rear window

Question 1

curtain rise

Answer 1

The way the curtain rises at the beginning of the film positions Jeff’s neighbor’s windows as small stages immediately displaying his point of view as others lives being there for his entertainment to distract from his immobile state.

Question 2

staging

Answer 2

The various stages of marriage portrayed throughout the film, allow Jefferies to materialize his own fear of entrapment as opposed to gaining further insight into his neighbors. He deems the couple on the fire escape, above his eye line, unattainable happiness in commitment, rarely paying attention to their daily activities, while he predominantly focuses on the Thorwalds on his eyeline, whom he regards as the reality of marriage. He looks down on Miss Lonelyhearts as another reality of being single, however, is not affected by this as he is a male who can focus on his career without harsh judgment from society, compared to females. Jefferies never sees past the scenes of entrapment as he does not want to acknowledge his fear of commitment to Lisa. He is encouraged by the steel bars encasing the couple on the fire escape, which he views as a cage, and the “drastic” murder of Mrs. Thorwald at the hands of Lars Thorwlad as it was his only escape from his “nagging wife”.

Question 3

mockery of ms lonelyheart

Answer 3

Hitchcock’s utilisation of the Kuleshov effect highlight Jefferies indifference to Miss Lonelyheart’s desperation and as the camera switches from the point of view of Jefferies to a close up shot of him, it is further revealed that as he lifts his glass up in sync with Miss Lonelyheart, highlighting the amusement and pleasure he gets from watching others, simply reacting to her profound unhappiness with “Poor Miss Lonelyheart.”

Question 4

Dress evolutions of Lisa

Answer 4

Lisa’s initial wardrobe of elegant, feminine dresses represents her upper-class refinery whilst also highlighting her possible incompatibility with Jeff. However, as she changes and compromises throughout the film until she is finally seen in loafers, jeans a blouse signifying the change in her character as she conforms more to the ‘adventurous’ lifestyle of Jeff.

Question 5

Phallic imagery of the camera lens: ‘portable keyhole”

Answer 5

Jeff uses his vantage point to exert control over those around him as his voyeurism becomes an escape from his emasculated state. This is seen in how he often objectifies the women, this vulnerable state is further reinforced by the phallic imagery of the camera and the binoculars as we see he reclaims his masculine-driven need for control through his unethical observations.

Question 6

Incapacitated wheelchair vibes

Answer 6

The diminution of Jeff’s masculinity as a result of his incapacitation is represented through phallic symbols, his inability to uncork a wine bottle at dinner, and the long lens camera that rests on his lap as he observes his neighbors.

Question 7

Gory excitement of Stella: “cut up”, “splattered”

Answer 7

Stella despite originally resisting and disapproving of Jeff’s voyeuristic behaviors eventually joins in with the voyeurism becoming increasingly interested and then actively involved. Through this Stella represents the audience as the use of her gory language of “cut up” and “splattered” showcases that it is human nature to be excited by the dramatic as she moves from being a morally grounding character to an excited voyuer.

Question 8

Hunger sculpture

Answer 8

The sculpture symbolically named ‘hunger’ depicts the isolated New York’s community and is representative of the general desire for more human connections.

Question 9

Set being closed off McCarthyism

Answer 9

Only one narrow road - close-minded and narrow community 50s McCarythyism - civil war, very suspicious

Question 10

Screen-like, panopticon staging

Answer 10

The panopticon staging of the Rear Window set positions Jeff’s neighbor’s windows as small stages, setting up his view of others to be purely for his entertainment. Each neighbour’s window is isolated from one another and displayed similarly to individual television screens, for Jeff and viewers alike to watch in a panoptican-like fashion emphasising the entertainment value that can be drawn from observing others’ activities without their knowledge.

