Film techniques in rear window

It is safe to say, then, that while hitchcocks techniques and films are not and. I will be investigating why it is seen as such an aesthetically significant film even to this day. Film techniques of alfred hitchcock suspense, camera. Rear window, american thriller film, released in 1954, that is considered one of alfred hitchcocks most suspenseful movies. The costumes for rear window were designed by edith head, one of the most famous costume designers in hollywood history. How does hitchcock use rear window to define gender roles. The end this scene creates suspense as the vulnerable victim is in a life threatening situation. The narrative techniques used by hitchcock in rear window l. Rear windows opening credits is with a static shot of a window from the inside of a room and the blinds on the window are going up one by one. Through restricted narration alfred hitchcock not only portrayed human curiosity, but also awakened a stream of suspense in th. Were there tricks or techniques that hitchcock taught you.

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. Burr might as well have been addressing the audience. The phenomenal film is well known for proclaiming its voyeurism issues that goes on in todays society. What i like about this sequence is how we dont see their faces, but only from the knees down. In the movie rear window, hitchcock can build the suspense the audience feels by building the one felt by the character. Hitchcock said this trend changed drastically when sound finally came to film in the 1930s. Grace kelly in rear window the thriller is at the forefront of rear window 1954, but the film is really a love story between l. Hitchcock used her a lot in notorious, to catch a thief, vertigo, and the birds, among other films, and her fantastic clothes were all over hollywood in the 50s and 60s.

This way the audience feels like they are one with the character or are sharing something personal and intimate together. Ten essential film techniques or cinematic techniques all students studying rear window can find. Part 1 rear window study guide the director, the cast, the story. 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. Rear window film techniques for students lisa tran youtube. Dec 08, 2015 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. The pointofview shots help to pull the audience into the film and to identify more with the characters, most notably the main character, l.

Here are 3 of his filmmaking tips that you can apply to any film genre. Stephanie bittar narrative analysis paper mcs 273 rear window 1955 alfred hitchcock s 1954 film, rear window, explores many dimensions in cinematography. It is this idea that pushes the plot of the movie forward and creates conflicting theories among the characters as well as the audience viewing the film. In rear window, jeff is not a moralist, a policeman or a dogooder, but a man who likes to look. By shooting the entire film from jeffs point of view, hitchcock was a true innovator in creating a subjective filmgoing experience. Oct 08, 2012 rear window s opening credits is with a static shot of a window from the inside of a room and the blinds on the window are going up one by one. Another camera technique that adds to this sense of constraint is the panning shots. This scene is used to create suspense as the audience gain a feeling of uncertainty. The cinematographic techniques employed in rear window are important ways of shaping our understanding of the film, and hitchcock uses a wide array of visual cues to communicate certain messages. The film is known for is suspenseful nature, and hitchcock himself is known for being a master of suspense. Jeffries, a photographer who is confined to a wheelchair while recuperating from a broken. As an alfred hitchcock favourite, i suppose rear window has to be mentioned, if only to record the unsurprising fact that there are no real locations to see its set in greenwich village, new york, but the movie was shot entirely on a gigantic set built at paramount studios on melrose avenue in hollywood. 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. This analysis will be conducted on this scene from alfred hitchcocks rearwindow 1954 situated at the climax of the film, this scene depicts l.

The narrative techniques used by hitchcock 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. When most people think of hitchcock, its the screeching violins from psycho that first come to mind. Family plot, torn curtain, rebecca, psycho, rear window, man who knew too much.

In alfred hitchcocks rear window, he is a temporarily wheelchairbound man and his voyeuristic side appears later on in the film. Rear window 1954 is an intriguing, brilliant, macabre hitchcockian visual study of obsessive human curiosity and voyeurism. Jefferies, a photographer bound to a wheelchair in his apartment as his broken leg heals. Jeffries played by james stewart has been staring across the courtyard at him for most of the film, lars thorwald played by raymond burr confronts jeffries by saying, what do you want of me.

There are such a vast number of planes to appreciate rear window on and one of those is its impeccable use of sound as well as a score courtesy of franz waxman. 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. Alfred hitchcocks 1954 thriller rear window encapsulates his masterful use of controlling information to create deepseated suspense in the audience. Part 2 rear window film techniques video part 3 rear window essay prompt breakdown video. Rear window by alfred hitchcock lisas study guides. Theme analysis for red road and rear window essay 1088 words 5 pages. Jul 29, 2014 in rear window, a film he called his most cinematic because it was told only in visual terms and in the screenplay, there is, indeed, no dialogue for the first four pages we can see how the kuleshov effect provides much of the film s drama. A wheelchairbound photographer spies on his neighbors from his apartment window and becomes convinced one of them has committed murder. Jeffries, jeff james stewart, a photojournalist, whose profession and travels mean everything to him and who is reluctant to commit himself to a relationship, and his highspirited girlfriend. Voyeurism and subjective understanding in rear window posted on december, 2018 april 17, 2019 by david north the following is a transcript of robert pippins concluding lecture to our free screening of rear window on december 3. 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. In his suspense masterpiece, hitchcock utilizes all of his favorite gender roles for his male and female characters. Alfred hitchcocks rear window answer the following questions in detail.

Watching alfred hitchcocks 1954 thriller rear window is an interesting and somewhat unusual experience. Marriage is a frequent topic of conversation during the first act of rear window, and this discussion forms the emotional core of the film. Rear window essay rear window is a film directed by alfred hitchcock, based on the short story it had to be murder, by cornell woolrich. Alfred hitchcocks rear window analysis essay example.

