It was Alfred Hitchcock’s idea for Rear Window to depict an unnamed photographer who is confined to a long summer day by the open window of his flat, from which he observes other residents of the building he shares with him. The photographer is physically handicapped, so he is forced to stay in his apartment all day long. One day he witnesses an event; he describes a murder case, and he immediately feels the need to investigate and find out about the event. Throughout the movie, we are forced to stay with the photographer in his room as we uncover the mystery behind the different events in his neighborhood. In this essay, I will be giving my opinion about the film and analyzing the different techniques employed.
According to me, this film is one of the most thrilling and interesting because the viewer can be able to analyze it from different perspectives. There are lots of nail-biting twists and turns in this thriller. Second, because much of the film is shot from the main character’s point of view, the story is shown to both the protagonist and the audience at the same time. One of the greatest themes portrayed in this film is privacy. The photographer is always alone and does all his investigations alone. We can also see that people were allowed to make decisions independently without asking for society’s opinions. However, we can also see that Jeff, the photographer invades Thorwald’s privacy by secretly investigating him. Jeff’s secret investigation raises the question of a moral dilemma. What is expected from a person when they witness an event they believe is murder? Should they investigate the event independently, or should they report it to the police?
Lighting is one of the major cues used in the film. One can easily see that Hitchcock utilized almost all of the different lights at a given moment in the film. We can see the events happening outside Jeff’s window because of the directors’ amazing lighting techniques. Light is also used to hide different events and things in the films, an example being when Jeff feels like he needs to be a shadow so that his subjects outside the window don’t see him.
A whole other example of the Kuleshov effect is the cross-cut. It is an editing device that utilizes two shots to communicate more details than a single shot. The Kuleshov effect as someone is watching something, and the camera moves from one person to another. Jeff’s reactions to happenings in the courtyard are frequently shown by Hitchcock using this cross-cut technique. Jeff’s point of view is conveyed through this visual aid.
Finally, like any other text, it’s important to consider how Hitchcock uses symbols to tell his story. However, studying a film can make these symbols more visible, making them visible. Jeff’s broken leg, propped up and covered by a cast, is one of the first representations we see. His leg immobilizes him, preventing him from having to work or perhaps even deciding to leave his flat, let alone attempting to solve a murder mystery. It represents his sense of helplessness and the origin of much of his frustration.
Work Cited
ALFRED HITCHCOCK. “Watch Rear Window For Free Online.” 123movies, 1954, ww5.0123movie.net/movie/rear-window-6505.html.
write