Psycho And Rear Window Analysis
Alfred Hitchcock touched on many different themes of relationships between sexes that I have observed in both of the movies, Psycho and Rear Window. Some of main themes in both of these movies include the theme of marriage, sex, infidelity and murder. Through class discussions and my observation of these movies, my analysis of these points are as follows:
Women were portrayed to be desperate for companion, a hunger for control with a streak of jealous behavior. But, they are also compelled to be caretakers.
The main characters of the men in both movies are seen to be ill stricken men who were found peeping on women from a distance, confined to an area, and compliant with the need for help. In Psycho, Marion Crane is having an adulterous …show more content…
affair with a financially unsuccessful and unhealthy man, Sam Loomis. She’s tempted to steal money from her boss, George Lowry and later does so. Her vulnerability to the opposite sex caused her to trust and adhere to the advice of Norman, the attendant of Bates Motel. Norman Bates occasionally peeps through a hole to look upon Marion Crane in her room. In the eyes of Norman Bates, his relationship with his mother is out of a desire to please her in her jealousy and need to control him. He simply just conforms to her wishes out of fear and guilt.
In Rear Window, Lisa Carol Fremont is a high fashioned model that has a strong desire to take control of her audience with her command of the runway.
She seems to be romantically involved with L.B. ‘Jeff’ Jeffries, an outgoing magazine photographer confined temporarily to his apartment due to a major leg injury. In this relationship, Lisa seems to be the one in the relationship with a strong desire to get married and is madly in love with him, whereas L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries has no desire whatsoever and he believes that she is incompatible with him. While confined to his apartment, Jeffries takes interest in gazing his surrounding neighbors for interesting photos for future news. Since he has nothing to do in the day, he often watches his neighbors through his large window in his home. He particularly takes an interest in his neighbor Lars, a travelling salesman and his wife. Jeffries hears an argument that implies a controlling, jealous wife. Later, he suspects a murder has taken place in the Lars household in connection with the disappearance of the Mrs. Lars. In both of these movies, women are seen as sexual appealing objects in one way or another to the male characters or the film. In psycho, one of the main characters, Marion Crane, was shown undressed at the very beginning of the film and many more times throughout. Similarly in Rear Window, “Miss Torso”, the women who was wanted by any suitors in the film, was also shown getting dressed or undressed numerous times in that film. In both cases, men were seen gazing upon the women during these
scenes.
Another things to note in both movies, is that the men in were always seen to be in need of assistance from the women in solving their mysteries. For instance, in Rear Window, L.B. Jeffries has his girlfriend, Lisa, assist him in solving the case of his neighbors’ suspected murder. He needs Lisa to be the one to sneak into Mr.Lars apartment in hopes of finding evidence. L.B. Jeffries also has the assistance of his nurse Stella, who regularly visits him. She assists him in taking care of him with all of his needs due to being in a wheelchair. In Psycho, Norman Bates’ mom is the one who controls him, in his mind, and also is the one who does the murdering. Even though Norman Bates’ mom is actually Norman Bates, she is psychologically real to him and is the one who ‘controls’ him and takes action. Another relationship is Lila Crane and Sam Loomis. They both work together in finding the mystery at Bates Hotel. Sam Loomis needs Lila Crane to be the one to do the snooping in the house while he distracts Bates.
One of the most classical movies of all time, Casablanca, directed by Warner Bros, during the height of the Hollywood studio system, was probably one of my favorite movies we have watched in class thus far.
The studio system was a large portion of the success that took place during ‘Classic Hollywood’, which had occurred during the 1930’s and 1940’s. During this time, every major studio was making a movie a week. . Most people are unaware that the greatest output of feature films in the US occurred in the 1920s and 1930s (averaging about 800 film releases in a year) - nowadays, it is remarkable when production exceeds 500 films in a year.
This system basically controlled some of the studios in Hollywood at this time known as “The Big Five” including, MGM, Paramount, Warner Bros, RKO, and Fox. They controlled the making of the movies, and the production and distribution of movies to the theatres. The films at this time were being manufactured in Hollywood's 'entertainment factories,' in which production was broken down and organized into its various components (writing, costuming, makeup, directing, etc.).
Hollywood’s success grew during the great depression due to the impact these movies had on the audiences. Similar to the effect of art to people during this time, these movies helped the people have an outlet in escaping the real life difficulties taking place at that time.
This movie, Casablanca takes place around “Rick’s Café American”, a casino and bar, owned by Richard Blaine. It is a masterful tale of two men vying for the same woman's love in a love triangle. The story of political and romantic espionage is set against the backdrop of the wartime conflict between democracy and totalitarianism.
Directed by the talented Hungarian-accented Michael Curtiz and shot almost entirely on studio sets, the film moves quickly through a surprisingly tightly constructed plot, even though the script was written from day to day as the filming progressed and no one knew how the film would end.
Casablanca: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if your name is on the Nazi’s most-wanted list. Atop that list is Czech Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one…especially Victor’s wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart. So when Ilsa offers herself in exchange for Laszlo’s safe transport out of the country, the bitter Rick must decide what’s more important – his own happiness of the countless lives that hang in the balance.”
The studio system at this time had many “rules” or sets of guidelines for all of the studios it had control over. The creativity of directors, producers and other movie moguls had to comply to all of these studio rules. It affected many movies at this time, with Casablanca being a prime example of it. It did not allow any producers or directors to make movies that showed violence or nudity in any way shape or form. They were not allowed to have “sex scenes” or show people dying in one shot. Instead, they had to portray these events by aftermath shots that would show that those unsuitable scenes have just ended.
As a result of this movie, the leading actors become enormously popular. Humphrey Bogart’s contract with Warner Brothers made him the highest paid actor in the world at this time. Ingrid Bergman began to star in other films that became well known. Until this day, this movie Casablanca is one of the most classical movies of all time and I’m sure will continue to be.
