•What's the genius of this film? Why do you think it's such a classic?
It is my opinion that the genius of this film is in the tension that is built by James Stewart’s character L.B. Jefferies (Jeff) situation of being stuck in his apartment. The quiet, psychological tension of that sort of situation is agonizing. Being a witness to a possible murder is then that much more so.
Beyond that, I think Hitchcock’s use of Jefferies’ window frame as an internal frame to the camera’s is pretty genius. It feels like it shrinks our vision as viewers, like we can’t see the whole scene, adds some more tension to the story. Being a part of Jefferies’ incapacitation, viewing the scenes via the window, witnessing all the stories, internalizing all his frustration - it really builds the viewer up in a very frustrating way. The high string music also helps to make the viewer uncomfortable.
•What is a cinematic element of our study that you think Hitchcock used in an especially interesting way? Give two examples and discuss the effect of Hitchcock's choices.
Hitchcock’s use of cross cutting or parallel editing is not so much clear or traditional cut and editing film as it is movement from window to window on the building across the courtyard from Jeffries. The way he frames up each view gives the viewer all the action on the scene simultaneously. Every once in a while the cut goes back to Jefferies’ face with a reaction to what the viewer just saw or a turn and look in a different direction that then the camera goes in an eye-line match.
•What do you feel was a strong theme in this movie? Why?
My first thought as I was watching the movie was that the theme was about loneliness. We are all stuck in our rooms like Jefferies and it’s hard. As the movie goes on, and his role as a photographer makes it clear as well, that the movie also is about watching or voyeurism. Maybe not in a perverted way that voyeurs are commonly associated although Hitchcock does linger on the Ms. Torso too much and that is a little uncomfortable. I feel the theme of watching is more like surveillance than voyeurism as a whole. Jeffries point of view - physical and mental - is not so much about being a gossipy nonsense but more about watching the world, contemplating his place in it. It gets to be more voyeuristic as the tension rises surrounding the murder. So overall, I’ll go with watching as the main theme. And loneliness. Both.