Similarities Between Rear Window And Veertigo

Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980), the “Master of Suspense”, was a English film director, who was well known for his use of suspense and psychological elements to shock and surprise his audience. Hitchcock was known for his use of recurring themes, motifs and plot devices, such as the use of birds, hand motifs, the audience as a voyeur, mothers, blonde women, and sexuality. He was also very technical in his editing, using filming techniques such as deep focus, point of view, close up and wide, tracking shots. Montage was also a technique he used frequently in his films. He believed that by using visuals, he could convey thoughts and emotions just as well as dialogue could.

How auteur theory can be applied to the study of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and Vertigo

Hitchcock uses many techniques throughout the film “Rear Window” to convey suspense. The major theme of the film regards Jefferies voyeurism. His intrigue in the everyday lives of his neighbours is viewed as intrusive and morally wrong on principle. However, without this voyeuristic tendency the crime committed by Thornwald would never have been solved. Thus, the audience is lead through emotional turmoil in questioning whether it is wrong to invade someone’s privacy, or just and heroic to solve a crime. We see the climax of the film when Lisa and Stella venture out of Jefferies apartment to investigate the murder of Mrs Thornwald. This leads to a confrontation between Thornwald and Jefferies. These scenes build suspense through the use of detachment, the use of ‘split-screen’, ‘red-herring’ plot devices, lighting, music and diegetic sound.

To see what they see, and compare our own thoughts with the evolution of the characters and the story. The dexterity of the images, and the impact that each scene has in portraying this theme, guide the viewer throughout the film with little use of dialogue and action. Our central character “Jeff,” is struggling with his casted imprisonment, his need for adventure is apparent as he watches outside his window. Conflicted with his girlfriend and conflicted with his theories, his character becomes more palpable, we begin to realize what is going on not only on the outside of him, but the inside of him as well. The aspects of the outside courtyard and the visual isolation of each apartment, help depict the humanity of each individual and sympathy for even the darkest characters. Hitchcock uses his camera, just as our protagonist does, to focus with him. The camera angles are depicted in a way to which we react with the character, rather than at the character, and eventually expose the minor elements of the story that bring to fruition the suspense of the movie and the thrills of discovery.

The viewer is introduced to the dolly zoom in the first scene when they look through Scottie’s eyes as he hangs from the gutter and looks down to the pavement below. The dolly scene gives the sense of vertigo. In this scene it makes the ground seem so much farther below than what it is. Hitchcock uses this shot throughout the film to give a feeling of false reality. The shot works by moving the camera back on a track while zooming in at the same time. This shot is also known as the vertigo shot. In the bell tower, this shot clearly puts the viewer into what Scottie is feeling at the time. It makes the viewer seem uneasy like they might suffer from Vertigo. In addition to this, Hitchcock perfectly uses the camera angle and the actors to tell a separate story. In the scene where he meets with his old friend, Gavin Elster, Hitchcock basically choreographed the actor’s movement and camera angles to set a mood and give foreshadowing. In this scene, Elster is sitting down while Scottie is standing in front of him asking the questions showing dominance. Once Scottie sits down, Elster stands up and stands on the steps to the second level, giving this sense of him being higher than Scottie. The camera follows Elster but then once Elster confesses why he wants Scottie to follow him, the camera pans in tight to his face. At this point Elster blocking is extreme in this shot. After his confession, the two men stay in the same position as the camera angle retreats on a dolly bringing both men into frame. This example shines light onto Hitchcock’s use of blocking and camera use that is evident throughout the film. Another major use of the camera is the way it used to show Scottie’s point of view. The narrative is restricted so that means the viewer can only see what the protagonist is seeing at that time. This is clear in the scene where Scottie is following Madeline as she

In the film industry, there are directors who merely take someone else’s vision and express it in their own way on film, then there are those who take their own visions and use any means necessary to express their visions on film. The latter of these two types of directors are called auteurs. Not only do auteurs write the scripts from elements that they know and love in life, but they direct, produce, and sometimes act in their films as well. Three prime examples of these auteurs are: Kevin Smith, Spike Lee and Alfred Hitchcock.

In Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 classic thriller Rear Window, Jimmy Stewart stars as L.B. Jeffries, a world traveling magazine photographer accustomed to living a fast pace active lifestyle. When Jefferies injures himself taking a risky picture he is immobilized, confined to a wheelchair inside his apartment for two months. Bored with his uneventful life he becomes completely obsessed with the lives of his neighbors spending the majority of his waking hours watching them from his window. To obtain a better view he begins using a telescopic lens from one of his cameras. By watching his neighbors through the camera he assumes the role of both a spectator and a voyeur. This contributes to

Like many of his films, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954) is an intense study in the sometimes-jarring idiosyncrasies of its main character, L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart). Jeffries is an observer by nature, a professional photographer confined to his apartment by an injury, with only insurance company nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and his girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) for company. This limitation impels him to begin observing his neighbors, and he witnesses events that lead him to believe Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) has murdered his wide. However, Jeffries’ watchful habit raises serious questions about the relationships between neighbors and ethics of observation in densely-populated urban settings. Rear Window uses set design and disparate camera techniques to codify the acceptable and unacceptable ways in which a city dweller might observe their neighbors, based largely on level on intent.

During the 1940’s, the idea of the auteur theory arose. It was crafted by Andre Bazin, who was a French film critic, and Roger Leenhardt, a filmmaker. They stated that a film should represent the directors vision. Another French film critic, Alexandre Astruc, enhanced the auteur theory by expressing that directors with their camera should be like writers with their pen. This would make a director’s films all have the same type of aspects. Once a director makes a number of films, a certain “finger print” can be seen throughout his creations.

For this paper, I have decided to compare two Hitchcock films. Ever since I can remember, I have seen Alfred Hitchcock films; Psycho, The Birds, North by Northwest, I enjoy his work because I like the suspense, and visual effects that he was able to accomplish. Out of all of his films, I believe that my favorite Hitchcock films would have to be Rear Window (1954) and Vertigo (1958), because I think that the two incorporate everything that is “Alfred Hitchcock”. Hitchcock films are known for being mysterious, cynical, as well as suspenseful and they are all similar because of his use of symbolism, light, repetitive actors, and repetition of theme.

Rear Window and The Birds were both filmed around the 1960’s a time in which the film industry was experiencing a great downfall. Because there were so many movements going on around the world such as, feminist movements, racial movements, post war movements, political movements etc. many films were not successful and there were many different genres that were being used in films. There were also many different independent films that were produced; this had an influence on American film as well. It is surprising how successful Hitchcock was during this time period where film production was looking grim. In order to be successful in America during this period of struggle Hitchcock had to shy away from the usual style and production of film.

In the film Rear Window, voyeurism is the most prominent theme. Hitchcock presents this theme by using different effect such as sound and camera angles and suspenseful characters and scenes. In Rear Window, Hitchcock reveals to the audience that Jeffries', Lisa and Stella are not the only voyeurs in the film, the audience are involved as well in the events that unfold in the movie and we are caught observing them. As a director, Hitchcock believes that being voyeurs can end in a tremendous disaster and it is best to not get ourselves involved. The audience experience the emotions Jeffries', Lisa and Stella feel throughout this film because of how Hitchcock has used effects and the theme of voyeurism.

Alfred Hitchcock is arguably the greatest director of all time. Many of his films are considered standards of American cinema and inspired many of today’s directors. Even though Hitchcock is known as timeless director, he had an understanding of philosophy that was beyond his time. Hitchcock had a brilliant perception as to how the mind works and human reaction. Hitchcock’s understanding of philosophy can be seen in his film Vertigo and illustrates how many theories can be debilitating in everyday life.

Auteur Theory is based on three premises, the first being technique, the second being personal style, and the third being interior meaning. Furthermore, there is no specific order in which these three aspects must be presented or weighted with regard to a film. An Auteur must give films a distinctive quality thus exerting a personal creative vision and interjecting it into the his or her films.

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film, Rear Window, explores many dimensions in cinematography. The phenomenal film is well known for proclaiming its voyeurism issues that goes on in today’s society. Even though voyeurism is an act that should not be done, this film portrays it in an affirmative way. Rear Window introduces primary structural components in the first act which sets the mood for the audience to interact with J.B. Jefferies in a way as it is the audiences duty to help him solve the mystery on whether Thorwald murdered his wife or not.