A movie within a movie within movie!

Rating: 9/10 (26 March 2015)

This movie is a "movie within a movie within a movie", and for that reason alone it is genius. First, we have the cinematic frame of the audience with us as viewer. Then we have Jimmy Stewart's rear window in his apartment, which becomes the camera lens onto the frame of the courtyard and the windows of the apartment block facing his. Each facing window then becomes a smaller movie screen revealing a vignette. Rear Window makes a strong statement about the act of voyeurism, (the greatest movie in this regard is the outstanding Peeping Tom, I think) something we instinctively know is wrong but cannot resist, as Jimmy Stewart's character reveals with his frequent use of binoculars. Rear Window is ultimately about the nature of film, wrapped up in a compelling murder mystery that informs us about human nature and our compulsion to watch. I think it really ought to be high on anyone's list of all time greats.