Movie Review : Rear Window

Film noir, by translation alone, means dark film, and by that measurement Sunset Boulevard certainly fits the genre. A gloomy story that follows a jaded and sarcastic protagonist, Joe Gillis from his initial dire circumstances to his untimely death, Sunset Blvd. earns the description “dark” several times over. But there is more to film noir than crushingly depressing plotlines. There are common motifs and icons that are found in most film noirs, such as crime, dark alleys, guns and alcohol. Deeper than this, film noir features certain visual elements, character archetypes, and themes that create a unique style of film. Although some have argued that Sunset Blvd. fails to represent some of these elements, it has become known as one of the

"On the Waterfront," directed by Elia Kazan and released in 1954, stands as a landmark in American cinema, renowned for its powerful performances, gripping storyline, and compelling exploration of morality and redemption. Set against the gritty backdrop of New York's dockyards, the film delves deep into the lives of its characters, each grappling with their struggles and conflicts. At the heart of the narrative is Terry Malloy, played by Marlon Brando, a dockworker torn between loyalty to his corrupt union and his conscience. Through Terry and other key characters, the film explores themes of loyalty, corruption, and the quest for individual integrity amidst societal pressures. Terry Malloy serves as the focal point of the narrative, a conflicted protagonist struggling to find his

Alfred Hitchcock once defined his film Rear Window (Hitchcock, 1954), as the story of a man who cannot move and looks through a window, about what he sees and how he reacts to it (Truffaut, 1986). In addition, Hitchcock constructs the character of the protagonist of the film, Jeff (James Steward), not only by using cinematographic devices to show how Jeff interprets what he sees and his own life, but also stabilising a dichotomy between what he looks at and what he lives.

How auteur theory can be applied to the study of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and Vertigo

In the realist film, On The Waterfront, Elia Kazan offers the audience an exploration of what it means to value individual conscience in the pursuit of justice. Set across from New York City, Kazan's tense expose of organised corruption in the 1950's follows the protagonist, Terry Malloy, as he struggles to choose between his loyalties in a world filled with dishonesty and trepidation. Although it may seem that many of the characters are bound to silence by fear and corruption, Kazan implies that a strong moral presence can motivate others to help their community by exposing 'the facts' to 'the public'. Kazan suggests that poverty and corruption can lead people to live in fear of those in power, as well as how people may feel obliged to be loyal to those have helped them in the past. In addition to this, Kazan conveys that a strong moral voice can be enough to catalyse change in a community.

On the Waterfront is a film where a young man has to struggle between conflicting choices in the harsh brutal waterfront days of the 1950s. Director Elia Kazan chose to shoot the film in black and white, to use as a contrast between the obvious right and wrong state of affairs on the waterfront. However obvious it is, the decisions Terry Malloy must make are not so easy. Sticking to the waterfront ideals of being "D and D" and self-preservation, Terry is seen as selfish, uncaring and also as someone with no brains, no honour; essentially "a bum." Throughout the film

Like many of his films, Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window (1954) is an intense study in the sometimes-jarring idiosyncrasies of its main character, L.B. Jeffries (James Stewart). Jeffries is an observer by nature, a professional photographer confined to his apartment by an injury, with only insurance company nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter) and his girlfriend, Lisa Fremont (Grace Kelly) for company. This limitation impels him to begin observing his neighbors, and he witnesses events that lead him to believe Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) has murdered his wide. However, Jeffries’ watchful habit raises serious questions about the relationships between neighbors and ethics of observation in densely-populated urban settings. Rear Window uses set design and disparate camera techniques to codify the acceptable and unacceptable ways in which a city dweller might observe their neighbors, based largely on level on intent.

Terry, gets a change of heart after he is involved in a murder with the mob and decides to stick up for the people that are controlled by its powerful force. The Play was made by Elia Kazan, who was a very famous and talented director who was involved in the Hollywood blacklisting’s. Elia made the film because he was very involved in the Hollywood blacklisting’s and “Ratted” out many entertainers in the Hollywood business that were part of the communist party or knew people. On the waterfront was supposed to show everyone that what he did was justified by having the main character represent himself. Sadly this movie was very irrelevant to the blacklisting’s and tried to relate ratting out the mob to ratting out people who were involved in the communist party. The movie tried to show how ratting out people is sometimes the best and proper way to do things. The only problem with that message is it doesn’t give an effective excuse for ratting out people who believe in a different ideology. Elia Kazan tried to explain what he did was right but just came off as confusing, "Anybody who informs on other people is doing something disturbing and even disgusting. It doesn't sit well on anybody's conscience. But at that time I felt a certain way, and I think it has to

