May 01, · Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" Analysis. Hitchcock’s Rear Window is often remembered due to its stark display of voyeurism and the moral ambiguities it provides. The main character, Jeff, is immobilized for the summer and in order to pass the time begins to follow the lives of his neighbors by spying on them Essay on Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window. While analyzing the film “Rear Window” I found several authors with opposing opinions about it. My goal in this paper is to set forth different points of view and make my own original evaluation of this movie. To achieve this goal, I 2/5(3) Free Alfred Hitchcock Rear Window Film Essay Sample. The film Rear Window is because its formal structure underscores its meaning. Though too claustrophobic to equal his best movies, Rear Window nails all the themes that reoccur throughout Hitchcock's work. As Jimmy Stewart unties a mystery, much of the film is without conversation
"Rear Window" the Film by Alfred Hitchcock - Words | Essay Example
The main character, Jeff, alfred hitchcock rear window essay, is immobilized for the summer and in order to pass the time begins to follow the lives of his neighbors by spying on them. The obvious response is that this is spying and is thus immoral, however through his voyeurism Jeff is able to catch a murderer who would have otherwise gone free. However, beyond the voyeur exterior, Rear Window depicts the growth of Jeff.
At the start he is an irresponsible and stubborn thrill-seeker, using his job and adventures to mask his insecurities with his own manhood and his fear of relationships. However, by the end of the movie he has come to terms with who is is and is comfortable with himself, no longer feeling emasculated by his cast. This change in how he identifies his self helps to move forward his relationship as well, which brings us to the underlying theme of the movie, alfred hitchcock rear window essay.
Rear Window is a study in relationships and how they evolve and change. In the apartment complex which is the setting of the film, alfred hitchcock rear window essay, the viewer is exposed to a medley of alternate versions of relationships, each juxtaposing another. To start with there is the juxtaposition of Miss Torso and Miss Lonelyhearts. Each of these women live alone, however the viewer sees that Miss Torso, a vivacious and beautiful socialite, is constantly surrounded by male admirers while Miss Lonelyhearts instead goes on imaginary dates where she sets the table for two and eats alone, pretending that she has a lover present.
They are two sides of the same coin that is, the single woman in New York coin. In addition, alfred hitchcock rear window essay, the viewer has the contrast of the old content couple, who dote on their dog and sleep out on their balcony every night, with the newlyweds who hide themselves behind closed shades, most likely to have some privacy while they fornicate.
Again, Hitchcock presents the viewer with two different versions of the same relationship; one old, and one new. Perhaps though the most striking comparison of couples is the comparison of Jeff and Lisa to the Thornwalds. Although Jeff and Lisa are not married, as the Thornwalds are, they each play the role of a more middle aged couple not to the extent of the couple with the dog, yet not quite as young and fresh as the newlyweds. However the Thornwalds are a reflection of Alfred hitchcock rear window essay and Lisa: they are like a mirrored image.
In each relationship the viewer is presented with an invalid and a caretaker. The juxtaposition though is in which character plays the invalid and which is the caretaker. In the case of the Thornwalds, the woman is the invalid, reliant on the man to take care of her. Oppositely, Jeff is reliant on Lisa to take care of him, alfred hitchcock rear window essay. Like the viewer of the film, Jeff watches the rest of the apartment tenants as they go about alfred hitchcock rear window essay daily lives.
In fact, Jeff is the only character in the film that we know of who is watching everyone else, and therefore observing the juxtaposing relationships the way we are. Alfred hitchcock rear window essay he is subconsciously aware of the similarities between his relationship with Lisa and the relationship of Lars Thornwald with Anna Thorwald.
Certainly this would help to explain his aversion to the idea of marriage with Lisa. On some subconscious level, Jeff sees and understands that in his relationship, he is playing the role of Anna Thornwald, the victim. Jeff wants to be the one in charge, not only in his relationship but in life in general. This idea is abhorrent to him, as he is so intent on staying on top. Further though, he relates to Anna Thornwald in the fact that, even before she was murdered, she was confined alfred hitchcock rear window essay her bed and dependent on her husband.
He is in a similar position, confined to his apartment and relying entirely on Stella and Lisa. Jeff, the man, is reliant on females to take care of him. To his adventurous and thrill seeking side, this is very emasculating.
Not only does this challenge the metaphoric idea of him, the man, as the breadwinner, but it also forces him to evaluate his ideas of his own independence. Jeff is a character who lives off of thrills and adventure.
For starters, he is a photographer, alfred hitchcock rear window essay. In most cases photographer is not a job that comes to mind when you think adventure. However, as seen by the photographs displayed around his apartment, Jeff is not any ordinary photographer. His photographs are not only shot from exotic places, but depict crazy subjects, one in particular being the death-defying race car with alfred hitchcock rear window essay tire flying toward the camera presumably the reason Jeff is now handicapped.
travel to strange places with minimal luggage, eat crazy local food, etc. However, when he injures his leg, rendering him immobile and reliant on others for six weeks, he cannot handle the sudden change in lifestyle. Repulsed by the idea of idleness, he continues to create drama and add thrills to his life by spying on his neighbors. He is looking for something exciting i.
a murder to change up the monotony and boredom of his days. Obviously, he finds his dramatic fix when he witnesses Lars Thornwald acting as though he were covering up killing his wife. He is looking and grasping at reasons or proof that Lars killed his wife. Considering he views the Thornwalds relationship as telling of his own, this determination to find something wrong with Lars is a metaphor for his adamance in finding something wrong with Lisa, a reason not to marry her.
