
moment I don't remember the context for but
which was effective enough that the emotions
and tension burned itself into my memory.

Oooh, yeah.

I'd never seen that film until a few years ago
when my wife brought it home from the library.
That scene definitely set my skin crawling. I
think the context was that Jimmy Stewart was
following a lead to a deserted part of London,
and thought someone was following him. He
kept hearing other footsteps behind him.. so
he starts walking faster, and faster, and faster,
until finally he whirls around to confront the
person tailing him and scares the crap out the
poor guy who just happens to be going the
same way as him.

> The only contemporary director I can
particularly think of that is so *consistently*
brilliant with silence is M. Night Shyamalan,
who built memorable scene after memorable
scene in "The Sixth Sense" and "Unbreakable"
with very little sound at all.

I was wondering if you'd mention him. I've only
seen "Unbreakable," but I remember thinking
when I watched it that it seemed so strangely
appropriate that there was almost no music.