Women were portrayed to be desperate for companion, a hunger for control with a streak of jealous behavior. But, they are also compelled to be caretakers.
The main characters of the men in both movies are seen to be ill stricken men who were found peeping on women from a distance, confined to an area, and compliant with the need for help. In Psycho, Marion Crane is having an adulterous …show more content…
affair with a financially unsuccessful and unhealthy man, Sam Loomis. She’s tempted to steal money from her boss, George Lowry and later does so. Her vulnerability to the opposite sex caused her to trust and adhere to the advice of Norman, the attendant of Bates Motel. Norman Bates occasionally peeps through a hole to look upon Marion Crane in her room. In the eyes of Norman Bates, his relationship with his mother is out of a desire to please her in her jealousy and need to control him. He simply just conforms to her wishes out of fear and guilt.
In Rear Window, Lisa Carol Fremont is a high fashioned model that has a strong desire to take control of her audience with her command of the runway.
She seems to be romantically involved with L.B. ‘Jeff’ Jeffries, an outgoing magazine photographer confined temporarily to his apartment due to a major leg injury. In this relationship, Lisa seems to be the one in the relationship with a strong desire to get married and is madly in love with him, whereas L.B. “Jeff” Jeffries has no desire whatsoever and he believes that she is incompatible with him. While confined to his apartment, Jeffries takes interest in gazing his surrounding neighbors for interesting photos for future news. Since he has nothing to do in the day, he often watches his neighbors through his large window in his home. He particularly takes an interest in his neighbor Lars, a travelling salesman and his wife. Jeffries hears an argument that implies a controlling, jealous wife. Later, he suspects a murder has taken place in the Lars household in connection with the disappearance of the Mrs. Lars. In both of these movies, women are seen as sexual appealing objects in one way or another to the male characters or the film. In psycho, one of the main characters, Marion Crane, was shown undressed at the very beginning of the film and many more times throughout. Similarly in Rear Window, “Miss Torso”, the women who was wanted by any suitors in the film, was also shown getting dressed or undressed numerous times in that film. In both cases, men were seen gazing upon the women during these
scenes.
Another things to note in both movies, is that the men in were always seen to be in need of assistance from the women in solving their mysteries. For instance, in Rear Window, L.B. Jeffries has his girlfriend, Lisa, assist him in solving the case of his neighbors’ suspected murder. He needs Lisa to be the one to sneak into Mr.Lars apartment in hopes of finding evidence. L.B. Jeffries also has the assistance of his nurse Stella, who regularly visits him. She assists him in taking care of him with all of his needs due to being in a wheelchair. In Psycho, Norman Bates’ mom is the one who controls him, in his mind, and also is the one who does the murdering. Even though Norman Bates’ mom is actually Norman Bates, she is psychologically real to him and is the one who ‘controls’ him and takes action. Another relationship is Lila Crane and Sam Loomis. They both work together in finding the mystery at Bates Hotel. Sam Loomis needs Lila Crane to be the one to do the snooping in the house while he distracts Bates.
One of the most classical movies of all time, Casablanca, directed by Warner Bros, during the height of the Hollywood studio system, was probably one of my favorite movies we have watched in class thus far.
The studio system was a large portion of the success that took place during ‘Classic Hollywood’, which had occurred during the 1930’s and 1940’s. During this time, every major studio was making a movie a week. . Most people are unaware that the greatest output of feature films in the US occurred in the 1920s and 1930s (averaging about 800 film releases in a year) - nowadays, it is remarkable when production exceeds 500 films in a year.
This system basically controlled some of the studios in Hollywood at this time known as “The Big Five” including, MGM, Paramount, Warner Bros, RKO, and Fox. They controlled the making of the movies, and the production and distribution of movies to the theatres. The films at this time were being manufactured in Hollywood's 'entertainment factories,' in which production was broken down and organized into its various components (writing, costuming, makeup, directing, etc.).
Hollywood’s success grew during the great depression due to the impact these movies had on the audiences. Similar to the effect of art to people during this time, these movies helped the people have an outlet in escaping the real life difficulties taking place at that time.
This movie, Casablanca takes place around “Rick’s Café American”, a casino and bar, owned by Richard Blaine. It is a masterful tale of two men vying for the same woman's love in a love triangle. The story of political and romantic espionage is set against the backdrop of the wartime conflict between democracy and totalitarianism.
Directed by the talented Hungarian-accented Michael Curtiz and shot almost entirely on studio sets, the film moves quickly through a surprisingly tightly constructed plot, even though the script was written from day to day as the filming progressed and no one knew how the film would end.
Casablanca: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if your name is on the Nazi’s most-wanted list. Atop that list is Czech Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one…especially Victor’s wife Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart. So when Ilsa offers herself in exchange for Laszlo’s safe transport out of the country, the bitter Rick must decide what’s more important – his own happiness of the countless lives that hang in the balance.”
The studio system at this time had many “rules” or sets of guidelines for all of the studios it had control over. The creativity of directors, producers and other movie moguls had to comply to all of these studio rules. It affected many movies at this time, with Casablanca being a prime example of it. It did not allow any producers or directors to make movies that showed violence or nudity in any way shape or form. They were not allowed to have “sex scenes” or show people dying in one shot. Instead, they had to portray these events by aftermath shots that would show that those unsuitable scenes have just ended.
As a result of this movie, the leading actors become enormously popular. Humphrey Bogart’s contract with Warner Brothers made him the highest paid actor in the world at this time. Ingrid Bergman began to star in other films that became well known. Until this day, this movie Casablanca is one of the most classical movies of all time and I’m sure will continue to be.