Rear Window

I was a little worried about watching this film again (I saw it ages ago and remember nothing) because our film class used it as an example of cognitive film theory -- asking constant questions about what we're seeing as we watch -- and psychoanalytic film theory -- how we are all voyeurs when we go to the cinema. I knew the entire plot backwards and forwards, so I figured I wouldn't enjoy watching the film. Nice to be wrong! Hitchcock knew exactly what he was doing. He was a master of providing just enough detail for the viewer to understand plot basics, but giving the viewer plenty of room to hypothesize about its meaning. Jimmy Stewart perfectly plays the guy in the wheelchair who has nothing to do but look at his neighbors through the rear window of his apartment. Has he "seen" a murder take place? Will anyone believe him, not least of which is his girlfriend, Grace Kelly? There's just not enough "wow-ing" I can do about this film, and most people have seen it. So all I can say is see it again, it's worth it! And if you rent the DVD, watch the making-of featurette all the way through. Peter Bogdanovich has a marvelous story about Hitchcock that you won't want to miss.

year: 1954
length: 112 min.
rating: 3.5
IMDB link: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0047396/combined