what is the theme of rear window

What is the theme of Rear Window by Alfred Hitchcock?

In Rear Window, Alfred Hitchcock creates a community outside Jeff's window that ends up being a microcosmic representation of the world. Everyone is contained in their tiny little spaces, rarely interacting with one another and yet, loneliness is rampant in the courtyard.

What is the plot of the movie Rear Window?

...Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film “ Rear Window ” demonstrated a suspenseful and terrifying storyline, which captured the attention of a variety of audiences. The film focuses on James Stuart (Jeff) and ultimately his neighbors who live around him.

What is the theme of Rear Window by John Jefferies?

One of the central themes in Rear Window is marriage, or more specifically Jefferies' fear of marriage. Through his voyeuristic habits he is able to see the strenuous complications that arise from marriage and relationships in his neighbors' lives.

What does the window represent in rear window?

Windows typically represent freedom, but in Hitchcocks 1954 film Rear Window, they reveal personal information, represent confinement, and make subtle allusions to tense plot points. What does Rear Window say about marriage?

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What does the ending of Rear Window mean?

Meaning of Rear window movie: Lisa wants to be with Jeff, but Jeff has always given excuses about his photography life. At the end of the movie, we can see Jeff with 2 broken legs, which means he can not move into adventure photography life that much and Lisa can be with him forever.

What does Stella represent in Rear Window?

Stella's Guide to Love and Marriage. In addition to disapproving of Jeff's peeping, Stella thinks he's crazy for not marrying Lisa. Stella is the one character who presents some common-sense ideas about marriage: it's hard, and you can't sit around waiting for the perfect person.

Why is Rear Window significant in movie history?

As with Hitchcock's 1944 film Lifeboat, which takes place entirely at sea, Rear Window presented the director with an opportunity to craft a suspense picture within a very confined space. The apartment complex where the action takes place was the largest set ever built indoors on the Paramount lot.

What does Rear Window say about relationships?

'Rear Window' presents many views on marriage, both positive and negative aspects. Hitchcock explores the different mentalities that men and women can have on marriage by creating two characters in a relationship, and how their views contradict each other.

What does Miss Lonelyheart represent?

In this way, Hitchcock uses the character of Miss Lonelyhearts to present the idea that for a woman to be “safe”, she needs to be in a relationship with a man. Her characterization and actions serve to emphasize the idea of castration, more specifically, the fact that a woman represents a lack of wholeness.

Who is the protagonist in Rear Window?

L.B. JefferiesThe protagonist in Alfred Hitchcock's film Rear Window, L.B. Jefferies, finds himself in a constant struggle to reassert his masculinity and regain the phallus.

What is the most significant moment in Rear Window?

The one I chose is the scene in which the little dog is discovered dead. This is an important scene for many reasons. It is the most heartfelt moment in the movie; we feel more sorrow for the dog than we ever did for Mrs. Thorwald.

Who is the killer in Rear Window?

Lars ThorwaldLars Thorwald is the main antagonist of Alfred Hitchcock's 1954 film Rear Window. He was portrayed by the late Raymond Burr.

What does Lisa Symbolise in Rear Window?

In this scene, Lisa represents both light and darkness. If we apply this symbolically to the relationship between Jeffries and Lisa, it could signify that Jeff needs Lisa in order to be whole (don't forget about symbolism and metaphor and how they drive and support the themes of the film!).

What does Rear Window say about gender?

Without criticizing or supporting these roles, Rear Window puts every gender stereotype in play in one neat package and offers them for observation on a platter. As summarized on the website The Museum of Film History, “Men are shown as damaged and needing help, while women are shown as care-givers.

What is Jeff's view on marriage?

Jeff is cynical about marriage is first revealed in the conversation with his editor Gunnison. If Lisa regards marriage as a partnership one that involves sharing and companionship, Jeff views it as a trap. Buried under his resistance is an element of guilt.

Is Rear Window A love story?

One writer thought that Rear Window was really a story about relationships just cleverly disguised as a murder mystery: "All of the lives Jeff observes from his rear window have one common denominator; they all in some way reflect different aspects of love and relationships.

