Discuss hitchcocks genius cinematic creation of a camera simultaneously acting as our eyes, the directors eyes and the main characters eyes. By simply using pov shots, clever editing, and camera work, the director transformed his audience from mere spectators into active participants of the voyeuristic exploits. The opening scene creates a dynamic narrative through the architecture of communal living depicting the eccentric to the mundane members of every community. Jeff sheepishly questions the ethics of his behavior, and lisa admits that the two of them are like. Rear window relationships analysis of relationships in. Narrative analysis of rear window by alfred hitchcock 965 words 4 pages. Jeff jefferies notsopatiently awaits the day when his plaster cast comes off. Alfred hitchcocks rear window essay 1050 words bartleby. Rear window is a film that makes me crazy, in a good way.
As james stewart watches the daily routines of the tenants in his neighbouring tenement, hitchcock uses symbolism in a number of ways. The cold war was a state of political, military, and historical tension between the north atlantic treaty organization nato and. Although differences must exist between text and film, because of the limitations and advantages of the different media, hitchcock has done more than translate a wordbased story into a visual movie. The first time i watched rear window, i was 14 or 15 and living in a.
Rear window doyles arrival there is no case summary. Jefferies james stewart attempting to defend himself from his neighbour, lars thornwald raymond burr, after the. Hitchcocks rear window offers timely study of ever. Hes a photographer, someone who is naturally inclined to observe others. Alfred hitchcocks rear window this essay will try to give an overview of two interpretations of rear window, both of which focus on the gaze and voyeurism of the movie, and both of which can be situated to a greater or lesser extent within a psychoanalytic context. Rear window is pretty much perfection, hitchcocks opening sequence introduces you into this world of neighbors and all the happenings around james stewart. His production of rear window, a movie based on the short story by cornell woolrich titled, it had to be murder a work in progress, 20 is one of his most famous. 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. He does this by watching the way all the other couples in the apartment across from him live. Rear window film analysis rear window film analysis during. Carusos disturbia 2007 is almost identical to rear windowa teen living under house arrest becomes convinced that his neighbor is a serial killer. Rear window is entirely a mental process, done by use of the visual. When the man was matched with food, audiences said the man looked hungry, and so on.
After jeff mentions the salesman and his wife to stella, the salesman looks down at the courtyard, intently watching. An analysis of james stewarts character in the movie rear window. There was a mile and several hills between us and our nearest neighbours, so the concept of looking out. One particular apartment that catches his attention is that of a man named lars. This also means it has been incorporated into the dramatica story expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example.
The camera moves up to a framed photograph on the wall. Early the next morning, while jeff is asleep, the salesman leaves the building with a woman, and by the time jeff is up, the salesman has returned, alone. However, a large portion of the film is shot from the standpoint of jeffs rear window, making each viewer into a voyeur. Rear window x best movie posters, film posters, window poster, superhero. 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. Rear window film analysis rear window film analysis. Firstly stewarts broken leg encased in plaster is symbolic of his immobility and need to rely on others such as his grace kelly his girlfriend. 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. A common reading of the film views jeff as a spectator figure and what he sees out his window as a rear window by john belton nurse thelma ritter watches the apartment that wheelchairbound photojournalist james stewart has been eying from his window. Rear window tells the story of a globetrotting photojournalist who breaks. Notes rear windows has been variously categorized as a comedythriller, a romance, and a detective story. Set design the set is designed to give you an easy map to follow of their surroundings.
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. A short film scene that shows what a character the subject is looking at. Plot summary this film is the story of jeff jeffries, a new york photographer who finds himself. But this particular kind of cinematography not only shows just how brilliant jeff is, it shows just how brilliant hitchcock was as a director. In his suspense masterpiece, hitchcock utilizes all of his favorite gender roles for his male and female characters.
Mar 23, 2016 this analysis will be conducted on this scene from alfred hitchcocks rearwindow 1954 situated at the climax of the film, this scene depicts l. Inside the real greenwich village apartment that inspired. It is also hitchcocks most innovative film in terms of narrative technique. Rear window 1954 is like a featurelength demonstration of the same principle, in which the shots assembled in jeffs mind add up to murder. Micro elements such as cinematography and miseenscene can be used to create all sorts of effects and feelings within a screen play. Explain how the frame of the rear window can be seen as the frame a metaphorical movie screen, and how is jeff like a movie director. Unlike most of the analysis found herewhich simply lists the unique individual story appreciationsthis indepth study details the actual encoding for each structural item. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the storyform for rear window. 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. Dec 08, 2015 rear window opens to a panning of the manhattan apartment block, dipping in and out of the neighbours lives in snippets. Jefferies gradually becomes more and more engrossed with this activity of his, and soon brings. Stephanie bittar narrative analysis paper mcs 273 rear window 1955 alfred hitchcocks 1954 film, rear window, explores many dimensions in cinematography. Originally released by paramount pictures, the film stars james stewart, grace kelly, wendell corey, thelma ritter, and raymond burr. Rear window 1954 is a film that not only understands the voyeuristic nature of film as a medium, but makes the viewer participate in jeffs james stewart voyeuristic behavior as he spends the film watching the actions of his neighbors.
