Hitchcock had a rather concrete opinion of how men and women fit into society in the 1950s, particularly as was represented in film. The narrative techniques used by hitchcock in rear window l. Rear window is currently being studied for its first year in vce. Rear window is an american suspense film released in 1954 and directed by alfred hitchcock, a man who is commonly known by his pen name william irish. What stood out for me this time was the films panoramic view of romantic attachment and its pitfalls. Jul 29, 2014 since much of the film consists of jimmy stewart, in either medium shot or closeup, looking out his window followed by what he sees and then his reaction to it, it could be argued that, to a great extent, rear window is the kuleshov effect.
How does hitchcock use rear window to define gender. Visual techniques in the work of alfred hitchcock paige a. Windows are usually a metaphor for freedom, but in hitchcocks rear window 1954 they expose privacy, they symbolize confinement, and they allude to suspenseful plot devices. Hitchcock said this trend changed drastically when sound finally came to film in the 1930s. Alfred hitchcocks rear window analysis essay example. Rear window by alfred hitchcock the scene in the film rear window was about the community and the protagonist named l.
Vanderbilt universitys feminism and film blog poses an interesting take on gender dynamics in rear window, arguing that the film outwardly offers images of generalized gender roles, but uses its two main characters to reverse the traditional maleactive, femalepassive paradigm. Without criticizing or supporting these roles, rear window puts every gender stereotype in play in one neat package and offers them for observation on a platter. Jefferies james stewart attempting to defend himself from his neighbour, lars thornwald raymond burr, after the latter discovers that jefferies has been witness to his crimes over the course of the film. Like in rear window, we only see through kales shia labeouf perspective. Cinematography is the use of the camera, the shots used, the angles and distances. The film rear window was added to the united states national film registry in the library of congress as being culturally, historically, and aesthetically significant. Hitchcocks unique auteur style has made his name recognizable. Alfred hitchcocks rear window this essay will try to give an overview of two interpretations of rear window, both of which focus on the gaze and voyeurism of the movie, and both of which can be situated to a greater or lesser extent within a psychoanalytic context. Driscoll abstract since his beginning as a filmmaker in britain, alfred hitchcock has become a household name not only in britain and, later, the united states, but also internationally. Analysis of themes in rear window essay 1436 words. Hitchock created something very special with rear window. Originally released by paramount pictures, the film stars james stewart, grace kelly, wendell corey, thelma ritter, and raymond burr.
Thus, before analysing alfred hitchcocks 1954 thriller rear window, it is. He does this by watching the way all the other couples in the apartment across from him live. Windows are usually a metaphor for freedom, but in hitchcocks rear window. The following analysis reveals a comprehensive look at the storyform for rear window. Set design the set is designed to give you an easy map to follow of their surroundings. The narrative techniques used by hitchcock in rear window. The end this scene creates suspense as the vulnerable victim is in a life threatening situation. The task of dissecting a motion picture consisting of dialogue, camera shots and dialogic sound is challenging, but an understanding of a film s social, cultural and political background can elevate your analysis from standard to spectacular. A common reading of the film views jeff as a spectator figure and what he sees out his window as a rear window by john belton nurse thelma ritter watches the apartment that wheelchairbound photojournalist james stewart has been eying from his window.
The analysis of the cinematography and miseenscene in the opening sequence in rear window alfred hitchcock, 1954. Rear window film techniques for students lisa tran. Watching rear window recently, i realised stewarts voyeurism yielded another reward. Rear window is therefore a film about filmmaking, yes, but its also a complex movie with depth, range, humor and warmth thats here, first and foremost, for our repeated pleasure. For all intents and purposes, rear window is a film about voyeurism, so it makes sense that hitchcocks approach to the film would be to force audiences to become voyeurs. Rear window by alfred hitchcock lisas study guides. Without sound, filmmakers had to create ways to tell the story visually in a succession of images and ideas.
Essay analysing the themes, which wore used in the film red road 2006, and also the surveillance, misery and love and also explaining the directors andrea arnold decisions techniques. In fact, it is quite easy to consider it as a film with a wholly diegetic soundtrack but, in reality, its really an intricate weaving of sound orchestration playing against the images onscreen. Mulveys interpretation is explicitly inspired by psychoanalysis and feminism, while zizeks. This also means it has been incorporated into the dramatica story expert application itself as an easily referenced contextual example. Rear window film techniques for students lisa tran youtube. Part 1 rear window study guide the director, the cast, the story. Consider this analysis of hitchcocks use of lighting in rear window. There are crucial moments in the film where he is clearly required to act, and he delays, not because he doesnt care what happens, but because he forgets he can be an active player. In rear window 1954, lighting is used again to convey deeper. An analysis of the themes and techniques in the movie rear.
