Alfred Hitchcocks Rear Window
It only takes one witness to spoil the perfect crime
Rating: 10/10
Running Time: 109 minutes
UK Certificate: PG
Hot-shot photographer L. B. Jeffries or Jeff, as hes known to his chums is at a bit of a loose end. You see hes stuck in a wheelchair, having broken a leg in a car accident whilst working on a Grand Prix circuit (perhaps a bit of a touchy subject considering Grace Kellys in the cast). So, passing the time in the only way he can think of, hes started spying on the neighbours through his big ol telephoto lens.
The trouble is, Jeffs hobby becomes more like an obsession when he starts to suspect the silver-haired bloke across the street (Raymond Perry Mason Burr) of murdering his wife. Is his idle mind playing tricks on him, or is poor Mrs Thorwald really buried underneath the family flowerbed?
James Stewart dumps his trademark aw shucks demeanour and takes on a notably darker persona as the crime-sniffing cripple in this absolute masterpiece from Alfred Hitchcock. Jeffs visitors nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter), ladyfriend Lisa (Kelly), sceptical police tec Tom (Wendell Corey) at first have him down as little more than a sticky-beaking nosey parker, but as the evidence becomes tougher to ignore, so too does Hitchcock up the suspense levels.
If youre after an example of textbook Hitchcock, this is without a shadow of a doubt the film to watch. Instead of attempting to scare us with repeated shock tactics, the film builds up in tension until, by the time it reaches its one climactic pay-off, its become almost too much to watch. Yet, at the same time, its virtually impossible to take your eyes off the screen. This is quite simply sheer cinematic brilliance. Hats off to you, Alfred.
It's Got: Neighbours. Im more of a Home & Away man, myself.
It Needs: A good neighbourhood watch scheme.
DVD Extras A decent array of goodies for a film this old there are two featurettes, an art gallery, and three trailers. DVD Extras Rating: 5/10
Summary
Voyeurism at its most riveting (thats right its even more gripping than the live 24 hour coverage of Im A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!).