Again, he is relating to Anna Thornwald. Since he subconsciously identifies Lisa with Lars and obviously is disgusted by the murderer, there is a part of him that is repulsed by Lisa because he associated her with Lars.
This ultimatum shows his stubbornness and selfishness: it is his way or the highway, and despite the fact the relationships should be give and take. Refusing to take responsibility, and still somewhat mentally a child, he issues the ultimatum to Lisa.
She gets no say in how they will proceed, she instead bust chose from one of his convoluted propositions. He is trying to make up for the emasculation he feels in being rendering immobile, and thus refuses to show any sign of feelings for her. In fact the first time the viewer starts to see his growing affection for Lisa is when she starts participating with him spying.
Superficially, she is proving that she can adapt to his adventurous lifestyle. In addition though, she is removing herself from Lars, which allows Jeff to think of her as her own person and to grow affectionate for her.
As he sees her side alfred hitchcock rear window essay him and be repulsed by the acts of Lars also, he can separate Lisa and Lars. This distinction becomes especially strong in the scene where Lisa climbs into the Thornwalds apartment and is trapped there when Lars comes home.
This scene is the first time we see Jeff showing true and genuine feelings toward Lisa, and its because she is put right next to Thornwald, alfred hitchcock rear window essay. On a physical level, it is the first time that Jeff can put the two of them next to each other, removed from him, and he realizes that Lisa is far different from Lars. In addition though Lars begins to attack Lisa, alfred hitchcock rear window essay, causing her to be associated with Anna, and therefore with Jeff.
In the metaphor she is shifted from being the equivalent to Lars, the caretaker, to becoming Anna, the victim, and thus becoming Jeff. Because of this shift Jeff is able to realize his true feelings for her, as he now sees her as an extension of himself and not of a person he despises.
In the end of the alfred hitchcock rear window essay it is revealed that Thornwald was a killer and he is arrested. All of the relationships of the film appear to be resolved, yet still stay in contrast with each other. The old couple is still around, with their new dog, and the young couple is beginning to bicker. It is shown that Miss Torso has a boyfriend who was away in the army, and he returns.
In contrast, Miss Lonelyhearts falls for a musician in one of the apartments above her. Jeff, now with two broken legs from being tossed out of his window by Thornwald, is content to be taken care of by Lisa, who appears to be changing to fit the relationship better.
By being immobilized and using his brain and wits to fight off and protect others from a murderer he no longer must rely on the stereotypical brawn to make him feel manly and in charge. At the end of the film he is now stuck in two casts, but he has changed into a person comfortable in his immobility. He knows there is more to him than his ability to move around or, be adventurous as he was able to save himself, Lisa, and other potential murder victims without the use of his leg. The seemingly resolved ending of the film is, however, an illusion.
The viewer is left questioning the morality of spying on their neighbors, which in of itself creates a problem.
However it is perhaps the relationship of Jeff and Lisa that, alfred hitchcock rear window essay, although better, is still left quite unresolved. In the last shot as the camera pans away we see Lisa reading a travel book and, when she notices Jeff asleep, alfred hitchcock rear window essay, put it down to read a fashion magazine instead.
Her effort to fit into his alfred hitchcock rear window essay is superficial, alfred hitchcock rear window essay, she is acting only to lease him when in reality she has not changed. Has he decided that his hobby of peeping in on the lives of others is over, or will he continue to spy on alfred hitchcock rear window essay neighbors?
And would it be so bad if he did? Wood, Robert. Revised Edition ed. New York: Columbia University Press, Zizek, Slavoj. Everything you always wanted to know about Lacan but were afraid to ask Hitchcock.
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Rear Window: Sample Essay
, time: 21:22Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" Analysis Free Essay Example
Free Alfred Hitchcock Rear Window Film Essay Sample. The film Rear Window is because its formal structure underscores its meaning. Though too claustrophobic to equal his best movies, Rear Window nails all the themes that reoccur throughout Hitchcock's work. As Jimmy Stewart unties a mystery, much of the film is without conversation Sep 09, · In this ‘Rear Window,’ Hitchcock appears in one of the windows, winding up a clock. He only appears for about 10 seconds. This is a very unusual thing to do, appear in your film. This is one of the reasons why Hitchcock films are so famous May 01, · Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window" Analysis. Hitchcock’s Rear Window is often remembered due to its stark display of voyeurism and the moral ambiguities it provides. The main character, Jeff, is immobilized for the summer and in order to pass the time begins to follow the lives of his neighbors by spying on them
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