This movie helped pinpoint some recurring elements about men and women present in all three films that we concentrated on for this exhibit. The one i chose is the scene in which the little dog is discovered dead. Alfred hitchcocks rear window a short analysis of the use of nonverbal. Hitchcocks aesthetic configuration of the film manipulates the audience into questioning several aspects of the filmdid mr. Editing of rear window alfred hitchcock cinema arts online. Alfred hitchcocks rear window a short analysis of the use of nonverbal communication in film sandra miller term paper communications movies and television publish your bachelors or masters thesis, dissertation, term paper or essay.
Jefferies, a photographer bound to a wheelchair in his apartment as his broken leg heals. The camera shot is a extreme closeup so that we can see the victims face and how dangerous it is. Character analysis of lisa fremont in rear window, a movie by. A short film scene that shows what a character the subject is looking at.
In alfred hitchcocks rear window, he is a temporarily wheelchairbound man and his voyeuristic side appears later on in the film. In fact, the whole reason he ended up in the wheelchair was strolling out onto a racetrack to shoot pictures of the cars. Since much of the film consists of jimmy stewart, in either medium shot or closeup, looking out his window followed by what he sees and then his reaction to it, it could be argued that, to a great extent, rear window is the kuleshov effect. This goes back to hitchcocks beginnings in silent film. There is always the urge to know more, to look beyond the camera. When watching a hitchcock film, the audience is seeing things in ways that. As summarized on the website the museum of film history, men are shown as damaged and needing. In alfred hitchcocks american suspense crime film, rear window, the main character lisa fremont transitions from a girly fashionista to a daring investigator. Sequence analysis assignment rear window, is a classical hollywood mystery capturing many aspects of human curiosity and society as it was in the twentieth century. And there are a lot of cinematic elements at play in rear window that help put audiences into the role. One of alfred hitchcocks very best efforts, rear window is a crackling suspense film that also ranks with michael powells peeping tom 1960 as one of the movies most trenchant dissections of. Perhaps rear window doesnt have an iconic scene in the way that north by northwest and psycho do, but it does have several scenes that are worth taking a closer look at. He takes the notion of narrative perspective and exaggerates it by creating an invalid character without the ability to leave his apartment. Rear window alfred hitchcock introduction analysis.
When the man was matched with food, audiences said the man looked hungry, and so on. Pointofview editing allows the audience to sit in the seat of our main character, jeff jefferies, and witness his reactions to what is going on in various neighbors apartments. Micro elements such as cinematography and miseenscene can be used to create all sorts of effects and feelings within a screen play. Indochina is better known as vietnam these days, and they forced the colonial french to surrender a few months before rear window opened. In rear window, alfred hitchcock decided to create a professional. Lisas boyfriend, jefferies, believes in the beginning of the film that lisa is just too perfect and doesnt think she could fit. Analysis of themes in rear window essay 1436 words bartleby. Watching alfred hitchcocks 1954 thriller rear window is an interesting and somewhat unusual experience. Part 2 rear window film techniques video part 3 rear window essay prompt breakdown video.
Rear window essay topic breakdown lisa tran youtube. Film techniques of alfred hitchcock suspense, camera. Film techniques of alfred hitchcock suspense, camera angles. How can the context of a film be utilised to add complexity to an analysis. Jul 25, 2012 watching rear window recently, i realised stewarts voyeurism yielded another reward. Rear window 1954 is like a featurelength demonstration of the same principle, in which the shots assembled in jeffs mind add up to murder. The suburban setting ofrear window reinforces the sense of confinement and suspicion rampant during the 1950s. The film is based on the film it had to be murder, a 1942 short story by cornell woolrich fawell 2. Suddenly everything went toward dialogue oriented material based on scripts from the stage. As hitchcock ends the film with the blinds in jeffs. After wwii ended in 1952, millions of us soldiers returned to a multitude of suburban homes built using mass production techniques, all overwhelmingly close to another. Structurally alfred hitchcocks 1954 classic, rear window appears rather simple but when you examine the films editing, complexity and intention is revealed. This essay will try to give an overview of two interpretations of rear window, both of which focus on the gaze and voyeurism of the movie, and both of which can be situated to a greater or lesser extent within a psychoanalytic context.
