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Film Techniques In Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window

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Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window takes advantage of interesting film techniques in order to further the narrative using only one simple set. This set is used to convey a sense of demobilization which is felt by Jeffries who broke his leg and is in a cast. The point of view is limited to within Jeffrie’s apartment living room and the apartment building across a courtyard which can be viewed from Jeffrie’s window. The film uses frequent camera masks for iris shots when Jeffries needs a closer look and uses binoculars and his camera’s zoom lens. The camera also does a couple of establishing tracking shots which pans left while tilting up and down between floors in the apartment building. This is shot at the angle which would be from Jeffrie’s window …show more content…

Most, if not all, sound in the film could be categorized as diegetic meaning that it originates in the world of the film. I found this to be one of the most spectacular aspects of the film. The sounds of children playing, city sirens, and the reoccurring music coming from the composer’s apartment and other unseen sources all add a sense of environment and realness to the theatrical stage-like set. Also as Fawell described, much of the sound in the film is asynchronous and comes from off screen action, often either contrasting or complimenting what is being shown in frame. For instance, the sound coming from the composer’s apartment is used as “Lisa’s theme” and often plays during intimate or romantic sequences in the film, highlighting Lisa’s desires and romantic intuitions. One example of contrasting sound is when jazzy upbeat music is playing as Ms. Lonelyheart contemplates taking her own life, but the film reminds us that the music is diegetic by allowing the upbeat music to uplift Ms. Lonelyheart causing her to change her mind. It was interesting how Hitchcock “opened and closed”the sound of the courtyard, as referred to by Chion, during more intimate or focused scenes which I completely missed while watching the film because they are so naturally incorporated in the film that it’s hard to notice. The whole film

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