“On the Waterfront” was photographed in such a captivating way. Boris Kaufman had a vision ahead of his time. Many scenes in the movie are understood, not just through the script, but from the cinematography as well. Three scenes in particular catch my eye. It is the artistic style and flare of conveying the same idea in multiple mediums. The first scene is when Terry and Edie are on the rooftop at Joey’s pigeon coup. This scene portrays the moment in which I believe was the catalyst for Terry that lead him to be truthful to Evie and stand up to Friendly. The second scene that I will speak about is when “Kayo” Dugan is killed. When the preacher is giving his speech to all the longshoremen. That speech was a testament of one man speaking out for what he knew was right. The third scene that I will choose for this essay is where Terry walks to Friendly’s dock office. After the fight, Terry’s march to work puts you on the edge of your seat. Each scene has depth that few movies achieve.

In Rear Window, Hitchcock uses visuals in order to capture the perfect cinematic film and experience. We as the viewers identify with Jeff because much like how he is watching his neighbors, we are also speculating his life as a film. Our hero, L.B. Jeffries or “Jeff”, out of boredom creates an outdoor theater for himself by spying on his the people outside his window. Hitchcock uses “murder-as-entertainment” and the idea of watching a cinematic film as ways to captivate the viewers and make us subconsciously take part in intruding on someone else’s life. Hitchcock then punishes Jeff and the viewers for being “peeping toms” and casting our unwanted voyeurism on other people’s private lives. Through fear and embarrassment, Hitchcock puts our actions into perspective as we become self-conscious of our indecent objectification toward human lives.

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

Shutter Island and Insomnia use stylistic features to unpack the theme of appearance versus reality and documents the effects of the psychological effects on the protagonists. Both films portray the common theme of appearance vs reality in different ways. Noticeable similarities and differences can be seen in the portrayal of social issues, cinematic techniques and characterisation.

Alfred Hitchcock’s thriller ‘Rear Window’ (Hitchcock, 1954) begins with the immediate use of mise-en-scène in order to establish a sense of atmosphere, equilibrium and the mundane, soon to be disrupted as the events of the film unfold and are observed through the eyes of the voyeuristic protagonist, Jeff. Setting, cinematography and various other expressive mise-en-scène techniques work together to influence the overall appearance of the film. Though, by taking a closer look, these techniques reveal the significance of the narrative and characters. In the opening sequence, Hitchcock’s original visual style provides signposts for the audience to recognize what will be significant in the future: instead of establishing what is only happening in the moment in time; mise-en-scène is used to suggest what is to come. This arrangement of the “Classical Hollywood” narrative - starting with the setting and characters in a state equilibrium - acts as a seemingly all-purpose, archetypal opening by establishing location and introducing character. Simultaneously we can see that this sequence is vastly different from the rest of the film: it is leading the viewer into a false sense of security – the calm before the storm – as Jeff soon happens to piece together information leading to the possibility that one of his neighbors murdered their wife. This sequence is one of the only moments in the film we see things the protagonist does not, thus this carefully constructed opening is preparing

Famously known as “The Master of Suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock knew how to keep an audience on the edge of their chair, just waiting to see what happens next. Hitchcock’s career started in the silent era of films, gained increased success through talking pictures, and soared into infamy when color film became common. Hitchcock’s famous cinematography, editing, directing of his thoughtfully selected actors, and extraordinary attention to detail, are obvious reasons why there is no denying that he is one of the greatest directors the film industry has ever seen. OSU Media student, Joseph Ford, confirms why Hitchcock is his favorite directors, “Hitchcock’s lighting and shot sequences are unmatched, he was the ultimate perfectionist and, in my opinion, there is hardly a flaw in any of his films” (Ford). There are endless lists and debates about which Alfred Hitchcock film is the greatest, and each one of his movies deserves serious consideration. It could be contested that with the unique story, intriguing characters portrayed by great actors, and the extraordinary cinematography, that Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope is potentially his greatest film.

As Hogwarts celebrated the return of the Triwizard Tournament, Snape had bigger fish to fry.