Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window, takes us into the mind of LB Jefferies, a man stricken to a wheelchair after a photography incident. As Jefferies sits in his wheelchair with a broken leg, we pan around an apartment complex to see all walks of life; the young dancer, an old couple, a lonely man, and a new wed couple moving in together for the first time.This Opening Image really helps set up what we are seeing.
As Jefferies sits and watches all his neighbors, he is stuck with the thought of marriage to his girlfriend Lisa Fremont. She is a rich girl who has no idea for adventure or survival. Through out the movie he realizes that she is the one. When Jefferies looks out across the apartment complex, he notices a man who has to take care of his sick wife, who seems to be a burden. As many nights pass, the neighbor keeps getting more and more suspicious.
As all this goes on, we are stuck in the apartment with Jefferies. This carmera movment really helps set the tone of the film, we feeling like we are in a wheelchair with a broken leg. Even though there were several people in the same scene at times, we never really get an over the shoulder dialogue with others.
Characteristics of the film are such as acting, VFX, and the meaning of the film. Acting was quite suprisingly good. The actors were spot on with emotion and timing. VFX were quite cheesy by today's standards, but back in 1954, they were spot on. From the helicopter in the beginning to Jefferies falling out the window. Implicit meaning really showed us what a peeping tom or a creeper does. All though this was more mild, it still was showing us something that we would never do. Explicit meaing showed us how exactly restricted and immovable some one with a disability can be. Of course, this seems a bit silly when you are dealing with murder, but it seems to work just fine.
After Jefferies and his fiance Lisa gather enough evidence, Lisa gets caught by Lars Thorwald, or suspected murderer. When she is stuck in here apartment and the police show up to arrest Lisa, Thorwald finds out who exactly is out to get him. When Lisa is taking to the police station, Thorwald pays Jefferies a visit. This is where Hitchcock gives us tension in the film. With Thorwald walking towards Jefferies, but blinded by each flash of his camera, we can't help but feel scared for what might happen.
When Thorwald throws Jefferies out the window, the police show up in time to save the day. The catch Thorwald and he confesses everything. With Jeffreies wearing two leg casts, he finally gets to sleep well at night with his new wife.
1954 learned a lot from this film. With a lot of Hitchcock movies breaking social bounds, it really helps this time period grow to what it has become. With out Hitchcock, film would be behind on a lot of things.
Monday, October 12, 2015
Monday, October 5, 2015
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid came out in 1969, which was a big hit because it was different from other westerns at that time. In this movie, we lean towards the bad guys and actually care for them. In the Opening Image, we See Butch Cassidy with a town sheriff leaving a closed bank. We also see The Sundance Kid playing poker who shows of his gun slinging skills.
At the beginning, we see what they want us to see, but through out the movie we start to see who the two outlaws really are. Further on we get the implicit meaning of the movie which is you can't outrun what you've done, especially the law. Along with the two, and we get this a lot, but montage is huge in this movie. A few scenes were Butch and Etta Place ride the bicycle together and the journey to big cities when the go to Bolivia.
We continue with the set-up where butch decides to rob a Union Pacific train, but not everything goes to plan when they get interrupted the second time. The owner of the train sends six heavily armed men to track down and kill Butch and Sundance.
With this great chase scene, we get a look at the music and the writing of the film. Winning an Oscar really makes this movie worth it. From writing and music, it was perfect. the chase scenes kept me focused and the dialogue added more to the story. Also in the writing, we root for the "villains" which are of course, Butch and Sundance. We get to know them more and more, and in the end, we see the 6 men, and the Bolivian Police as the bad guys because we get attached to the main characters.
After the two get chased away, a choice is made to go to Bolivia in hopes of mining gold to make money. After they get there, their old habits follow them; they continue to rob banks. Throughout the movie, the film really spoke to me and kept my attention when they two would get into a perilous situation.
After the two are wanted by the Bolivian Police, they are spotted in a town square and get into a fire fight with the police. With much debate and dialogue, the two are seen with a Final Image of continuing to live another day. This left with a sense of hope for our villains, but the gunshots and still image of the two running let us know what really happened.
At the beginning, we see what they want us to see, but through out the movie we start to see who the two outlaws really are. Further on we get the implicit meaning of the movie which is you can't outrun what you've done, especially the law. Along with the two, and we get this a lot, but montage is huge in this movie. A few scenes were Butch and Etta Place ride the bicycle together and the journey to big cities when the go to Bolivia.
We continue with the set-up where butch decides to rob a Union Pacific train, but not everything goes to plan when they get interrupted the second time. The owner of the train sends six heavily armed men to track down and kill Butch and Sundance.
With this great chase scene, we get a look at the music and the writing of the film. Winning an Oscar really makes this movie worth it. From writing and music, it was perfect. the chase scenes kept me focused and the dialogue added more to the story. Also in the writing, we root for the "villains" which are of course, Butch and Sundance. We get to know them more and more, and in the end, we see the 6 men, and the Bolivian Police as the bad guys because we get attached to the main characters.
After the two get chased away, a choice is made to go to Bolivia in hopes of mining gold to make money. After they get there, their old habits follow them; they continue to rob banks. Throughout the movie, the film really spoke to me and kept my attention when they two would get into a perilous situation.
After the two are wanted by the Bolivian Police, they are spotted in a town square and get into a fire fight with the police. With much debate and dialogue, the two are seen with a Final Image of continuing to live another day. This left with a sense of hope for our villains, but the gunshots and still image of the two running let us know what really happened.
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