I studied the opening of Alfred Hitchcock's Rear Window so you don't have to.

Rear Window is the 1954 movie by Alfred Hitchcock. The film is about a man who manages to solve a murder mystery through watching his neighbours from his apartment. The film is a commentary of voyeurism, gender expectations and urban life. This analysis will look at these aspects specifically within the use of camera, sound and what we uncover in Jefferies apartment all within the opening sequence.

Firstly, we start at the ‘rear window’ of Jefferies apartment looking out on the courtyard of the Greenwich Village apartments. The camera is lower than the average eyeline as we can see the windowsill, it’s as if we are seeing the courtyard from Jefferies wheelchair bound perspective, this gives us a very subjective view as we are viewing everything through Jefferies eyes. During the opening of the film there are two individual camera pans around the courtyard. The first pan around the courtyard, sets the scene. We see all the windows to the apartments open not only signifying a hot day but also this shows that Jefferies can easily see into every apartment within the square. All the windows being open can be seen as an invitation to the viewer to investigate into the apartments, the camera is turning the viewer into the voyeur, almost placing them on the same level as Jefferies. In the first look at the courtyard, we don’t see much movement from the neighbours, there’s more movement from animals signifying the early morning. It is convenient that we are ‘awake’ the same time a topless woman is brushing her hair and can be seen through her window and that the camera slightly lingers on that apartment. Afterall, we are seeing everything from Jefferies perspective.

After being introduced to the unified setting of the courtyard, we finally get to have a look at the protagonist, sleeping. In a case of irony, it is interesting that we are seeing the protagonist in a very vulnerable state and unaware that he is being watched, much like he does to the neighbours later in the film. The close up of Jefferies face is almost uncomfortable for the viewer but it is used well, by having the close up we are unable to see the fact he is in his wheelchair therefore distorting the overall opinion of the viewer. Since we’re now seeing everything through his eyes this means that he’s doesn’t wish to be seen in the wheelchair. There are sweat beads on his forehead, and we see a thermometer showing ninety-five degrees Fahrenheit, slowly we are starting to realise why the windows are open for viewing. After being introduced to our protagonist, the camera pans once again around the courtyard except now we are now being introduced to the neighbours. We know that the camera is Jefferies eyes meaning that although we have only seen him, we are aware of his thoughts and where his priorities lie. This is obvious when the camera lingers on the topless dancer the longest showing his attraction to her or when he watches the song writer getting ready, maybe mirroring his average morning routine before he was wheelchair bound.

The music during the opening is non-diegetic up until the second time the camera pans around the courtyard. By having the first section of the opening scene non-diegetic shows the early morning setting of the film. To open the film the camera moves towards the window. When the camera is briefly in the apartment before looking out the music is very tense, only for a few seconds, signifying that whatever may happen within the apartment is going to be an uncomfortable watch. After we exit the window, the music suddenly turns very upbeat but it still fluctuates as if trying to find normality within the courtyard but there is still an uneasiness there. This unconsciously shows that whatever happens within the courtyard will be the driving force of the film.

After Jefferies has been introduced, we suddenly turn to diegetic sounds during the neighbours being introduced, for example, we hear the radio, the alarm clock and the street behind the flats, showing that Greenwich Village is finally waking up. When introducing the neighbours, the music changes slightly for each character. When the songwriter is first introduced the music stops as the advert on the radio plays. From this we are aware that the song writer is over forty and probably single as he turns off the advert and is routinely shaving in his living room. It’s a little insight to his life however by having the music cut off for the advert is almost taunting him with his insecurities, showing that all he can focus on is the fact that his ‘over forty’ (0:54) and ‘feels tired and run down’ (0:54).  When he changes the radio station, his introduction is cut short by the alarm clock going off. Although easy to miss when we’re introduced to the couple on the balcony by the music turning slightly romantic with the use of soft violins. However, the brutal sound of the alarm over the romantic music could signify that not everything is perfect about their relationship, they are sleeping top and tail after all.

One of the most important parts of this opening sequence is the insight we get into Jefferies life and work. We’re only truly introduced to him after being acquainted with the neighbours signifying that they’re the true carriers of the film. Jefferies remains asleep while his neighbours are setting up for the day showing the audience that there is currently no reason for him to engage in a normal morning routine. At this point we are properly introduced to the protagonist through his injury, this shows that he’s allowing his injury to define him.  Within the screenplay Jefferies is described as ‘tall, lean and energetic’ (Hayes, P. 3) which is the opposite of what we’re seeing, just a man in night clothes, sleeping and injured in a wheelchair. This is followed by a wide camera shot of Jefferies exposing him for who he is.  

There is a very quick camera pan after this to show off his photography and what he does for work. We know that the camera is Jefferies own eyes, so the quick camera pan is him excitedly presenting his work on display. There are no words needed when showing what he does for work as we see a ton of pictures and cameras scattered everywhere. It allows the viewer to come up with their own interpretation of his job and how he got injured, the broken camera and the picture of the car crash etc. Just from this alone we know that he is a news photographer that captures important events. This sets him up as a fearless person and yet throughout the film we see other people, specifically his girlfriend fearlessly doing the tasks that the man would normally do. This plays on the gender expectations of his girlfriend.

There’s one item within his apartment that will always stand out and that is the negative image of his, who we will come to know as his, girlfriend. The way he has possessively framed the negative of the picture instead of developing the picture fully is almost uncomfortable. It shows that he doesn’t want to develop the relationship between the two of them but furthermore, he lives in a big city that would have film developing shops therefore it would’ve been several places to develop pictures. Next to the framed negative there is the printed picture on a stack of magazines. The camera lingers longer on the magazines than the picture signifying that he cares more about what she is than who she is but on top of that the camera lingers longer on the dancer’s apartment than any of the objects showing off his girlfriend, so we know who he is truly attracted to.

Inconclusion, the opening sequence holds secrets about the rest of the film. The attraction to the dancer, the relationship Jefferies has with his girlfriend or how the songwriter is unhappy being over forty and single are all small things that add to the overall plot of the film. Furthermore, having the camera be Jefferies eyes is an amazing way to allow the viewer to see his intentions and desires, by controlling what we see clouds our perspective of what is actually happening. The sound and the music add to mystery of the film with how it is presented. Overall, the opening sequence unconsciously sets the viewer up for the film by allowing us to see small details of everyone’s life withing the courtyard.