Question 11

1. Lisa was only interested when entering the view

Answer 11

Only when Lisa enters the frame of the scene does she showcase to jeff she is exciting & adventurous transition in the way he sees her, reflecting outwards and doesn’t look at people around him, using distraction, only when enters is he forced to address that is a good option for him

Question 12

Ending matching Lipset, vogue vs the adventure book

Answer 12

Whilst Lisa pretended to read an adventure book before replacing it with a fashion magazine represented her ability to deceive Jeff into believing she is the adventurous “Girl Friday” he is looking for. This signifies that although Lisa hasn’t really changed her outward appearance changing allowed Jeff to appreciate her.

Question 13

3. Rear Window ethics: “Peeping Tom”

Answer 13

Jeff’s neighbors in Rear Window are powerless and vulnerable as they don’t know they are being observed, imposing upon this vulnerability gives a sense of dominance or authority for Jeff. Viewers also become voyeurs through their
intimate connection with Jeff’s perspective, becoming just as fascinated with the Thorwald mystery as Jeff. To emphasize that Jeff and simultaneously the audience is doing something unethical Stella acts as a moral compass and likens watching the neighbors to an offense that could end up in a “six-month sentence”.

Question 14

Camera angle his perspective implicates viewers

Answer 14

The dominant shots of the film are point-of-view shots in order to evoke the audience’s interest and implicate them in the morally questionable voyeurism. The camera angles also give a limited perspective, as the audience looks from Jeff’s point of view they are limited by factors such as walls and blinds meaning the audience doesn’t have a complete view of what is happening and can only view things as Jeff continuously watches his neighbors, forcing them to become voyeurs alongside him.

Question 15

Wider commentary on the film industry, escapism

Answer 15

Hitchcock positions the camera so that we follow Jeff’s perspective in order to implicate the audience as voyeurs themselves making a wider comment on how film is also a matter of voyeuristic escapism where individuals seek to distract themselves from their own lives by watching others.

Question 16

16. Naming reducing the women-male gaze

Answer 16

The women are reduced to being objects through naming conventions, ms torso is reduced to what she looks like, miss lonelyhearts reduced to marital stsuts women in this world only defined by marital and beauty

Question 17

Superficial judgement of Ms Torso

Answer 17

The reduction of fellow neighbours to characters is showcased through the objecctification of many of the women following stereotypes of 1950s America. This is profoundly displayed through the characterization of “Miss Torso” who’s name in itself is based on her physical appearance, highlighting the lack of knowledge Jeff has on her as a person. Through the constant judgements made by Jeff Hitchcock emphasis the impacts of the cold war era on urban areas. Jeff’s assumption that Miss Torso is “like a queen bee with her pick of the drones” signifies his superficial and inaccurate perception on others’ lives as he watches from a distance. His suspicions are based on preconceived notions and biases that are prompted by the perpetual weariness of the people in the 50s and highlight that in simpliyfying one to a character for entertainment neighbours have lost their compassion and understanding for the lives of those around them.

Question 18

Lisa projection onto Ms Torso

Answer 18

Ms Torso symbolises the desirable single life, as being the “eat, drink and be merry girl”, and the object of Jeff’s fantasies, however Lisa sees the truth, she is “juggling wolves”. Miss Torso seemingly thrives on male attention, although Lisa sympathises with Miss Torso rejecting the idea that she is involved emotionally with any of her admirers, recognising and relating to the loneliness underneath the social facade.

Question 19

Power dynamics, lisa vs jeff

Answer 19

How Lisa often stands over jeff, jeff holds power everyone looking at him watching him jeff struggles because emasculated but at the same time he still holds power as a man in this world, when Doyle enters see change Lisa becomes a sort of joke, that lack of power

Question 20

Literal negative picture of Lisa

Answer 20

The image of Lisa in the negative literally symbolises Jeff’s negative perception of Lisa at the beginning of the film, in contrast the following shot of Lisa in the ‘positive’ foreshadows the development of the film as he begins to perceive Lisa as a suitable life partner

Question 21

Mis - en - scene - lighting

Answer 21

Lisa’s desire to satisfy Jeff’s needs in hopes of becoming his “wife” is showcased through the mis-en-scene and characterisation during her characters introduction. As she turns on three lights in Jeff’s apartment theatrically articulating her name “lisa…carol…freemont” gradually illumination the room. Her dramatic display visually represents Lisa’s multipliticy in her female roles, how she actively attempts to embody a plurality within her identity - attractiveness, her caring tendencies and her ability to be adventurous - in order to render herself as desirable to Jeff.

