Rear Window - Semester 2

Justin Noddle Period 6

Summary: Rear Window is a 1954 American suspense film directed by Alfred Hitchcock originally released by paramount pictures. It is also produced by Alfred Hitchcock. This movie is 112 minutes long and is considered one of Hitchcock’s best films. It is about a professional photographer who is confined in his apartment building and believes he sees a crime before his eyes. He tries to find out proof to make this man guilty.

Question #1: How is the relationship between Jeff and Lisa able to be compared to the neighbors that they watch throughout the film? How are these characters portrayed through their actions?

Thorwald and his wife are the complete opposite of Jeff and Lisa. Lisa  is obligated to look after Jeff and takes very good care for him even though he does not fully appreciate it. Thorwald’s wife is the one who cares after him. One of the women he spies on is a pretty dancer girl. This girl dances freely and smoothly. This resembles that she is free spirited and loving. In reality, she is waiting for her love to come home to her. Jeff watches all of these people because in some way or another they each reflect his personality as well. Jeff seems locked up in his house and very reserved but in reality he is a very complicated man that is not as locked-up as it seems.

Question #2: How does filming from the point of view have main main character influence the film positively and negatively?

The viewer feels like they are making the same mistakes and successes as the main character when the shot is take from the point of view of a characters. This establishes a connection between the character and the movie watcher. He is able to draw the viewer to become more attached to the film and the characters as a whole. The emotions the character feels is also felt through the audience. If this technique is done poorly it has a terrible effect but Hitchcock executed this film technique perfectly in this film. This film technique forces us to agree with the main character because we go through exactly what he goes through.