In rear window, what is unique about the use of sound and. I made arrangements to go and see, rear window but was told that it was standng room only, remember when films were that good, ahthe good old days. There are two main purposes for his use of optical pointof view shots in. Jul 29, 2014 since much of the film consists of jimmy stewart, in either medium shot or closeup, looking out his window followed by what he sees and then his reaction to it, it could be argued that, to a great extent, rear window is the kuleshov effect. Apr 01, 2018 as with any other text, the social conditions at the time of rear windows release in 1954 inform and shape the interactions and events of the film. This film masterpiece was made entirely on one confined set built at paramount studios a realistic courtyard composed of 32 apartments 12 completely furnished. Once the page has finished loading, click on any of. Parents need to know that rear window, considered a classic alfred hitchcock mystery, reflects the social and ethical values of the 1950s when it was made. Alfred hitchcock frequently began his movies with a scene that introduces the viewer to both character and setting in an understated, economical way. One of the prime examples of hitchcocks use of optical pointofview shots is his 1954 film, rear window. Every open window in the blistering apartment complex that hitchcocks camera resides in leads to another character, another emotion, another scene, and another mystery. This movie helped pinpoint some recurring elements about men and women present in all three films that we concentrated on for this exhibit. Rear window 1954 employed an iconically unique tactic to validate the authenticity of the large production set being an actual apartment courtyard. Rear window, one of alfred hitchcocks finest works, is an utterly incredible tale of voyeurism in miniature.
Rear window is a 1954 american technicolor mystery thriller film directed by alfred hitchcock and written by john michael hayes based on cornell woolrichs 1942 short story it had to be murder. Rear window 1954 is an intriguing, brilliant, macabre hitchcockian visual study of obsessive human curiosity and voyeurism. The film negative was considerably damaged as a result of color dye fading as early as the 1960s. All of the sound in the film, save for the orchestration at the opening and closing of the piece, is diegetic, natural location noise. So when it came time to expose my collegeaged children to the works of the master of suspense, it was a nobrainer as to which film it would be. And there are a lot of cinematic elements at play in rear window that help put audiences into the role. Vanderbilt universitys feminism and film blog poses an interesting take on gender dynamics in rear window, arguing that the film outwardly offers images of generalized gender roles, but uses its two main characters to reverse the traditional maleactive, femalepassive paradigm. Without criticizing or supporting these roles, rear window puts every gender stereotype in play in one neat package and offers them for observation on a platter.
The medical condition of the main character is the first tipoff. The apartment complex seen in rear window was completely constructed on the. It hasnt been seen anywhere in the world legally, at least in more than 10 years, because hitchcock pulled it off the market to increase its eventual value to his estate. As with hitchcocks 1944 film lifeboat, which takes place entirely at sea, rear window presented the director with an opportunity to craft a suspense picture within.
Its as if, in 1954, hitchcock had a glimpse of what would happen in 2020, and. Jefferies, a photographer bound to a wheelchair in his apartment as his broken leg heals. Rear window by alfred hitchcock lisas study guides. Hitchcocks rear window 1954 builds a distinct view of the world and how, in the directors opinion, men and women fit in it. Mar 01, 2015 rear window 1954, alfred hitchcock james stewart and grace kelly. Made in the midst of a decade in which the master of suspense was churning out a classic or two every year, it is consequently startling that rear window is so deplorably, atrociously bad. Jeffries played by james stewart whom after breaking his leg in a reckless and dangerous photographing accident, is bound to a wheelchair in his tworoom apartment in new york for several.
There is always the urge to know more, to look beyond the camera. After the curtains rise, hitchcock does a slow counterclockwise pan of the courtyard. As demonstrated by rear window, hitchcock can transform what may seem like a mundane way to film a moviethrough a window in a limited space in a single apartment roominto a work of suspenseful art. Released in the postwar period, the film is undoubtedly characterised by the interpersonal suspicion which defined the era. John michael hayes screenplay was based on cornell woolrichs with penname william irish original 1942 short story or novelette, it had to be murder. Despite fears that the film had been irrevocably damaged, preservation experts were able to restore the film nearly to its original coloration. The costumes for rear window were designed by edith head, one of the most famous costume designers in hollywood history. In rear window, he is in love with the occupation of photography, and becomes completely absorbed in reconstructing the images he has seen. Jimmy stewart in alfred hitchocks rear window 1954.
