A Film with Rich Informations and Textbook Techniques

Rating: 9/10 (24 September 2018)

In the Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the story take place in a small but at the same time a large community. In the movie, Alfred Hitchcock is discussing the topic of voyeurism, depicting the change of main characters' mindset, and detective element that deals with a murder case through the point of view of a broken leg person, Jefferies. As the nature of human, people are always curious about what is behind the curtain even though it does not do any good to them. Here, Hitchcock uses Jefferies as the perfect person to peep through windows of his neighbors. Jefferies broke his leg for 7 weeks already, and during this period of time, he keeps peeps out of his window and looks at what is his neighbors doing. This is totally legit since they did not close their windows and Jefferies don't have anything else to do besides this.
In the exposition, Hitchcock starts with the use of an objective viewpoint to bring audiences into the setting. He quickly panning and tilting around the community so that the audiences can have a better picture of the neighborhood and Jefferies's neighbors. At this point, the audiences might be confused about why are there so many foci on this particular area. Hitchcock explains it well by emphasizing the size and closeness of Jefferies's cast. Within one minute, Hitchcock is able to use the focus of destroyed items and photographs hang on the wall to answer how did Jefferies break his leg. Lastly, before there is any dialogue happening, he gives another focus on stacks of magazines on the table with a woman as cover, labeling "Paris Fashion" at the bottom left corner. Based on previous information, the audience know that this woman has nothing to do with Jefferies's career, so why would he have so many magazines about her? It can only be either Jefferies has a strong possession to her or they have a special relationship. This creates a suspension for the audiences that they want to know what's going on with him and what is that woman's role in the play.
During the phone call, the audiences know that Jefferies has been sitting in a wheelchair for 7 weeks and yet he still need to endure another week before he can take off his cast. While Jefferies is speaking, Hitchcock changes from an objective view to subjective view. First a scene of Jefferies looking outside of the window, and then the audiences join his view. This same step is repeated multiple time by Hitchcock later on in the movie. Through this, the audiences can follow what's going on in the neighborhood and put themselves in Jefferies' spot as a peeper. Especially when Jefferies is peeping through Thorwald's family for the first time in the film, the audiences can clearly see the difference after the cuts between objective and subjective view. That as Jefferies stretches his neck for a better view, the next subjective view of the Thorwald family will appear larger for the audiences. This technique makes the audiences feel like they are involved in the film, that they are the Jefferies.
Later on, as the complication starts to emerge, the audiences will feel a stronger relationship with Jefferies. That even though Detective Thomas disagree with Jefferies's point of view on the murder and back it up with valid reasons and evidence, the audiences would still stay at Jefferies's side because they have been peeping through the window with him the whole time. The other conflict in the complication stage is when Stelle, Jefferies's nurse, shows up. During their conversation, Jefferies tell the audiences that he is not a suitable husband for Lisa because she is too perfect for him. Here Hitchcock is able to connect back to the woman on the magazines, now the audiences know she is Lisa. Which Lisa is standing by Jefferies's side because she also saw the scene with him. But this didn't remove the suspension from the audiences' hearts. In fact, this actually builds up more suspension since they want to know more about the lovers, and how would they work together to prove that Detective Thomas is wrong.
Finally, in the climax, all these issues are resolved. Through the dialogue between Jefferies, Lisa, and Stella at 1:27:34, Hitchcock finally finishes developing Jefferies and Lisa's character. Their internal issues are solved when Lisa is willing to put herself in a dangerous situation, which is what Jefferies don't think she will do. Therefore, Jefferies changed his view towards Lisa. That he thinks Lisa is not some perfect human-being he can't touch, but rather a perfect wife for him. This shift of feeling closes the gap in between their hearts. Which after the tense and irritative scene of hide and seek, they finally stay together. All the other neighbors go on the good track, makes the audiences enter the state of denouement, and think everything is good, life is wonderful.