Rear Window is a film that's been talked about for decades and having finally watched it, I can see why.
Rear Window follows L. B. Jefferies, a wheelchair-bound photographer who spies on his neighbours from his window and becomes convinced one of them has committed a murder.
There's so much Rear Window does extremely well but what I really love is its commentary on voyeurism and how Alfred Hitchcock manipulates the audience. The stofy is very interesting and Hitchcock makes sure we see it through our protagonist, L. B. Jefferies. Having him be wheelchair-bound connects the audience with him further as we're also in the same position. Hitchcock also restricts the camera within his apartment without letting us explore inside the neighbours' worlds. We only see what Jefferies sees and based on that we form our own opinions on his neighbours just like him. This sparks the debate on voyeurism and the morality of it. Should we really be peering into other people's lives? It's a trait we have and it's what we do when we watch films or TV shows. We're taken into a new world with characters we're unfamiliar with and we form our assumptions based off what is shown on screen. Hitchcock uses this to his advantage to toy with our thoughts and question what we're viewing. He never shows us what's fully going on in these people's lives which helps us doubt our protagonist and adds to the mystery of what's really happening.
Hitchcock builds the tension so well by constantly making us go back and forth on what we think is going on, leading to one of the most suspenseful climaxes I've seen in a film. The dark cinematography accompanied by the absence of the score makes up for a truly thrilling yet entertaining finish. No wonder he's regarded as "The Master of Suspense". Having James Stewart play the lead was a great choice considering his much loved persona during the time. He's likeable in the role and plays the character really well. Grace Kelly is elegant all the way through. I love the development of the relationship between her and Stewart and she adds a real charm to the film. Thelma Ritter and Wendell Corey were also great in their roles. Despite having very few lines, Raymond Burr was excellent as the mysterious Mr. Thorwald.
This is one of Alfred Hitchcock's best works. With beautiful filmmaking, intriguing social commentary and fantastic acting, Rear Window is a classic that people should see immediately.
Rear Window follows L. B. Jefferies, a wheelchair-bound photographer who spies on his neighbours from his window and becomes convinced one of them has committed a murder.
There's so much Rear Window does extremely well but what I really love is its commentary on voyeurism and how Alfred Hitchcock manipulates the audience. The stofy is very interesting and Hitchcock makes sure we see it through our protagonist, L. B. Jefferies. Having him be wheelchair-bound connects the audience with him further as we're also in the same position. Hitchcock also restricts the camera within his apartment without letting us explore inside the neighbours' worlds. We only see what Jefferies sees and based on that we form our own opinions on his neighbours just like him. This sparks the debate on voyeurism and the morality of it. Should we really be peering into other people's lives? It's a trait we have and it's what we do when we watch films or TV shows. We're taken into a new world with characters we're unfamiliar with and we form our assumptions based off what is shown on screen. Hitchcock uses this to his advantage to toy with our thoughts and question what we're viewing. He never shows us what's fully going on in these people's lives which helps us doubt our protagonist and adds to the mystery of what's really happening.
Hitchcock builds the tension so well by constantly making us go back and forth on what we think is going on, leading to one of the most suspenseful climaxes I've seen in a film. The dark cinematography accompanied by the absence of the score makes up for a truly thrilling yet entertaining finish. No wonder he's regarded as "The Master of Suspense". Having James Stewart play the lead was a great choice considering his much loved persona during the time. He's likeable in the role and plays the character really well. Grace Kelly is elegant all the way through. I love the development of the relationship between her and Stewart and she adds a real charm to the film. Thelma Ritter and Wendell Corey were also great in their roles. Despite having very few lines, Raymond Burr was excellent as the mysterious Mr. Thorwald.
This is one of Alfred Hitchcock's best works. With beautiful filmmaking, intriguing social commentary and fantastic acting, Rear Window is a classic that people should see immediately.