Since its 1954, theres no profanity, no visible sexual activity or nudity, and very little violence. Rear window 1954 is the first of the current package of hitchcock rereleases. Theme of rear window and disturbia 779 words 4 pages. Rear window 1954 where to stream and watch decider. The wheelchairbound jeff whiles away his time observing his neighbours through a telephoto lens, bestowing them with nicknames and growing familiar. Rear window, being buttressed by an allstar cast, and a very wellcalculated story, is still a satisfying mustwatch in his seminal film canon. In rear window, what is unique about the use of sound. Full of tension and suspense, standout performances from james stewart and grace kelly make this film a mustwatch for hitchcock fans.
Sitting alone, trapped inside my home watching my neighbors movements day by day. Trailer for alfred hitchcocks film starring james stewart,grace kelly,wendell corey,thelma ritter,raymond burr,judith evelyn,ross. Hitchcock told the man to pull the mattress in one direction and told the woman to pull in the opposite direction. However, a large portion of the film is shot from the standpoint of jeffs. Stephanie bittar narrative analysis paper mcs 273 rear window 1955 alfred hitchcocks 1954 film, rear window, explores many dimensions in cinematography. Rear window was made in 1954, at the pinnacle of director alfred hitchcocks career. This setting is a description a scenes in the plot of the films, rear window by alfred hitchcock 1954 and disturbia by d. The main character, played by james stewart, has a broken leg in plaster courtesy of hitchcock at the end of the film he has both legs broken. Narrative analysis of rear window by alfred hitchcock 965 words 4 pages. Rear window 1954 this page contains frames from rear window 1954 and may take a short while to load completely. Find out where rear window 1954 is streaming, if rear window 1954 is on netflix, and get news and updates, on decider. Since much of the film consists of jimmy stewart, in either medium shot or closeup, looking out his window followed by what he sees and then his reaction to it, it could be argued that, to a great extent, rear window is the kuleshov effect. Cinematography is the use of the camera, the shots used, the angles and distances.
Rear window by ben elliott hitchcocks rear window 1954 builds a distinct view of the world and how, in the directors opinion, men and women fit in it. How hitchcock used editing to turn rear window into a. On imdb tv, you can catch hollywood hits and popular tv series at no cost. Each actor and actress in the apartment complex facing jeffs rear window wore an earpiece through which they could receive hitchcocks directions. Brian and shaun try to make the case that a timetraveling alfred hitchcock invented reality television, and zombie grace kelly is called out for child abuse. As summarized on the website the museum of film history, men are shown as damaged and needing. Hitchcock had a rather concrete opinion of how men and women fit into society in the 1950s, particularly as was represented in film. Rear window 1954, alfred hitchcock james stewart and grace kelly. So when it came time to expose my collegeaged children to the works of the master of suspense, it was a nobrainer as to which film. There are crucial moments in the film where he is clearly required to act, and he delays, not because he doesnt care what happens, but because he forgets he can be an active player. This week, by special request from patreon supporter anna. Analysis of themes in rear window essay 1436 words bartleby. Originally released by paramount pictures, the film stars james stewart, grace kelly, wendell corey, thelma ritter, and raymond burr.
The phenomenal film is well known for proclaiming its voyeurism issues that goes on in todays society. At that time i could enter any warner brothers movie theater free. In 1954, i worked for the stanley theater, a warner brothers movie theater in philadelphia. A wheelchairbound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder.
