not a spoiler

Rating: Null/10 (17 March 2004)

Suspense movies are in rare form these days. Perhaps it's because Hitchcock, `The Master of Suspense' did such a good job with his movies that people weren't interested in seeing them directed by other people: so the art died out with the end of Hitchcock's career, or maybe suspense films just aren't as interesting to today's viewers as fast-action films with amazing special effects. Whatever the case may be, `Rear Window' is a very good classic suspense movie. Filmed in color, it's also easier to watch than most classics, to those with spoiled movie tastes. Hitchcock utilizes symbolism in this movie to give an intellectual twist for those who get excited by such things.	For example, some of his characters seem to be placed in certain apartment levels and styles to display their personalities. On the floor level Miss Lonelyheart, as she is nicknamed, is living her sad life. She seems depressed and even at one point suicidal, generally if someone has reach this position in their life, they would be considered to have hit `rock bottom'; hence, she is on the bottom level. The piano man to the right of the main wall of apartments has a place with a lot of windows on the wall facing the central courtyard: his apartment seems very open, like it hides nothing. In the same way, the piano man is not afraid to show his emotion; he is a very expressive man and doesn't hide what he's feeling. When he gets frustrated or upset with his music writing he gets very dramatic and sweeps the papers off his piano and almost seems to throw a tantrum. When he has his party, he is a very happy and ecstatic person, the life of the party even. There are many more little connections to the people and their apartments but it's a part of the viewing experience to figure them out!	Hitchcock also does an amazing job with his camera tricks; only once does the camera view change in reference to its position. 99.99% of the time the shots are done from inside the main character's apartment, it's a great concept because it helps the viewer to feel like they are just as involved in the investigation as the other characters in the story. The viewer sees what they see exactly and can make their own silent inferences as to what's going on. Yet it doesn't get old having the same view standpoint because there are interesting plot developments all the time.	Overall Rear Window is a very interesting movie and a must see for those who like suspense without all the gore that is found in today's Hollywood thrillers. Hitchcock does yet another amazing job with his film creating a true masterpiece.