Once Alfred Hitchcock defined his film Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954), as the story of a man who cannot move and looks through a window, what he sees and how he reacts to it (Truffaut, 1986). For this reason, Hitchcock constructs the character of the protagonist of the film, Jeff (James Steward), not only by using cinematographic devices but also through Jeff´s interpretation of what he sees related his own life, showing a dichotomy between what he looks at and what he lives.
At the beginning of the film, a camera movement reveals Jeff´s profession and why he is immobilized in a wheel-chair. He is a photographer, interested in looking at other´s lives; consequently, he could be described as a voyeur. Across a very limited space- the courtyard of the neighbourhood, he spends his time looking through the window in order to avoid boredom. He looks at different windows,
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Jeff is not interested in what happens in his life, and as a result, he cannot look at the interior of his apartment even when Lisa talks to him directly he only thinks in what is happening outside the window, thus, the window represents the border between the two worlds (real and unreal.). The editing of the clip with different shots of Lisa and Jeff contributes to emphasize their misunderstanding in their interests, although Lisa attempts to attract his looking to this side of the window in many ways. Previously, by “selling” him the conformity of the America´s fifties (Deleyto, 2009), in the clip, offering herself as a sexual object, and when she fails, she turns into a partner in his detective’s activity. But only when he looks at her on the other side of the window, she will become interesting for
This is seen when Jeff looks at Miss Torso from his window. While this happens the film goes into a close-up of Jeff's face. Through this, Hitchcock was able to illustrate to the audience that Jeff was looking at Mrs. Torso due to her sexual attractiveness. In the next scene, Stella walks through the door and calls Jeff a “peeping tom”. Because the film was taken in the 1950s, being a peeping tom or a stalker for sexual desire is considered illegal.
As he sits there looking out the window for countless hours he is no longer interested in just his personal life but those around him. When observing even closer I realized that there is an explanation to the obsession Jeff has with looking out of the window. It is not directly stated in the film but when looking at the sorrroundings Jeff is surrounded by only the courtyard and a small alley way hince the reason why Jeff choices to take particular interests in looking at his neighbors. The lack of scenery and things to do makes me believe that Jeff is feeling trapped. The binoculars no longer act as just a viewing defice but a symbol for
Madison Avenue advertising executive Roger Thornhill’s (Cary Grant) life changes drastically after he is kidnapped and mistaken for a spy named George Kaplan. After a successful escape from attempted murder by Phillip Vandamm (James Mason), Roger Thornhill begins a journey to search for George Kaplan. On his itinerary, he meets the beautiful Eve Kendall (Eva Marie Saint). A romantic relationship is started between the two, leaving Thornhill to believe that Even Kendall would cooperate and help him to meet Kaplan.
The film 's protagonist L.B Jefferies is characterised as a man who diverts himself from what is expected of him. His dislike for marriage and his desire to remain independent isolates him from the rest of society. When Stella is conversing with Jeff about his relationship with Lisa Freemont, Hitchcock exhibits the constraints of society 's expectations. The fact that Jefferies does 'not want to ' get married to Lisa is considered 'abnormal ' in Stella 's eyes, indicates the normalisation of marriage during 1954. Jefferies ' isolation from society 's view of marriage is utilised by Hitchcock in order to critique the way in which society pushes others to conform.
Rear Window Argues that people should mind their own business. Do you agree? Rear Window, a 1954 romance/murder-mystery by the renowned golden age director Alfred Hitchcock, is a film that explores a multitude of themes and genres through the voyeuristic gaze of protagonist L.B. Jefferies. Jefferies, or ‘Jeff’ as he commonly known throughout the film, is a middle-aged bachelor recently hospitalised due to his high-risk career as a photojournalist. This hindered condition serves as an important foundation on which the movie is built upon as Jeff’s forced lifestyle being in a wheelchair causes an abrupt stop in his usual high intensity way of life and causes him to quench his boredom in other ways, predominantly watching the other residents in his apartment complex through the ‘rear window’ of his apartment.
Ethics are defined as a principle, morals and in the movie Rear Window Jeff (James Stewart) is an injured photographer. Throughout the film Jeff spends most of his time sitting by the window spying on his neighbors’’. Most people might find this inappropriate behavior, but to Alfred Hitchcock this is ethically okay. Hitchcock thinks this way because he believes in not making moral judgements. In my opinion, I don’t think it’s okay to spy on people.
