Similarities Between Rear Window And Vertigo

Essay #1
Voyeurism
In both films, Rear Window and Vertigo, film director Alfred Hitchcock requires audiences to put themselves in the position of voyeur as they witness the action of the film through the eyes of the protagonists. Hitchcock introduces to us the meaning of the word voyeurism and the control it can possess over a person. The main characters in both films are voyeurs’ and get their excitement from invading others’ life. Hitchcock was an English-American film director, writer, and producer, whose distinctive style has influenced several generations of filmmakers. In Rear Window and Vertigo, Jeff and Scottie’s lives are affected by voyeurism. Essentially, both men prefer to live by watching rather than live by doing.
First, Jeff is a
Haven’t we all watched or stared at another person before? Does this qualify us as voyeurs? Jeff broke one of his legs while on the job as a photographer and is now stuck inside of his apartment until he is healed. While suffering through long, hot days in his apartment, he picks up a new hobby—spying—wherein he learns the intimate details of his neighbors’ lives. Lead into quote/give context: “I 've seen it through that window. I 've seen bickering and family quarrels and mysterious trips at night, knives and saws and ropes, and now since last evening, not a sign of the wife. All right, now you tell me where she is...” (Rear Window). He becomes convinced that his neighbor has murdered to his wife. Jeff’s spying was casual as first. He started off just using his eyes to spy and then gradually uses binoculars and then a long focus lens to get a better look. As Jeff becomes obsessed with Thorwald, he loses sight of his own life and how he is hurting Lisa—especially when he places her in physical danger. Lisa begins to think that Jeff is crazy for looking in on the private lives of others. Lead into quote/give context: “Sitting around looking out of the window to