Reference no: EM133341329
Questions
1. Rear Window is considered a "purely cinematic film." It plays with notions of spectatorship, editing, and what is known commonly-known as "the gaze" (e.g., the way the director, almost certainly a man, employs the camera and its direction, particularly in its approach to women). What statements do think Hitchcock is making about the film-making process?
2. How does Hitchcock juxtapose the use of diegetic sound (the voices, music and noises we hear off-screen, not the orchestral soundtrack) and narrative point of view (what we see and how we see it)? Consider the film's setting, pacing and what we see and hear versus what we don't.
3. As in many of his films, Hitchcock employs a significant amount of humor, some romance and several sexual innuendos (significant in 1954) to cut the suspense and enrich the narrative. Such characteristics are part of his trademark. Referring to a couple of scenes, give some examples of this device.
4. Consider the idea of voyeurism & the male gaze. Recall how Stella, perhaps teasingly, chastises Jeff by saying "We've become a race of Peeping Toms." How would you briefly explain these ideas in terms of the film's imagery, plot and point of view?
5. While Modleski reads very heavily into the psychoanalytical and sexual representation of women within the film, discuss the more general role women play in regards to story, plot and visuals. Who draws Jeff eye? Find similarities.
6. Discuss the film's approach to relationships: romantic, platonic, or sexual. Illustrate two different types of these pairings.
7. What ethical questions is the film posing about rights to privacy, voyeurism as spectatorship, and/or the search for "the truth?"
8. Demonstrate how Lisa is the real hero of the film. Refer to clues hidden in Hitchcock's framing, music, dialogue, or images of her.
10. What drives Jeff's obsessive voyeurism? It cannot be simple boredom. Think analytically here. You could make ties to Jeff's profession, past career and cultural trend or traditional gender roles of the early 1950s.
11. Can you relate these questions of ethics and voyeurism to 21st century mass media? Be specific.
12. Compare and contrast Jeff and Doyle. Think about what motivates them, read between the lines.
13. What statements about the love, sex, and relationships do you think the film is suggesting? Be specific and pull examples from the film to illustrate your ideas.