Review of Rear Window (1954) by Dylan K — 14 Sep 2014

A man confined to a wheelchair who is confined to a room with a large window overlooking his other nieghbors windows. The two stars, Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly, the man in the wheelchair's wife, eventually become obsessed with the theory that one of their neighbors has murdered his wife.

After debating whether spying on his unsuspected neighbors was unethical, the main character eventually goes against his better judgement and keeps spying on the neightbor he suspects guilty of murder. With a type of atmosphere that sucks you into the movie like no movie i've ever seen before, Rear Window grabs your full attention and never lets go until the end.

With a climax that you need to experience yourself, building more and more suspense each minute you continue you looking through the same binoculars he's looking through, it also builds a sense of claustraphobia, like you're confined in the wheelchair with him. The movie is a Htchcock classic, second only to Vertigo in terms of performances, suspense, and atmosphere.

Beatifully shot in technicolor, like most later Hitchcock films. Even though the cinematography is nothing to write home about, the calm and silence of the suburban neighborhood provides a sort of eerie, claustrophobic perspective.

A movie you really must see yourself to truly appreciate its greatness.