Voyeurism and subjective understanding in rear window. As demonstrated by rear window, hitchcock can transform what may seem like a mundane way to film a moviethrough a window in a limited space in a single apartment roominto a work of suspenseful art. 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. Hitchcocks originality and mastery of lighting, cinematography, and set design in rear window were not only successful during the golden age of hollywood, but will continue to be creatively adapted and consistently influential throughout the future of the cinema. Independent film director jeffrey michael bays, a lifelong fan of alfred hitchcock, has written these articles and the accompanying ebook to further spread the brilliant simplicity of hitchcocks creative genius. The opening scene of rear window is perhaps the best opening of any hitchcock film. 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. An analysis of the themes and techniques in the movie rear. The analysis of the cinematography and miseenscene in the opening sequence in rear window alfred hitchcock, 1954. Jeffries is a highclass magazine photographer for what seems to be a worldwide publication.

Jeff is dating lisa, a park avenue princess, and stella cant understand why jeff wont make a. Rear window is a study in relationships and how they evolve and change. How hitchcock used editing to turn rear window into a. How to write a rear window film analysis lisas study guides. The importance of set design in hitchcocks rear window ksa. With james stewart, grace kelly, wendell corey, thelma ritter. Carusos disturbia 2007 is almost identical to rear windowa teen living under house arrest becomes convinced that his neighbor is a serial killer. Suddenly everything went toward dialogue oriented material based on scripts from the stage. The audience is pulled in by eyes, camera, distractions, pov, montage, simplicity, ironic characters, dual actions, macguffin. In the apartment complex which is the setting of the film, the viewer is exposed to a medley of alternate versions of relationships, each juxtaposing another. Dec, 2018 voyeurism and subjective understanding in rear window posted on december, 2018 april 17, 2019 by david north the following is a transcript of robert pippins concluding lecture to our free screening of rear window on december 3. 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. 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.

Lars is identified quite quickly as a murderer, but that identity is what is in question throughout the film. In rear window, a film he called his most cinematic because it was told only in visual terms and in the screenplay, there is, indeed, no dialogue for the first four pages we can see how the kuleshov effect provides much of the films drama. 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. But this particular kind of cinematography not only shows just how brilliant jeff is, it shows just how brilliant hitchcock was as a director. Jeff expresses his own opinions on marriage in a conversation with stella at the beginning of the film. Weve put together a list of the most significant film techniques that were used by alfred.

Lighting is one such cue that he uses a lotit is said that at certain points in filming, he had used every single light owned by the studio in which this film was shot. The suburban setting ofrear window reinforces the sense of confinement and suspicion rampant during the 1950s. There are two main purposes for his use of optical pointof view shots in rear window. After the curtains rise, hitchcock does a slow counterclockwise pan of the courtyard. Hitchcocks aesthetic configuration of the film manipulates the audience into.

Alfred hitchcock frequently began his movies with a scene that introduces the viewer to both character and setting in an understated, economical way. Analysis of themes in rear window essay 1436 words bartleby. The 10 most ingenious techniques used by alfred hitchcock. Originally released by paramount pictures, the film stars james stewart, grace kelly, wendell corey, thelma ritter, and raymond burr. 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. The film begins with a shot of jeffs window as the blinds slowly rise in a. 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. Aspects of this film survive todaynot as rear window, but as key elements in other films. It starred hitchcock favourites james stewart and grace kelly. This goes back to hitchcocks beginnings in silent film. Jul 01, 2017 alfred hitchcock is not only the master of suspense, but pure cinema. Rear window is therefore a film about filmmaking, yes, but its also a complex movie with depth. The camera then tracks towards the window as though it is going to leave the room, however the camera pans down and stops tracking when it.

Without sound, filmmakers had to create ways to tell the story visually in a succession of images and ideas. 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. Like in rear window, we only see through kales shia labeouf perspective. As a filmmaker, he is widely acknowledged for his use of pointofview shots, tracking shots, and other techniques that reinforce the power of looking or the role of. In rear window 1954, lighting is used again to convey deeper. Alfred hitchcock called rear window his most purely cinematic film. And there are a lot of cinematic elements at play in rear window that help put audiences into the role. The camera then tracks towards the window as though it is going to leave the room, however the camera pans down and stops tracking when it reaches the window sill.

Alfred hitchcock, the master of suspense, and quite possibly the greatest film director of all time, has used optical pointof view shots. In rear window, jimmy stewarts character is a photographer whos confined to his apartment by a. John michael hayes screenplay was based on cornell woolrichs with penname william irish original 1942 short story or novelette, it had to be murder. Film techniques of alfred hitchcock suspense, camera angles. The film tells the story of a socialite who meets a tennis player on a train and shares with him a plan for a perfect murder and get away with it. 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. The literary and cinematic techniques in rear window, a film. We identify that these are two different men by their shoes and which direction each one comes from. Alfred hitchcock is not only the master of suspense, but pure cinema. The camera shot is a extreme closeup so that we can see the victims face and how dangerous it is. Themes and plot devices in hitchcock films wikipedia. Hitchcocks unique auteur style has made his name recognizable. Micro elements such as cinematography and miseenscene can be used to create all sorts of effects and feelings within a screen play. Windows are usually a metaphor for freedom, but in hitchcocks rear window.