Rear Window: Film Analysis

In the beginning of the film, Hitchcock uses one long panning shot to introduce the audience to not only the setting of the movie, but many of the characters as well. The setting, taking place in L.B. Jefferies apartment and in the commons of multiple apartment complexes, is used to see into the lives of a variety of people and give a unique perspective on their actions. The panning shot is also used to establish some of the storylines of the characters. For example, we are introduced to the "popular dancer" who is referenced a number of times in the movie for the amount of people seen in her apartment. We are also introduced to the couple and their dog, who, when lowered down by a basket, is later killed by Mr. Thornwald when it is seen digging up where he buried his wife.  
This video goes into more detail about the feeling the music and visuals give the reader. I like how she said that the opening sequence was misleading to the viewer because it gives them the feeling that it could be a "romantic comedy rather than a psychological thriller."

Overall, I liked this movie a lot. I think that the angles and shot types used really gave the viewer the feeling they were witnessing something they weren't supposed to see. For the film being over 50 years old, the camera work and sound design are rather impressive. I liked the placement of windows so you could see most things, but you weren't exposed to all of the characters actions. I also liked it because many of the characters actions were meant to be interpreted by the viewer. However, I am a little confused by why Hitchcock chose to expose the viewer to other, smaller storylines, like the woman who was going to kill herself because she was lonely.

Sound effects in clip: alarm, train, birds, cars, kids, trucks, background music

The film industry changed radically after World War II, and this change altered the style and content of the films made in Hollywood. After experiencing boom years from 1939 to 1946, the film industry began a long period of decline. Within just seven years, attendance and box receipts fell to half their 1946 levels. Part of the reason was external to the industry. Many veterans returning from World War II got married, started families, attended college on the GI Bill, and bought homes in the suburbs. Then, too, especially after 1950, television challenged and surpassed the movies as America's most popular entertainment form. Hollywood also suffered from Congressional probes of communist influence in the film industry. In the late 1930s, the House of Representatives established the Un-American Activities Committee (HUAC) to combat subversive right-wing and left-wing movements. During the late 1940s and early 1950s HUAC picked up the tempo of its investigation, which it conducted in well-publicized sessions. Twice during this period HUAC traveled to Hollywood to investigate Communist infiltration in the film industry. While the movie industry suffered, many western films, biblical film, musicals, thrillers and more were popular. Many films were meant to act as a distraction from the harsh consequences of war, or were meant to connect with people on a more personal level. 

Sources: http://www.digitalhistory.uh.edu/topic_display.cfm?tcid=127

Resolution: Image resolution is the detail an image holds. The term applies to raster digital images, film images, and other types of images. Higher resolution means more image detail. Image resolution can be measured in various ways. Photographic lens and film resolution are most often quoted in line pairs per millimeter.

Aspect Ratio:Aspect ratio refers to how the image appears on the screen based on how it was shot–the ratio of width (horizontal or top) to height (vertical or side) of a film frame, image, or screen.

Successes: I think my group did a good job expressing the story we wanted to create and that we also used the different effects well.

Recommendations: I think at times my group got little off task and I wish that we incorporated more principles of design into our film.