AFI Top 100: #48
If I was on house arrest with a broken leg, resorted to spying on other people, and witnessed a possible murder, I would simply mind my own business but that's just me. Thankfully the characters in this film are much better people than me, however, or else we would not have such a compelling, classic thriller. Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window is an undisputed masterclass in tension and the incredibly simple premise could not have been executed better. I adored everything about this film, from the performances to the script, and was genuinely blown away with how excellently this film kept surprising me. This movie is yet another one perfect to watch during these times and one that brilliantly encapsulates what it's like to be under quarantine slowly losing your mind. The state of paranoia that pulses throughout this film is incredible and because of the flawless direction from Hitchcock, this might just be his absolute best.
Stuck at home in a leg cast due to a photography accident, L.B. Jefferies (Jimmy Stewart) winds up spending most of his days staring out of his apartment window and entertaining his high fashion girlfriend Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly). When they start to notice weird things coming out of their neighbor's apartment and suspect that he had killed his wife, they get tangled up in investigating the truth. The script by John Michael Hayes, based on the short story by Cornell Woolrich, is absolutely wonderful and there are so many different elements blended together to make this film as engaging as possible. The culmination of genres throughout its dialogue is the most obvious trait that makes it so appealing to as many audiences as possible because as well as being one of the most enthralling thrillers of this time, it's also genuinely hilarious. I loved the interactions between characters and some of their unspoken backgrounds and the way that Hayes intertwines different pieces to keep this story relatively light is fantastic. It is so interesting the way that Hayes writes these characters because despite only a handful of them taking the spotlight, all of the supporting cast is fantastic, even without any dialogue. As nameless as they may be, the actions of these neighbors all influence one another in some way and I adored seeing how Hayes wrote this community. The greatest thing about this film, however, is its examination of voyeurism and accompanying paranoia. I felt fairly guilty from the way that Jeff constantly looks into the lives of his neighbors and makes assumptions about them all while in the comfort of his own home. Although it ended up helping bring a criminal to justice in the end, the persistent desire to form his own narrative was so intriguing. It also led to Jeff's debilitating sense of paranoia about whether or not what he was doing was right and this theme practically carries the film. Rear Window is definitely the epitome of voyeurism in film and while it is not as creepy or predatory as one might come to think, it does a fantastic job of showing how dangerous it can be to one's own mental health to entirely occupy themselves with the lives of others.
Hitchcock's direction in this film is what brings all of its most interesting elements together and I loved seeing how his creative decisions made this movie so riveting. His use of visual storytelling in the film is what makes it that much more interesting due to its cinematography and set design and it proved to be the smartest choice to tell this story. The cinematography from Robert Burks may not have any incredibly original shots or fancy techniques, but his choice to stay situated in Jeff's apartment for its entire runtime was phenomenal. I really felt like I was living life in Jeff's shoes as he is confined to this small area and only being able to see out of the window through binoculars really enhanced the voyeurist aspect of the story. The limited set design in Rear Window helps with this eerie feeling as well, as Jeff's New York apartment slowly and slowly becomes more unbearable. While it is obvious to see that these buildings were constructed and painted on a Paramount lot, it almost becomes a character in the story itself. I really loved how Hitchcock builds this world and is able to tell so many peoples' stories fluently and silently, whether it is critical to the plot or not. The visual storytelling in these silent scenes was fantastic and even in many of them where Jeff was just watching people, so much more was told then if it had been overlayed with narration or unnecessary audio design. Hitchcock knows that sometimes the regularity of life and the thought of someone watching your every move can be creepier than any monster or supernatural entity and he knows how to capitalize on that fear incredibly well. Along with his direction, the performances are stellar. Jimmy Stewart is expectedly wonderful, even in his more dramatic roles and his chemistry with the gorgeous Grace Kelly is palpable. They were absolutely destined to share the screen together and both of them, particularly Kelly, are able to embody the complicated relationship that Jeff and Lisa share.
If Rear Window is not an exemplary film that showcases all of Hitchcock's best abilities in a tight story, then I don't know what is. This movie is absolutely wonderful from its lead performance to the uneasy tone that plagues this movie like the paranoia that plagues Jeff. This is definitely one of the best and most exciting thrillers in the AFI's Top 100 list and after watching more and more of Hitchcock's filmography, it's quite easy to understand why he has become one of the most prolific and renowned filmmakers of all time.
My Rating: ★★★★½
No comments:
Post a Comment