I have seen rear window several times over the years, the first time in an art house theater in lake tahoe, california. Yes, this is where jimmy stewart lives in rear window, says the tenant, actordirector sean gullette. Jun 25, 2015 finally, rear window is an indictment of our obsession with other people. 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. We fully understand how the movie is put together, how alfred hitchcock creates suspense minimally and how he ties all those tingling suspicions into a story of voyeurism, privacy, neighbors and curiosity. 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. I doubt rear window will have much of a life in the video stores, with the classic blueprint right nextdoor on the shelf, and though a wellintentioned bit of hollywood hooey, its hooey indeed. History of the motion picture the war years and postworld war ii.
A brief analysis of the hitchcock classic, rear window. There is always the urge to know more, to look beyond the camera. A key moment in the film actually reveals a seeping sense of guilt about this flaw. Rear window by alfred hitchcock the scene in the film rear window was about the community and the protagonist named l. Rear window movie analysis alfred hitchcock youtube. Jeffries, played by jimmy stewart, becomes completely obsessed with spending all of his waking hours watching his neighbors from his wheelchair. Documentary about hitchcocks movie rear window made by students from the university of central florida. Mulveys interpretation is explicitly inspired by psychoanalysis and feminism, while zizeks. Jefferies james stewart attempting to defend himself from his neighbour, lars thornwald raymond burr, after the latter discovers that jefferies has been witness to his crimes over the course of the film. For several years now, the alfred hitchcock canon available in. Rear window film analysis during the 1900 s, war and its hysteria were especially prevalent in america. Doyle eventually agrees to poke around and try to find out where mrs. There is miss torso, a beautiful dancer, miss lonely hearts, a loveless bachelorette, a young newlywed couple, a songwriter and most notably a salesman living with his bedridden wife. Alfred hitchcocks 1954 thriller rear window encapsulates his masterful use of controlling information to create deepseated suspense in the audience.
And there are a lot of cinematic elements at play in rear window that help put audiences into the role. Puts the audience on equal footing with the characters. As demonstrated by rear window, hitchcock can transform what may seem like a mundane way to film a movie through a window in a limited space in a single apartment roominto a work of suspenseful art. How does hitchcock use rear window to define gender roles. The cold war was a state of political, military, and historical tension between the north atlantic treaty organization nato and russia. Jeff jefferies james stewart has been stuck in a wheelchair in his greenwich village apartment. The phenomenal film is well known for proclaiming its voyeurism issues that goes on in todays society. The end this scene creates suspense as the vulnerable victim is in a life threatening situation. Hitchcocks rear window 1954 builds a distinct view of the world and how, in the directors opinion, men and women fit in it. Voyeurism and subjective understanding in rear window. Jeff jefferies breaks his leg while getting an action shot at an auto race. What are some examples of symbolism in the movie, rear. The first time i watched rear window, i was 14 or 15 and living in a remote part of ireland.
As summarized on the website the museum of film history, men are shown as damaged and needing. The analysis of the cinematography and miseenscene in the opening sequence in rear window alfred hitchcock, 1954. Alfred hitchcocks rear window in rear window, alfred hitchcock took a plotdriven short story and transformed it into a characterdriven movie. In order to learn the secret of the alleged murder, we must also continue to watch the activities of the other neighbors. It is a film about looking, and hitchcock, as always, was canny on several levels. In between playing jeffs gal friday and trying to get him into the sack, she and jeff talk about the differences between them, the challenges to being together, and the fact that they really do make a great couple. 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. Like in rear window, we only see through kales shia labeouf perspective.
You can listen to the original lecture by turning up your volume and you can find a list of discussion questions here. The film is based on the film it had to be murder, a 1942 short story by cornell woolrich fawell 2. Pov shots, from jeffs perspective, are used throughout rear window. I will be investigating why it is seen as such an aesthetically significant film even to this day. Having broken his leg by doing something really, really stupid, l. Jeff spends much of his time looking out his rear view window, into the back. Awards and nominations rear window 1954 the alfred. Hitchcock uses symbolism throughout his films and rear window is no exception. Essay opening shot analysis of rear window 1038 words 5 pages the opening scene in alfred hitchcocks rear window essentially acts as one long establishing shot only rather than establishing just the location of a scene, it establishes the entire film in more ways than one. From that moment, the audience can see the whole set of the neighborhood early in the morning. Rather than addressing our own problems, we delight in the misfortune of others. Analysis of themes in rear window essay 1436 words. Marriage anxieties and voyeurism in rear window in alfred hitchcock s rear window, l.