What is the dense apartment complex?

The dense apartment complex, where residents are highly visible to one another , was a clever way for Hitchcock to setup the bait and leave to the viewer to discern their own level of comfortability between watching appropriately and watching too intently. Some support can be lent to Jeff’s voyeurism in that Lars Thorwald’s crime may not have been uncovered without it, and perhaps if more of the neighbours checked on each other, Miss Lonelyhearts’ condition may not have deteriorated and the dog may have been saved. But should this entitle Jeff and Lieutenant Doyle to leer at the unbeknown Miss Torso as she practises her dancing in a choice of clothing suitable to the hot weather or to watch Miss Lonelyhearts be inappropriately groped by a young suitor? With housing becoming denser due to population growth, ethical issues around watching people will no doubt continue to be pertinent.

What is the theme of the movie rear window?

The theme of community plays out in Rear Window through revealing a lack of community, care and compassion, demonstrating that people can be lonely and feel isolated even when they live in close proximity to others. Jeff and Lisa are shown as detached from others, Jeff through keeping the world at camera’s length and the travel that keeps him free from commitment and dependence on others, and Lisa through the arms-length of her privileged status. Jeff views his neighbours as subjects in a study rather than as active players in life, each with a separate narrative, played out adjacently but not connected. The big movie screen Hitchcock simulates in the opening scene when the curtains are first opened lends effect here. Lisa joins in the watching and other than her passing concern for Miss Torso being surrounded by predatory men seems as disinterested as Jeff in getting to personally know the neighbours whom Jeff has candidly nicknamed. Stella’s job as a nurse positions her as more caring, frequently displayed in her attention to the incapacitated Jeff, however even she joins Jeff and Lisa in watching the neighbours like characters in a film. Stella does however express concern for Miss Lonelyhearts’ situation, particularly when Miss Lonelyhearts is about to overdose on some pills.

Why does Hitchcock question Jeff's behavior?

Through Jeff’s questioning of his behaviour, Hitchcock raises the issue of whether it is ethical to watch people when they are unaware they are being watched , and through Lieutenant Doyle’s reference to people’s entitlement to privacy on watching various scenes of the neighbour, Hitchcock draws attention to the blurred boundary between what is public and what is private. Jeff’s rationalisation that he doesn’t care if he is watched like ‘a bug under a glass’ belies the generally-held social contract that people should not spy on one another and, on a few occasions, he appears compelled in adhering to this contract, as seen when he turns his eyes away from the Newlyweds having an intimate moment. Stella is the voice of reason, at least until she is convinced Lars murdered his wife and joins in the spying herself, and reminds Jeff of the legal implications of spying on people, being that it is considered a crime.

What is the theme of the movie Miss Torso?

The voyeurism and the male gaze theme connect with Jeff and Lieutenant Doyle’s leering at Miss Torso. This speaks about gender identity in the 1950s and the prevailing idea of masculinity that enabled Jeff and Doyle to presume their entitlement of looking at Miss Torso. Doyle’s behaviour is particularly hypocritical given his supposed understanding that people should be entitled to their ”… secret, private world…’ where they can ‘do … things … they couldn’t do in public.’

What is the rear window?

Marriage and Singleness. Rear Window explores marriage and singleness through the lives of its varied characters , including the bachelors, Jeff and the Songwriter, the single ladies, Lisa, Miss Lonelyhearts, Miss Torso and Miss Hearing Aid, and the married couples, the Thorwalds, Man and Woman from the Fire Escape, the Newlyweds, ...

What does Hitchcock show about the decline of traditional masculinity?

Hitchcock shows the decline of traditional masculinity through his male character’s lacking in heroic traits and impotent in their roles and actions. Jeff is confined to his wheelchair, reliant on basic care from Stella and in his ability to make a firm decision about his relationship with Lisa.

What is Hitchcock's commentary on the fire escape?

It is Lisa and Stella who have objections to Jeff’s voyeurism. Likewise, after the murder of the dog, it is the Woman on the Fire Escape who delivers a scathing monologue on what it means to be a neighbour.