When “Psycho” first came out in 1960, Alfred Hitchcock caused quite a stir by demanding a “no late admission” policy to his audience during the screenings of the movie. This decision was taken by the director in order to avoid spoiling the plot of “Psycho”; for the same reason, journalists and critics were also only allowed to watch the movie with the rest of the audience. Hitchcock was very particular about not giving any hints, so that in 1959 there were rumors he burned every available copy of Psycho, the book which inspired the movie, to prevent anyone from discovering the plot. This intent of his is also noticeable throughout “Psycho”: Norman (Anthony Perkins), the main character, is not shown until 20 minutes in the movie, and the presence
Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window has several themes. One major theme is relationships. The lead character, Jeff Jeffries, a photographer and committed bachelor, is involved in a relationship with Lisa Fremont, a model, although the relationship has some tension due to Jeff’s lack of commitment. When Jeff is confined to his apartment recovering from a broken leg, he begins spying through his rear window on his neighbors in a nearby apartment. Through her frequent visits, Lisa is drawn into this spying as well.
Mise-en-scéne is crucial to classical Hollywood as it defined an era ‘that in its primary sense and effect, shows us something; it is a means of display. ' (Martin 2014, p.XV). Billy Wilder 's Sunset Boulevard (Wilder 1950) will be analysed and explored with its techniques and styles of mise-en-scéne and how this aspect of filmmaking establishes together as a cohesive whole with the narrative themes as classical Hollywood storytelling. Features of the film 's sense of space and time, setting, motifs, characters, and character goals will be explored and how they affect the characterisation, structure, and three-act organisation.
It also holds a message about ‘reality’. From time to time, we are all like Jeff, secretly intruding other people’s private lives, whether it be those of our neighbours or by watching a film. The Film also skilfully portrays the issue of male gaze. Lisa’s role in the film, though she is an independent and successful woman, still serves for the purposes of male gaze. Even though she was a willing active participant, Jeff’s interest in her sparked when she embraced his point of view, took part in his own “subjective narrative” and became an object of his
The idea of similarities among all people, an underlying connection, is expressed by Hitchcock when Lisa in Rear Window argues with Jefferies, saying, “There can't be that much difference between people and the way they live! We all eat, talk, drink, laugh, sleep, wear clothes --“. When she says this, Lisa has a lamp light shining from the upper right side of the screen to indicate the truth of her argument. There is also an instance in Rear Window where the ability to understand a person sprouts empathy. Jefferies is sitting in the dark, after Lisa leaves angry, when the piano man comes home.
The killer is in the room and he only has a limited period of time to save himself from danger. The final scene of “Rear Window” is a fight against time. L.B Jeffries is stuck in a cast and he can not defend himself but Mr. Thorwald is in his room and ready to attack him. The police are also on their way to Jeffries room to arrest Thorwald. Jeffries does what he can to get more time so he uses his camera flash to blind Thorwald.
Citizen Kane , a film directed by Orson Welles, showcases many fascinating elements of filmmaking. The way that Welles illustrates these elements of filmmaking is the reason that James Naramore describes Citizen Kane as a powerful work of art. The narrative structure of Citizen Kane is an examination into the life of Charles Foster Kane, from his ambiguous upbringing as a child to his renowned success as a newspaper tycoon throughout his entire adulthood. Welles’ narrative structure and use of specific techniques of sound and cinematography create significant meanings and effects throughout the film.
Shutter Island, a psychological thriller, directed by Martin Scorsese incorporates techniques throughout to reveal the truth in Shutter Island. The film, based on a missing patient investigation, turns out as a cover up psychological experiment designed to bring Edward (Teddy) Daniels back to sanity concludes to be the truth. This essay discusses that by analysing certain scenes, including the opening scene, Teddy and Chuck addresses Dr Cawley, and whislt Teddy and Chuck interview the patients. These three scenes assist to expose Shutter Island through film techniques such as camera angle and mise en scene.
The man is Travis Bickle, ex-Marine, veteran of Vietnam, writer of devoted celebration notes to his guardians, taxi driver, and executioner. The film seldom strays a long way from the individual, profoundly subjective route in which he sees the city and gives it a chance to wound him. Travis often changes his perspective of whether he is in control of his predetermination or whether his fate is foreordained. Before all else of the film, Travis whines about being forlorn and not having wherever to go.