Timeless

Rating: 10/10 (25 April 2011)

So much is Right about Hitchcock's movies. This refers not only to "Rear Window", but most of this brilliant director's work. Te question is, how did he make it so perfect? How do 2 hours get so compact and timeless? Well, the answer lies in everything Hitchcock does, and believe me, not one single thing in his movies comes without a reason.
First and the most obvious part of Hitchcock magic is the story. Crime has ever been an interesting subject for the big screen, but in "Rear Window" it gets a new dimension that exceeds it's violent nature and evolves into a social and philosophical problem. Naturally, unlike today, 60 years a go murder was not an acceptable category, thus making it more dramatic. And you undoubtedly get a lot more drama and suspense in "Rear Window" than in any of today's sludgy TV contents of the CSI kind. The story does not only revolve around the murder itself, yet it involves tho whole surrounding micro cosmos, and which is most important, the people.
This brings us to the cast members and their brilliant role in "Rear Window". Just as ever, Hitchcock knew how to pick the right people for the job. Needless to say that Grace Kelly and James Stewart did a brilliant job. Besides the tension which surrounds the crime, we also get to see the full aspect of a relationship between two major characters which evolves throughout the storyline. One thing is for sure, Alfred sure did have a good taste for women, and man do I envy him...
Finally, the technical aspect of "Rear Window" tops it off and seals this masterpiece in a package of perfection. Each frame, each shot, every single detail on the set is adjusted towards perfection. I heard somewhere that all the residue material, after the master editing, was able to fit on a single roll of film... that's simply amazing. If I ever become a true film director (since I'm an amateur one, for the time being), my only wish would be to closely match Hitchcock's skill, since reaching his level of perfection fits in the domain of impossible. 10 points is way to little for "Rear Window".