Themes: Voyeurism, Ethics, Morality, Looking, Seeing & The Male Gaze

Message of Director = Hitchcock does argue that voyeurism is in poor taste, but that it is also a natural aspect of the human condition to look and spy on other people. Hitchcock sends Jeff and the audience a message to choose carefully at what you look at because you might get involved in something more serious than you bargained for.

Themes: Community, Social Isolation, Loneliness, Alienation, Sights & Sounds

Message of Director = Hitchcock critiques the lack of neighbourly love for each other in the apartment block and the lack of trust which ultimately displays the apathy of the 1950’s society.

Theme: Gender

Message of Director = Jeff’s perspective and male gaze allows males a measure of control and denies a female perspective in the film. Hitchcock portrays Lisa as embodying changes in the position of women in 1950’s, wanting the audience to consider women should not be underestimated.

Themes: Love & Marriage

Message of Director = Hitchcock suggests the need for love and for connectedness of others is essential in our existence. Hitchcock portrays relationships characterised by dissatisfaction and at times violent impulses. Cynically, Hitchcock suggests marital discontent is inevitable.

Themes: Confinement versus Expansion

Message of Director = Hitchcock demonstrates a society in which people are isolated in their own worlds without taking risks and living a narrow existence. He is somewhat pessimistic, though not completely hopeless, he challenges audiences to examine habits of their own especially in a world where sensitive information is at our fingertips.

Themes: Post-war Paranoia & Red Scare & Title Significance

Message of Director = Hitchcock critiques the notion of post-war paranoia by showing how the communist red scare pervaded 50’s society where neighbours spied on neighbours, the atmosphere of betrayal, lack of trust filtered down from HUAC to every part of American society.

What is the title of the article Surveillance and Ethics in Film?

Albrechtslund, A., 2008. Surveillance and ethics in film: Rear window and the conversation. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 15 (2), pp.129-144.

What is the film Reaching Out to Others about?

Reaching to others, in this case, entails being vulnerable, candid, and transparent so as to make others feel comfortable entering into your life. The underlying lesson is that individuals need to go on the outside and look for a change in order to mitigate empathy in case of vulnerability. Going on the outside, in this case, reduces the chances of evil such as murders such as those witnessed within the film. Though the film`s setting is based on normal daily life encounters, the lack of modern touch excludes the interests of most modern viewers. On the contrary, it promotes traditional values and virtues expected of a morally considerate society.

What is the film Master of Terror about?

The film is about a spectacle that explores the fascination with looking and the attraction of that which is being looked at (Albrechtslund, 2008, p236). The film recognized the darkest side of voyeurism and promotes the desire to have awful things to happen to people both within the film and those in normal life. However, it creates awareness on the importance of feeling better of oneself and the need to relieve oneself from the burden of examining our own lives. The master of terror challenges the audience by forcing them to peer through the film`s rear window and become exposed to the various extremes and goods of life.

Is the movie rear windows handicapped?

The film is associated with confined thrills as the film unfolds with a systematic unraveling and is orchestrated in a limited space. “Rear windows” has handicapped its protagonist, and the outsiders makes the viewer to second guess or create assumptions (Hitchcock, 2001 p104). Each of the characters around Jeff is at one point in opposition to the protagonist making the film quite interesting. Despite their one time opposition to Jeff, they provide a surrounding board for Jeff` harebrained theories which bear the signs of truth.

Why does Jeff call the police?

Jeff anxiously jitters in his wheelchair, and grabs his telephoto camera to watch the situation unfold, eventually calling the police because Miss Lonelyhearts is contemplating suicide in the neighboring apartment.

What does Laura Mulvey see in the movie "Rear Window"?

In Laura Mulvey 's essay "Visual Pleasure and Narrative Cinema," she identifies what she sees as voyeurism and scopophilia in Hitchcock's movies, with Rear Window used as an example of how she sees cinema as incorporating the patriarchy into the way that pleasure is constructed and signaled to the audience. Additionally, she sees the " male gaze " as especially evident in Rear Window in characters such as the dancer "Miss Torso;" she is both a spectacle for Jeff to enjoy, as well as for the audience (through his substitution).

