Voyeurism In Rear Window

Alfred Hitchcock, in his critically acclaimed horror movie “ The Birds “, uses his camera shots metaphorically as a person rather than a weapon, in a way to add suspense, inner themes of the film, and to express the character’s emotions or intensity.

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

AWe’re a race of Peeping Toms. People ought to get out of their homes and look at themselves.’

Francois Truffaut, when referring to Hitchcock said that “he exercises such complete control over all the elements of his films and imprints his personal concepts at each step of the way, Hitchcock has a distinctive style of his own. He is undoubtedly one of the few film-makers on the horizon today whose screen signature can be identified as soon as the picture begins.” Many people have used Hitchcock as the ultimate example of an auteur as there are many common themes and techniques found amongst his films. Even between the two films “Shadow of a Doubt” and “Vertigo,” many commonalities occur.

Hitchcock believes that in one form or another we are all voyeurs among society. He believes that we desire to view and witness events in the lives of the people around us, without having to be involved or participating. Hitchcock makes us recognise how Jeffries' and Lisa feel by exaggerating everyday things we may do in our lives, like watch people

Alfred Hitchcock also used cinematography in a uniquely stylizing way. Hitchcock not only uses the camera to create dramatic irony, but he also uses the camera to lie to the audience and create anxious suspense. For example, in his film Psycho, when Marion is in the shower Hitchcock frames the scenes very tightly. Marion is in a confined and very personal space. This makes her incredibly vulnerable. Then Hitchcock heightens the suspense by creating dramatic irony with the reveal of a shadowy figure closing in on Marion, unbeknownst to her. This creates a lot of anxiety for the audience, knowing the protagonist is vulnerable and in danger with no way of altering the inevitable. Hitchcock then manipulates the audience by “revealing” a brief silhouette of an old lady as our shower killer. Hitchcock uses this “reveal” to lie to the audience, he makes the audience think they have more inside knowledge confirming their already growing suspicions, when in reality the audience is misled entirely and the murderer was Norman all along. The way Hitchcock uses the camera to reveal both inside information and misleading information truly keeps the viewer engaged and not knowing what to believe until the truth is finally revealed. By using this unique technique of controlling the audience by only showing what he wants you to see, Hitchcock masterfully defies expectations and creates suspense.

“Kubrick’s work reveals deeper evidence of the personal involvement which distinguishes the true auteur. His develpment has been remarkably consistent through an apparently heterogeneous range of projects, and each film’s meaning becomes more confidently definable when one places it in relation to its fellows (page 561 paragraph 2).”

The first half of this course focused on Alfred Hitchcock and how his techniques are now recognized as iconic. From class discussions and film screenings, it is clear that Hitchcock pays every attention to detail when he crafts a scene. Many Hitchcock films we have seen this semester highlight how he builds suspense through cinematic elements such as shadow, dialogue, and composition. While many of his suspenseful scenes stir feelings of intensity and uncertainty, Alfred Hitchcock builds a more romantic suspense in his 1955 film To Catch a Thief in the fireworks scene (1:06:35-1:11:00).

In Alfred Hitchcock’s film Rear Window, the main character Jeff practice voyeurism. Voyeurism is the practice of spying on other sexual activities for your own pleasure. Jeff was hurt in an accident while being a photographer. Now he sits in his room all day and night in a cast. He sits in his wheelchair and spies on all of his neighbors in the complex. He sees multiple activities going on and some are even suspicious. In Alfred Hitchcock’s film Rear Window, Jeff’s injury turns him into a voyeurist.

The Alfred Hitchcock film; Vertigo is a narrative film that is a perfect example of a Hollywood Classical Film. I will be examining the following characteristics of the film Vertigo: 1)individual characters who act as casual agents, the main characters in Vertigo, 2)desire to reach to goals, 3)conflicts, 4)appointments, 5)deadlines, 6)James Stewart’s focus shifts and 7)Kim Novak’s characters drives the action in the film. Most of the film is viewed in the 3rd person, except for the reaction shots (point of view shot) which are seen through the eyes of the main character.(1st person) The film has a strong closure and uses continuity editing(180 degree rule). The stylistic (technical) film form of Vertigo makes the film much more

Rear Window (1954) directed by Alfred Hitchcock depicts a house-ridden photographer believing that he has seen a murder occur in the apartment across the courtyard of his apartment complex. Throughout the film, there is the constant use of the motif of voyeurism. The motif is used straight from the start, often dragging the audience into looking into the lives of others just like the main character, L. B. Jefferies, is doing. Rear Window asserts that people should not keep to themselves, but instead delve into the personal affairs of others- even if the person doesn’t know its happening. Although there are characters that argue against this case, many supporting characters such as Lisa and Stella give into watching the neighbours.

Hence, for Psycho, I will be discussing three scenes where Hitchcock has deliberately and precisely controlled via the film medium, to engage us.

Hitchcock had a rare visual style that focused on suspense and terror which led him to be named the master of suspense. He had of way

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.