(October 20) It wouldn’t be #31DaysOfHalloween without the Master of Suspense himself, Alfred Hitchcock. ‘Rear Window - 1954 This is my first time watching this Hitchcock classic, and I am so grateful I did. I am not well-versed in Hitchcock’s filmography. I’ve seen ‘Psycho’, ‘The Birds’, and ‘Vertigo’, but outside of that, his films are still new to me. That’s why I was in such awe of this film. I am also not the biggest classic cinema buff (a fact I am ashamed of and would like to rectify) so anytime I see a real American classic (especially ones in the US National Film Registry) I am always so impressed. You have to realize, these are dawn of the film era movies; this is what we have evolved from. These are the films that have laid the groundwork for all past, present, and future filmmakers to expand upon and adapt. It’s truly remarkable. So let’s talk about ‘Rear Window’. James Stewart, perfectly portrays, injured photographer, Jeff Jefferies. A man who passes his days spying on his neighbors apartments through their rear windows (ahh, he said it.” - Peter Griffin) for entertainment. It’s super-creepy, but I guess that’s what life was like before television? He follows their lives in detail and creates their stories just by sight, as there is no audible dialogue heard from across the windows. It is actually what makes the film possible, and poignant. Without knowing the truth, your mind is allowed to imagine and create the world these people live in. While doing this, he begins to create a scenario in his head that one of his “characters” has murdered his bedridden wife. The suspicious behavior begins to continue, and the suspense throughout the entire film never dies. In what feels more like a theatrical play than a movie, the plot, dialogue, and performances are what really make this a classic thrill ride. The cinematography in particular, too. I could go on for pages about the intricacies of each perfectly planned shot. It’s simply brilliant. I clearly understand why Alfred Hitchcock has been dubbed “The Master of Suspense”. Not only did he basically create the film style, but he has done it so well that it stands the test of time. It’s has one setting, one 3-second special effect, and the real thrills come from the scenes with silence and deaf dialogue. In an age where we need our movies jam-packed with excitement and visuals, it’s impressive that a simple film from 60 years ago can still shit all over our 2014 products. A toss up between this and ‘Psycho’ as my new favorite Hitchcock film. https://youtube/watch?v=6kCcZCMYw38
Posted on: Tue, 21 Oct 2014 20:26:03 +0000
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