Rear Window Background Notes

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Synopsis Set in the 1950s in New York, Rear Window follows the observations of L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries, a professional photographer who is trapped in his apartment due to a broken leg. He takes to watching his neighbors, who offer him an assortment of stories, out of his home’s rear window. Jeff begins to suspect that one of the neighbors, Lars Thorwal, murdered his wife. He enlists the help of his young girlfriend, Lisa Carol Fremont, and his nurse, Stella, to prove his belief right. Cast James Stewart as L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies Grace Kelly as Lisa Carol Fremont  Wendell Corey as Thomas J.  Doyle Thelma Ritter as Stella Raymond Burr as Lars Thorwal Crew Director – Alfred Hitchcock Screenplay – John Micheal Hayes Cinematography – Robert Burks Suspense Created Through Long Takes Hitchcock developed his talent for maintaining suspense using long, deliberate takes which emphasize the detail in the frame of the movie. The use of this element can be seen in the following clip of rope in which heavily uses the principle of framing. Jeffries is looking through his binoculars with anxiety that Thorwal will understand their plan and the way in which Jeffries, Fremont and Stella have been infringing upon his privacy. The very end of the scene, near 2:53, Hitchcock uses an eye level shot in which Thorwal is glaring right into the camera. The audience feels exposed to Thorwal’s glare and sympathizes with the nervousness Jeffries  feels. Hitchcock creates that suspense within the viewer by maintaining that shot for two to three seconds, which is a little longer than what is generally required. Camera Angles and Movement Hitchcock is famous for his point of view shots that put the audience into the mindset of the character. As mentioned above, in the climax, Hitchcock utilizes the point of view shot to emphasize the emotion and shock that Jeffries feels at Thorwal catching Fremont in his apartment. In the next scene in which Thorwal confronts Jeffries creates a different, interesting use for the point of view shots. Here, Hitchcock utilizes the flashing red lights to show how the shot is screened from Thorwal’s view. When this happens, there exists point of view because the confusion and indecisiveness which Thorwal feels is carried over to the audience feeling confusion as well at the chaos of the scene. There are also a multitude of panning shots used in order to create a feeling of constraint as very little additional information is revealed. The panning shots are used to show how Jeffries feels being unable to get up and look around at the events occurring around him since he is confined to his seat.   Lighting There is lots of dark lighting used to create an ominous and suspenseful tone. This conveys the message that the unfolding of events, such as Thorwal discovering Fremont in his apartment will obviously not be positive. Also, many scenes such as the example of the right incorporate severly dark surroundings. This shows how little the audience knows, relating to the symbolism of light and illumination.  Voyeurism The concept of the film rests on Jeffries viewing his neighbors’ activites. This theme settles with the rest of those that are defined by the movement of voyeurism in film starting in this time period. The concept of the protagonist being a regular observer of the activities of others intrigues the audience until they are drawn into wonder the very same thing. Hitchcock’s concept draws in his target audience to wonder at Jeffries’ curiosity. The constant observation links the audience into realizing how little they know and at how the characters know even less. Film History and Theory Set in the postwar period, Rear Window offers a look at the dark and mysterious films that marked this time period in cinema. The depressing mood left by the war is reflected in the themes of this film. The film is made in classic Hitchcock style of suspense.  Watch for  The pacing and deliberelately extended shots which drag the suspense of the scene.  Mise-en-scene - notice how detailed every objected is incorporated into the frame of the shot.  The effective usage of point of veiw shots and how they drag the audience into experiencing the world in the same way as the protagonist.  The theme of voyeurism and how central it is to the development of plot. Also, notice how intriguing Jeffries' interest in watching others is for the audience.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Ez6dw3ywcc – Suspense and Long Take POV Shot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1iY9kVq9CxU - panning

Critical

1. The Metafictional Hitchcock: The Experience of Viewing and the Viewing of Experience in "Rear Window" and "Psycho"

R. Barton Palmer

Cinema Journal 
Vol. 25, No. 2 (Winter, 1986) , pp. 4-19

Published by: University of Texas Press on behalf of the Society for Cinema & Media Studies

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1225456

2. The Representation of Violence to Women: Hitchcock's "Frenzy"

Jeanne Thomas Allen

Film Quarterly

Vol. 38, No. 3 (Spring, 1985), pp. 30-38

Published by: University of California Press

DOI: 10.2307/1212541

Stable URL: http://www.jstor.org/stable/1212541

Page Count: 9

Works Cited:

http://userpages.umbc.edu/~landon/Film%20Summaries/Summary_RearWindow.htm

http://www.upstartfilmcollective.com/portfolios/jcharnick/essays/rear-window.html

https://eng3122.wordpress.com/group-3-main/story-composition/rear-window/
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047396/

Pictures:

http://www.movpins.com/big/MV5BMTQzNTQxMTY5N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwNDc5MDkzNQ/still-of-james-stewart-in-rear-window-(1954)-large-picture.jpg

http://cdn.visualnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/04/rear-window-2.png

http://a3.files.biography.com/image/upload/c_fit,cs_srgb,dpr_1.0,h_1200,q_80,w_1200/MTE1ODA0OTcxNjYwNDQ1MTk3.jpg
http://hartleyn.ism-online.org/files/2015/03/Rear-window.png
http://i648.photobucket.com/albums/uu204/movietimes2/REARWINDOW/RearWindow1954720pHDTVx264-TSE02277.png
https://berkeleywarreps.files.wordpress.com/2013/05/2alternate.png
http://brianwelk.files.wordpress.com/2013/03/hitchcock_rear_window_miss_torso.jpg