In his suspense masterpiece, hitchcock utilizes all of his favorite gender roles for his male and female characters. Hitchcocks rear window 1954 builds a distinct view of the world and how, in the directors opinion, men and women fit in it. For rearprojection shooting there is a screen and behind it is an enormous projector. Parallel characteristics in rear window the dilemma of prying rear window as a snapshot of its era. Rear window aesthetics windows are usually a metaphor for freedom, but in hitchcocks rear window 1954 they expose privacy, they symbolize confinement, and they allude to suspenseful plot devices. Rear window is a 1954 american technicolor mystery thriller film directed by alfred hitchcock and written by john michael hayes based on cornell woolrichs 1942 short story it had to be murder. It has some of the best cinematography i have ever seen.
John michael hayes screenplay was based on cornell woolrichs with penname william irish original 1942 short story or novelette, it had to be murder. As summarized on the website the museum of film history, men are shown as damaged and needing help, while women are shown as caregivers. Rear window by ben elliott hitchcocks rear window 1954 builds a distinct view of the world and how, in the directors opinion, men and women fit in it. Given by the fact that the film alone had been given 100% rating on shows that his directing in this film was at his optimum. Carusos disturbia 2007 is almost identical to rear windowa teen living under house arrest becomes convinced that his neighbor is a serial killer. In rear window, jeff is not a moralist, a policeman or a dogooder, but a man who likes to look. Early on jeffs nurse, stella, states that people nowadays look too deeply into relationships and that before if. What makes this film so good is the fact it could be seen and analyzed from. Another camera technique that adds to this sense of constraint is the panning. Alfred hitchcocks 1954 thriller rear window encapsulates his masterful use of controlling information to create deepseated suspense in the audience. The importance of set design in hitchcocks rear window. Jeffries is a highclass magazine photographer for what seems to be a worldwide publication. Camera movement in rear window an analysis task for film. Writing a film analysis can be daunting in comparison to analysing a written text.
How does hitchcock use rear window to define gender roles. Jefferies peeps out his rear window analyzing his relationship with lisa. Men think women are interested in money or status or success, while women are only interested in love. Pov shots, from jeffs perspective, are used throughout rear window. These papers were written primarily by students and provide critical analysis of rear window by alfred hitchcock. This analysis will be conducted on this scene from alfred hitchcocks rearwindow 1954 situated at the climax of the film, this scene depicts l. An educational edit of the opening of rear window that makes clear where some camera movements are used.
One of the main lighting techniques is low key lighting, this leaves a majority of the background dark, you only see a portion of the actor, and it adds to the scene by making the character, in this case the murderer, look mysterious and suspicious. An analysis of the themes and techniques in the movie. Unlike most of the analysis found herewhich simply lists the unique individual story appreciationsthis indepth study details the actual encoding for each structural item. I will be investigating why it is seen as such an aesthetically significant film even to this day. Film and music submitted by jess19 words 1050 pages 5. How hitchcock used editing to turn rear window into a. Aspects of this film survive todaynot as rear window, but as key elements in other films. Theme analysis for red road and rear window essay 1088 words 5 pages. The final shot of the film shows the blinds of the rear window closing, hiding the cinematic world as the film draws to a close.
What stood out for me this time was the film s panoramic view of romantic attachment and its pitfalls. The movie, rear window, filmed in 1954, directed by alfred hitchcock utilizes a wide variety of lighting techniques. Film techniques year 9 english year 7 english vietnam fiontar mr sommers the news. And just as the shades on jeffs window rise to introduce us to this film, the shades come down as the film ends. Rear window 1954 is an intriguing, brilliant, macabre hitchcockian visual study of obsessive human curiosity and voyeurism. Character analysis of lisa fremont in rear window, a movie. Puts the audience on equal footing with the characters.
How to write a rear window film analysis lisas study guides. Through restricted narration alfred hitchcock not only portrayed human curiosity, but also awakened a stream of suspense in th. Oct, 2009 structurally alfred hitchcocks 1954 classic, rear window appears rather simple but when you examine the films editing, complexity and intention is revealed. When most people think of hitchcock, its the screeching violins from psycho that first come to mind. It is a film about looking, and hitchcock, as always, was canny on several levels. This scene is used to create suspense as the audience gain a feeling of uncertainty.