Voyeurism In The Film : Rear Window Directed By Alfred Hitchcock

Major Actors: James Stewart (L.B. Jefferies), Grace Kelly (Lisa Fremont), Wendell Corey (Thomas Doyle), Thelma Ritter (Stella), Raymond Burr (Lars Thorwald), Judith Evelyn (Miss Lonelyhearts), Ross Bagdasarian (Songwriter), Georgine Darcy (Miss Torso), Sara Berner (Woman on Fire Escape), Frank Cady (Man on Fire Escape), Jesslyn Fax (Miss Hearing Aid), Rand Harper (Newlywed), Irene Winston (Mrs. Emma Thorwald), Havis Davenport (Newlywed)

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is a uniquely captivating film that is an exemplary style of cinematic craftsmanship. Reaching into the minds of the characters, as well as the audience, Alfred Hitchcock is the master at utilizing the juxtaposition of images to bring us into the minds of the characters. In Rear Window, the story is so distinctively executed that it allows us to relate to our own curiosities, question our identities, and ponder our closest relationships. What is happening on the screen is merely a projection of our own anxieties, our own existence, and our self-ambiguity as portrayed by the characters in this wonderful film.

In Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, L.B. Jeffries, played by Jimmy Stewart, becomes completely obsessed with spending all of his waking hours watching his neighbors from his wheelchair. He even uses a camera to better his view and thus enhances his role as both a spectator and a voyeur. This contributes to the creation of a movie being played right outside Jeffries’ window. In this “movie within the movie” his neighbors’ lives become the subject for the plot. Each window represents a different film screen, each which is focused upon only when Jeffries directs his attention to it. He witnesses both the anxieties associated with the beginning of a marriage and the heartache of relationships ending. The

The film Rear Window, released in 1954, and directed by Alfred Hitchcock, portrays the shift of power in the relationship between the central characters of Lisa Freemont and L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries throughout the film. As the characters are introduced in the beginning of the film, Jeffries is shown to have control of the relationship between himself and Miss Freemont, the power later shifts to Lisa as the film progresses and she takes an interest in the suspected murder. However, the film ends with relative equality within the relationship, after Lisa's intelligence is discovered by her partner.

In the movie, Rear Window, Alfred Hitchcock uses the story of a cripple free lance photographer, Jeff Jeffries, to explain the twisted sense of society in the 1950’s. Hitchcock uses clever things from the way the apartments are being filmed to the dialogue between Jeffries, Lisa, and Stella to show societies interest in pain, tragedy, and discomfort, and in the end you see how tragedy is what makes everyone happy.

In this essay, I shall try to illustrate whether analysing the movie Rear Window as a classical example of the Freudian concept of voyeurism, is appropriate. Voyeurism is defined in The Penguin dictionary of psychology as:

Gender ideologies are apparent in all areas of life. Whether it be online, in TV shows, movies or in person, this idea of a specific role for each gender is almost inescapable. The stereotypes of both what women and men should aspire to be and follow are ever changing in today’s current society. However, in 1954, gender roles were very specific and it is shown throughout the film, Rear Window directed by Alfred Hitchcock. Through this film, gender ideologies are challenged but ultimately remain unshattered. The film produces an obvious view of women as the caretakers, and fragile in comparison to men who are the main providers. As the plot of Rear Window develops, characters continue to maintain the time periods gender ideologies despite the challenges they overcome.

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.

The film Rear Window addresses cinematic themes throughout the entire film, specifically throughout the last fifteen minutes. The movie ultimately uses cinematography to heavily describe the dramatic plot regarding Jeff, Mr. Thorwald, and the intense discoveries found when eavesdropping from the rear window. Film making techniques such as cinematography, mise en scene, sound, and more are all cinematic elements included in the film that influence aspects of the films stylistic system. The last fifteen minutes of Rear Window are heavily focused on the cinematic elements, specifically the movement, angles and shot duration of the camera during the suspenseful moments during Jeff’s plan to prove Mr. Throwald is a murderer. Mise en scene plays an important role in the entire film, Hitchcock uses mise en scene to symbolize many things; and is also heavily included in the last fifteen minutes of the film regarding lighting, props and more. Rear Window is a tremendously suspenseful film and uses both diegetic and non-diegetic sounds throughout; Hitchcock used more diegetic sounds through the

Alfred Hitchcock’s stance in the film business is something to be marveled. His prominent position as the “Master of Suspense” is due in part to the textbook blueprint he created in the thriller genre. His catalogue has many examples, but the two with the most similar psychological depth would be Vertigo and Rear Window. Not only do these two movies thrill on the surface level, but they also thrill from the character’s emotional and psychological stand point. This makes the suspense less abrupt and more of a gradual progression into the classic Hitchcock climax. Hitchcock puts his viewers on a psychological roller coaster due in part to his three useful components: fear, guilt, and redemption.

Have you ever spied on your neighbors? Of course you have! Everyone is guilty of this at one point or another in their lives. This is the case in Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film, Rear Window. The main character, L.B. Jeffries, had broken his leg and has become immobile and has nothing to do but watch his neighbors. Everything is normal until he suspects his neighbor, Mr. Lars Thorwald, has murdered his wife, Mrs. Anna Thorwald. Jeffries is the real hero in the film because he is the person who first notices Thorwald acting strangely, he convinces everyone Thorwald is a murderer, and he never gives up the thought of Thorwald being a murderer.

Rear Window In the Alfred Hitchcock movie, Rear Window, a magazine photographer named L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies is confined to his apartment with his leg in a cast. He injured his leg on an assignment. Other than daily visits from an insurance company nurse and from his girlfriend Lisa, he has occupied his time by watching the apartment’s across the court yard from his rear window. He watches the apartment of a struggling musician, a dancer he calls Ms. Torso, a couple who sleeps on a fire escape who has a dog that they lower in a basket into the court yard daily, a newlywed couple, a women who he refers to as Ms. Lonelyheart because she has imaginary dinner dates, and a couple with a bedridden wife.

Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film Rear Window is a representation of the attitudes towards men and women in the 1950's. Through this film Lisa Freemont and L.B Jeffries experience a power shift in their relationship due to each individual's capabilities and ideas regarding the suspected murder case. Lisa and Jeffries relationship progresses through the film and their relationship experiences a power shift.

The viewer can effortlessly understand that Jeff’s actions in bugging in his neighbors represent his boredom and isolation in his apartment. However, the four day period of the film, allows Jeff to understand more about himself and what decisions que decides to take for future events. The props throughout this movie are essential, the audience are shown everything through Jeff’s eyes using binoculars, which represent his sight. Allowing the audience to get a real feel for Jeff and his isolation. This cinematic technique allows the audience to find with Jeff as they watch the situation literally through his eyes. According to Elizabeth Cowie, in “Rear Window Ethics,” “such playfulness makes Rear Window appear exhibinitionist, ofr the filma drwas attention to