Jeff jefferies, a photojournalist stuck in his apartment thanks. When the man was matched with food, audiences said the man looked hungry, and so on. How does hitchcock use rear window to define gender roles. Alfred hitchcocks 1954 thriller rear window encapsulates his masterful use of controlling information to create deepseated suspense in the audience. Ending spoiler for rear window 1954, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. October 9, 1983 rear window still a joy by vincent canby. In the earliest days of cinema, the russian director kuleshov performed a famous experiment in which he juxtaposed identical shots of a mans face with other shots. In alfred hitchcocks enthralling film, rear window, set in manhattan, new york in the 1950s, hitchcock draws attention to the way physical immobility is simply an echo of emotional immobility as represented by the protagonist, l. After another long break blame university girl on film is back with the movie that graces the header of our beloved siterear window 1954 it tells the story of a magazine photographer, l. Rear window is a fantastic alfred hitchcock classic, definitely one of his best films. In other words, we are simply seeing the world directly through the characters eyes.
These two films contain many similar themes which are a part of the movies plot but are slightly different. Is there any photograph more hybrid, less aesthetically pure than the film still. Now sir alfred has passed away, the estate has been settled, and the movie is back in. In rear window, jeff is not a moralist, a policeman or a dogooder, but a man who likes to look. For all intents and purposes, rear window is a film about voyeurism, so it makes sense that hitchcocks approach to the film would be to force audiences to become voyeurs. It is a film about looking, and hitchcock, as always, was canny on several levels.
Jeff jeffries james stewart is forced to spend a humid summer recuperating in his greenwich village apartment. May 23, 20 23 videos play all rear window 1954 full movie gundune the million pound note 1954 starring gregory peck full movie duration. The film was shot entirely at paramount studios, which included an enormous indoor set to replicate a greenwich village courtyard. There are two main purposes for his use of optical pointof view shots in rear window. Micro elements such as cinematography and miseenscene can be used to create all sorts of effects and feelings within a screen play. Alfred hitchcock taught us all the dangers of spying on your neighbors with rear window, the criticallyacclaimed thriller that was released on september 1, 1954. Rear window perfectly demonstrates the impulse of morbid curiosity and tells the story of a wheelchair bound photographer who, while confined in his apartment. Select any poster below to play the movie, totally free. Rear window proves that theres no need to rush at 160 miles per hour to make a good thriller. Jeff jefferies james stuart is confined to a wheelchair with a broken leg, he becomes obsessed with watching the private lives of his neighbors play out across the. However, a large portion of the film is shot from the standpoint of jeffs rear window, making each viewer into a voyeur. Hitchcock used her a lot in notorious, to catch a thief, vertigo, and the birds, among other films, and her fantastic clothes were all over hollywood in the 50s and 60s. Once the page has finished loading, click on any of the frames to view a larger image.
But this particular kind of cinematography not only shows just how brilliant jeff is, it shows just how brilliant hitchcock was as a director. Oct 04, 2012 after another long break blame university girl on film is back with the movie that graces the header of our beloved siterear window 1954 it tells the story of a magazine photographer, l. James stewart keeps watch in hitchcocks rear window. In his suspense masterpiece, hitchcock utilizes all of his favorite gender roles for his male and female characters. How does hitchcock use rear window to define gender. The analysis of the cinematography and miseenscene in the opening sequence in rear window alfred hitchcock, 1954. Jeffries played by james stewart whom after breaking his leg in a reckless and dangerous photographing accident, is bound to a wheelchair in his tworoom apartment in new york for several weeks. John michael hayes screenplay, cornell woolrich short story. The photographers curiosity is merely hitchcocks means to a thoroughly.
Rear window 1954 after breaking his leg during a shoot, photojournalist l. Rear window is a 1954 american technicolor mystery thriller film directed by alfred hitchcock. Analysis of themes in rear window essay 1436 words. One of alfred hitchcocks very best efforts, rear window is a crackling suspense film that also ranks with michael powells peeping tom 1960 as one of the movies most trenchant dissections of. The opening scene of rear window is perhaps the best opening of any hitchcock film.