Rear Window Review

Rating: 7/10 (7 February 2018)

The 1954 film Rear Window, encompasses the story of L.B. 'Jeff' Jeffries, played by James Stewart, a wheelchair-bound photographer who is injured after a racetrack accident. In his post-recovery, Jeff is confined to his apartment, leading him to watch his neighbors through his "rear window." As a result, Jeff finds alarming discoveries about his neighbors, revealing more about the "ordinary" town.
The film begins with the audience's introduction to Jeff, the protagonist of the movie. After an accident, Jeff is bound to a wheelchair and begins to watch his neighbors through his courtyard apartment. As the story progresses, the audience is introduced to various characters of town. Jeff starts to memorize the patterns of each of his neighbors, understanding their day-to-day life and responsibilities. In addition, the audience is introduced to Stella, Jeff's nurse, and Lisa, Jeff's "fiancé." The film shifts after Jeff makes a shocking discovery about the Thorwalds, a couple who lives directly across from Jeff. After previously observing the Thorwalds' complicated relationship with each other, Jeff notices Mrs. Thorwald's disappearance. As Mr. Thorwald becomes increasingly more mysterious and shady, Jeff recruits help from Doyle, a police officer as well as Stella and Lisa. The story progresses, and Jeff develops his theory on Mrs. Thorwald's murder and seeks evidence to affirm his guilt. At the end of the film, Mr. Thorwald's guilt is confirmed when he confronts Jeff, ultimately leading to a fight. As a result, Mr. Thorwald is arrested and faces the repercussions of his actions.
Throughout the film, Hitchcock's specific presentation of characters and context adds to the genre of suspense. The audience's ability to grasp the complexity of each character without any dialogue or direct involvement with the main character plays a significant role in establishing suspense. Mr. Thorwald's anonymity to the audience enhances the level of suspense and mystery, as Jeff tries to confirm Mr. Thorwald's guilt in his wife's murder. In addition, I noticed the use of music and time in the film. In more intense scenes, Hitchcock incorporates a darker aesthetic and eerie music, dramatizing the feelings of suspense. This is evident in Director Hitchcock's decisions to have most of the suspenseful moments occur at night. Some of these scenes included Lisa's search of Mr. Thorwald's apartment, the dog's murder, and the confrontation between Mr. Thorwald and Jeff that occurred at the end of the film. In addition, I found it interesting that the entirety of the film took place in Jeff's apartment and was still able to omit a dynamic, thrilling feeling as the audience watches the film. In some cases, filming in one location can negate natural progression and make a movie feel slow.
Apart from the shocking plot revelations and the suspenseful scenes, Hitchcock's incorporation of unique camera perspectives and angles demonstrates a unique way to translate film. The utilization of the "three-part POV" and intense zoom-ins, allow Hitchcock to reinvent film in a new, meaningful way. One example of this is Hitchcock's camera angle after Lisa starts to believe Jeff's accusations. The camera zooms in from a lower angle, increasingly getting higher as it zooms closer to Lisa's frightened facial expression. In contrast, this is evident in Hitchcock's decision to incorporate a broader camera angle during intense moments. While Lisa is attempting to collect evidence from Mr. Thorwald's apartment, "Miss Lonelyhearts" attempts suicide simultaneously. In this shot, Hitchcock intensifies the thrilling emotion by closing the blinds in Miss Lonelyhearts' apartment, giving the audience feelings of uncertainty about her fate; all occurring while Lisa is searching Mr. Thorwald's apartment. Since there are several things transpiring, Hitchcock uses a broader camera angle in displaying the content of this scene.