What year was the rear window?

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. This article is about the 1954 Hitchcock film. For other uses, see Rear Window (disambiguation). Rear Window is a 1954 American mystery thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written by John Michael Hayes based on Cornell Woolrich 's 1942 short story "It Had to Be Murder".

What does Jeff notice when he sees Thorwald's wife?

Thorwald makes repeated late-night trips carrying the case. The next morning, Jeff notices that Thorwald's wife is gone, and sees him cleaning a large knife and handsaw.

What does Jeff do when his phone rings?

When his phone rings, Jeff assumes it is Doyle, and blurts out that the suspect has left. When no one answers, he realizes that Thorwald called. When Thorwald enters, Jeff sets off his camera flashbulbs, temporarily blinding him. Thorwald pushes him out the window, as Jeff, hanging on, yells for help.

What is the story behind the movie "Rear Window"?

He says " Rear Window's story is 'about' spectacle; it explores the fascination with looking and the attraction of that which is being looked at.".

What is the average rating of the movie "Hitchcock"?

The review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes reports an approval rating of 98% based on 121 reviews, with an average rating of 9.20/10. The critics' consensus states that "Hitchcock exerted full potential of suspense in this masterpiece." At Metacritic, the film has a weighted average score of 100 out of 100 based on 18 critics, indicating "universal acclaim". In his 2012 review of the film Killlian Fox of The Guardian wrote "Hitchcock made a career out of indulging our voyeuristic tendencies, and he never excited them more skilfully, or with more gleeful self-awareness, than in Rear Window".

What are Lisa and Jeff's observations on the fire escape?

Each of the couples that Lisa and Jeff observe from his window are an allegorical representation of how their marriage could turn out. Mr. and Mrs. Thorwald are obviously the worst-case scenario. The newlyweds start out blissfully in love, but then start arguing after a few days in bed. The couple on the fire escape seem to be perfectly in sync with each other. They each have strange habits, but they are the same strange habits.

What is Lisa's nightclothes?

Lisa's Nightclothes (Symbol) Due to the Production Code, Hitchcock had to be very careful about depicting the sexual relationship between Jeff and Lisa, who are not married. When she brings over her silky negligee, it is a symbol of the fact that she plans to sleep with him that night. Even Doyle raises his eyebrow when he sees it.

What does drinking and eating mean in the movie?

Throughout the film, communal eating and drinking is a symbol of camaraderie. When Miss Lonelyhearts is having a candlelit dinner all alone, she drinks a glass of wine. Jeff, who is having a stressful dinner with Lisa, raises a glass to Miss Lonelyhearts - this is his way of showing the audience that he understands what she's going through. He cannot articulate his feelings to Lisa, which is leading to his emotional loneliness and isolation. Right after that, Lisa serves Jeff an elaborate meal, but, in contrast, we never see them eat it. Later in the film, after Doyle has done his best to dissuade Jeff and Lisa from their campaign against Thorwald, he suggests they all have a drink together. Jeff and Lisa both treat him frostily, thus rejecting his friendly offer.

What does the lighting in the rear window symbolize?

Hitchcock often uses practical lighting sources in Rear Window, which symbolize Jeff's role as the director of his own little film. When Lisa enters his apartment for the first time, she turns on the lights one by one, drawing attention to herself - and she is dressed like a movie star.

What does Jeff's camera represent?

Jeff's camera is a symbol of the emotional distance he puts between himself and those on the other end of the lens. It also represents Hitchcock's own camera, which enables the audience's voyeurism.

Voyeurism and Surveillance

Marriage and Singleness

Marriage and Singleness Quotes

Community / Care / Compassion

• The theme of community plays out in Rear Windowthrough revealing a lack of community, care and compassion, demonstrating that people can be lonely and feel isolated even when they live in close proximity to others. Jeff and Lisa are shown as detached from others, Jeff through keeping the world at camera’s length and the travel that keeps him free f...

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