Question 22

Heat - the tension building

Answer 22

At the beginning of the film Hitchock displays Jeff’s thermometer and his sweaty face, the couple upstairs sleeping on the fire escape and miss Torso wearing barely any clothing all these visual elements aid Hitchock in making the audience feel the stifling onscreen environment.

Question 23

Emasculation of Jeff - wine uncorking

Answer 23

The diminution of Jeff’s masculinity as a result of his incapacitation is represented through phallic symbols in his inability to uncork a wine bottle at dinner with Lisa, exemplifying how voyeurism has replaced intimacy in his personal life. Jeff is aloof to his growing indifference to commitment however viewers are informed by Stella’s questioning of his virality as she suggests he has a “hormone deficiency”.

Question 24

Doyle and his objectification of Lisa

Answer 24

The male character’s desire to “window shop” highlights their lack of insight into respecting females. This is evident in Doyle’s unapologetic gaze at Lisa as she moves around in Jeff’s apartment creating a mentality of objectification in which men are able to “watch women… with binoculars and long focus lens” but never touch.

Question 25

General suspicion to expect worse, murder

Answer 25

Jeffs inherent suspicious nature is unveiled when his immediate response to Throwald’s strange behaviour and Anna Thorwalds subsequent disappearance is to accuse him of murder, showcasing the McCarthyistic attitudes of the time. Despite Jeff ultimately proving that a crime was committed Hitchcok calls into question the validity of oversuspiciosu behaviour and postiitons the notion that without the pervasiveness of McCarthyism Jeff may not have suspected a horrific crime or even noticed a change in the Thorwald apartment.

Question 26

Songs - To See You is To love you & mona lisa & lisa

Answer 26

This idea that he doesn’t know these people he just sees them and hates them, isolated despite being close and struggling to connect with others emphasising a fractured community.

Question 27

27. Dog response

Answer 27

The neighbors not concerned about a dead dog, lack connection, the moment where really realize they don’t care about each other

Question 28

28. Fractured community, thorwald vs sculptor

Answer 28

The initial sequence in the film, depicting Thorwald blatantly spurn the sculptor's friendly attempts to give advice on his flowers, chiding “why don’t you shut up?” immediately displays a fractured community that isolates themselves rather than forging connections amongst themselves, which may be a result of their overly apprehensive and fearful nature post world war II.

Question 29

30. Lighting, darkness, shadows

Answer 29

In Rear Window light and dark is used to signify good and evil, Thorwald the murderer is typically seen in a darkened apartment. Whereas, Lisa, Jeff and Stella are typically bathed in light as well as the rest of their neighborus. However, as Hitchock asks the audience to question the morality of his characters when engaging in voyueristic activities Lisa, Jeff and Stella are seen to retreat into the shadows. Further, through the use of lighting audience’s are persuaded to be fearful, when it is dark the audience and Jeff are unsure of what is happening.

Question 30

32. Moral questioning throughout

Answer 30

Suggests that despite the entertainment and detachment the constant questioning of “rear window ethics” suggests the the characters never fully let go of the understanding that they are watching other people, and can never fully detach from their investment , even if it is in a superficial story, in the lives of other humans

Question 31

33. Step into action

Answer 31

Despite the situation they do eventually step into action, as their humanity prevents them from allowing people to suffer. Jefferies and Stella’s concern for Miss Lonelyhearts and their subsequent call to the police indicates that despite their understanding that they are wrong as voyeurs, they will not step back into the shadows but take action to intervene when necessary. Hitchcock depicts that it is not plausible for humans to ignore connection and not notice one another, as their human nature encourages them to care for each other in times of stress.