In 1954 alfred hitchcock released rear window, a film about a famous photographer stuck in a wheelchair due to an accident suffered while on the job. Scene analysis rear window march 23, 2016 emmamckillop leave a comment. This analysis will be conducted on this scene from alfred hitchcocks rearwindow 1954 situated at the climax of the film, this scene depicts l. Theres such a coziness with james stewart in one room, and its such a cool room, and the people who come into this roomgrace kelly, for instance, and thelma ritterits just so fantastic that theyre all in on a mystery thats unfolding out their window. Ending spoiler for rear window 1954, plus mistakes, quotes, trivia and more. An analysis of the hitchcock movies rear window written by cornell woolrich. To pass the time between visits from his nurse thelma ritter and his fashion model girlfriend lisa grace kelly, the binocularwielding jeffries stares through the rear window of his apartment at the goingson in the other apartments around his courtyard. Finally, rear window is an indictment of our obsession with other people. Cinematography is the use of the camera, the shots used, the angles and distances. The relevant scenes from rear window will appear as they did in pippins lecture. Rear window is an american suspense film released in 1954 and directed by alfred hitchcock, a man who is commonly known by his pen name william irish. Rear window essays are academic essays for citation.
Rear window by john michael hayes based on a short story. Hitchcock had a rather concrete opinion of how men and women fit into society in the 1950s, particularly as was represented in film. Awards and nominations for rear window 1954 awards won. After jeff mentions the salesman and his wife to stella, the salesman looks down at the courtyard, intently watching an older couples dog sniffing around his garden. The hero of alfred hitchcocks rear window is trapped in a wheelchair, and we re trapped, tootrapped inside his point of view, inside his. The following is a transcript of robert pippins concluding lecture to our free screening of rear window on december 3.
Jul 18, 2009 a brief analysis of the hitchcock classic, rear window. Rear window 1954 is an intriguing, brilliant, macabre hitchcockian visual study of obsessive human curiosity and voyeurism. Detective doyle looks out jeffs window and wonders how jeff can be sure that there was a murder even though he didnt see it happen and there is no body. A rear wheel has come off the car, and the wheel is bounding at top speed directly into the camera lens. A wheelchairbound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder. Parallel characteristics in rear window the dilemma of prying rear window as a snapshot of its era.
Jeffries james stewart is confined to his tiny, sweltering courtyard apartment. Alfred hitchcocks rear window analysis essay example. Jefferies, a photographer bound to a wheelchair in his apartment as his broken leg heals. There was a mile and several hills between us and our nearest neighbours, so. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of rear window by alfred hitchcock. Hitchcocks rear window offers timely study of everpresent. Rear window has been mercilessly scrutinized, fitting for a movie about people obsessed with minute details. The importance of set design in hitchcocks rear window. Jeff spends much of his time looking out his rear view window, into the back courtyard and various apartments of his neighbors. How hitchcock used editing to turn rear window into a.
Essay opening shot analysis of rear window 1038 words. John michael hayes screenplay was based on cornell woolrichs with penname william irish original 1942 short story or novelette, it had to be murder. How does hitchcock use rear window to define gender. The film rear window was added to the united states national film registry in the library of congress as being culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant. Rear window is yet another great example of how hitchcock manages to influence and even manipulate his audience into believing and participating in his cinematic experience. Jefferies peeps out his rear window analyzing his relationship with lisa. An analysis of marriage anxieties and voyeurism in rear. Aspects of this film survive todaynot as rear window, but as key elements in other films. The importance of set design in hitchcocks rear window ksa. One war with a particularly high amount of hysteria was the cold war.
The camera shot is a extreme closeup so that we can see the victims face and how dangerous it is. This movie helped pinpoint some recurring elements about men and women present in all three films that we concentrated on for this exhibit. Confined to his new york apartment, he spends his time looking out of the rear window observing the. Rear window flirts with the romance genre as well, in the person of the lovely lisa. Doyle thinks its unlikely that jeffs suspicions are correct while jeff tries to convince him otherwise. Early on jeffs nurse, stella, states that people nowadays look too deeply into relationships and that before if you were happy you got married. This essay will try to give an overview of two interpretations of rear window, both of which focus on the gaze and voyeurism of the movie, and both of which can be situated to a greater or lesser extent within a psychoanalytic context. It is a fourteen by ten print, an essay in violence, having caught on film the exploding semisecond when a heavy artillery shell arches into a frontline korean battle outpost. This scene is used to create suspense as the audience gain a feeling of uncertainty. This relationship and the one between jeff and lisa are the primary focus of rear window. Hes in a full leg cast thats definitely cramping his style. With james stewart, grace kelly, wendell corey, thelma ritter. His rear window looks out onto a courtyard and several other apartments, where the binocularwielding jefferies spends his days as a voyeur spying on his neighbors. Parodying the movie rear window in the simpsons episode bart of darkness.
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