Question 32

34. Long connection, reasons for not having it

Answer 32

Whilst the film focuses on the murder, the other main plot feature is the releationships that form suggesting that humans will always long for somekind of connection, be it with their neighbours as seen with miss lonelyheart and the muscian, with their companions as seen with Jeff and lisa, or with the community in general as seen with the Sculptor’s sculture ”hunger”. The reasons separating these characters from going forth not simply being suspicion or a lack of empathy but instead distraction, insecurity and circumstance. He suggests that every character longs for connection, but this can often be overlooked as they are preoccupied with the perils of mundane life. This is evident for Miss Torso and The Musician who are busy with furthering their careers, while masking their desire for human interaction and deeper connection by creating links with people who can feed and grow their desire for success in their respective jobs. Jefferie’s using the lives of others as a distraction from his own emotional vulnerabilities with lisa etc.

Question 33

35. Magnitude/emotional exhaustion

Answer 33

The idea that the over saturation of residents, in that in the modern day people live in incredibly close quarters to a plethora of people, makes it unrealistic and exhausting for them to develop concern for everyone in their complex. This abundant detachment of neighbours reaches its peak when the married couples dog is murdered as despite everyone coming to their windows, yet again staying within the boundaries of their own homes, the neighbours immediately lose interest and continue on with their lives, as they cannot afford the emotional toll of taking on sympathy for everyones else problems. A man from the musicians home claimed that “it’s only dog”, this callous response emphasising the significant lack of interest amongst the community as the problems of those around them are made to be insignificant.

Question 34

marraige as entrapment

Answer 34

Particularly within the earlier stages of the text, Hitchcock uses a wide range of symbolism and motifs to demonstrate the concept of marriage as one of confinement. The representation of the metal bars surrounding the elderly couple on the fire escape highlight the prison-like environment that marriage may be associated with. Combined with the repetition of the couple’s morning alarm clock; the director encourages his audience to initially consider the mundane and routine life domesticated marriages create; in the same manner that Jefferies does. The use of excessive heat evident throughout particular stages of the film (such as the introduction of the setting) further reinforces a feeling of discomfort for the audience; Hitchcock invites his viewers to create a connection from marriage to discontentment. Jefferies’ initial preconception of life in wedlock when talking to Gunnerson, including a ‘hot apartment’, automatic dishwasher’ and a ‘nagging wife’ also addresses the ‘boring’ life domesticated marriages may create; and thus is originally perceived as problematic.

Question 35

reaction to dead dog

Answer 35

Hitchcock examines this forced disconnect through the neighbor's less-than-sympathetic views of the dead dog. Immediately following the pet owners screams after discovering her dg there is a complete absence of sound. The silence is symbolic of the fact that neighbours and society as a whole are so isolated from each other that they have on one to turn to in times of crisis. This is further accentuated by the pet owner’s desperate and condemnatory soliloquy, which Hitchcock uses as a mouth piece to condemn the reality that “neighbors don’t speak to each, care if anybody lives or dies.”

Question 36

doyles views of lisa

Answer 36

It’s Doyle that Hithcokc uses as an archetype of wider societal views of women, affirming the misogynistic views of the 1950s as he cautions Lisa’s “female intuition” as “fairytales” that “only sells magazines.”

Question 37

painter in Thorwald apartment

Answer 37

The Kurshelov effect the principle visual language in this new found unity displaying a painter in Thorwalds apartment painting the walls a fesh new colour symbolising new beginnings and potential for unity.

Question 38

Temp & music at end

Answer 38

A panoptic shot of Greenwich village coupled with a sweet melody in the form of diegetic music lifts the veil of suspicion that once plagued Greenwich. This paired with the close-up shot of the temperature gauge represents the diminished heat and tension that suffocated the community, the new cooler temperature reprenstatitive of the released tension and optimal conditions in which a sense of unity can be formed.