Product Details

• Actors: James Stewart, Grace Kelly, Wendell Corey, Thelma Ritter, Raymond Burr
• Directors: Alfred Hitchcock
• Writers: Cornell Woolrich, John Michael Hayes
• Producers: Alfred Hitchcock, James C. Katz
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, NTSC
• Rated: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Paramount Pictures
• VHS Release Date: March 1, 1992
• Run Time: 112 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (366 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6300183513
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #166,324 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com

Like the Greenwich Village courtyard view from its titular portal, Alfred Hitchcock's classic Rear Window is both confined and multileveled: both its story and visual perspective are dictated by its protagonist's imprisonment in his apartment, convalescing in a wheelchair, from which both he and the audience observe the lives of his neighbors. Cheerful voyeurism, as well as the behavior glimpsed among the various tenants, affords a droll comic atmosphere that gradually darkens when he sees clues to what may be a murder.

Photographer L.B. "Jeff" Jeffries (James Stewart) is, in fact, a voyeur by trade, a professional photographer sidelined by an accident while on assignment. His immersion in the human drama (and comedy) visible from his window is a by-product of boredom, underlined by the disapproval of his girlfriend, Lisa (Grace Kelly), and a wisecracking visiting nurse (Thelma Ritter). Yet when the invalid wife of Lars Thorwald (Raymond Burr) disappears, Jeff enlists the two women to help him to determine whether she's really left town, as Thorwald insists, or been murdered.

Hitchcock scholar Donald Spoto convincingly argues that the crime at the center of this mystery is the MacGuffin--a mere pretext--in a film that's more interested in the implications of Jeff's sentinel perspective. We actually learn more about the lives of the other neighbors (given generic names by Jeff, even as he's drawn into their lives) he, and we, watch undetected than we do the putative murderer and his victim. Jeff's evident fear of intimacy and commitment with the elegant, adoring Lisa provides the other vital thread to the script, one woven not only into the couple's own relationship, but reflected and even commented upon through the various neighbors' lives.

At minimum, Hitchcock's skill at making us accomplices to Jeff's spying, coupled with an ingenious escalation of suspense as the teasingly vague evidence coalesces into ominous proof, deliver a superb thriller spiked with droll humor, right up to its nail-biting, nightmarish climax. At deeper levels, however, Rear Window plumbs issues of moral responsibility and emotional honesty, while offering further proof (were any needed) of the director's brilliance as a visual storyteller. --Sam Sutherland

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 85 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Rear Window---Newly Restored DVD!!!!, February 20, 2001

By 

G. Stanford "gregory__scott" (Mesquite,TX USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Rear Window (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

The last few years have seen some classic films that have been given back their old lustre via restoration, including such films as, My Fair Lady, Vertigo, Lawrence Of Arabia to name just a few. These films as well as this film have been restored by the restoration mavericks Robert A. Harris, and James Katz.

I must say after seeing an advance copy of this film that Rear Window looks incredible, especially compared to the Laser Disc copy I have as well as the poor copies that have been showing up on television and VHS over the years.

The colors are vibrant, in particular the reds which don't give a hint of bleeding into the frame, and the image looks I imagine as close to the original as possible given the fact that this film is almost fifty years old now.

The aspect ratio is 1.66:1 which is the proper framing for this film, the sound is the original mono soundtrack and has been scrubbed up to remove any audio imperfections that have built up over the years.

Also included on this disc is a 55 minute documentary titled, Rear Window Ethics:Remembering a Hitchock Classic which is quite enjoyable.

There is a still frame gallery, a shorter documentary with the screenwriter John Michael Hayes, as well as the standard fare of biographies, filomgraphies etc.

All in all a quite impressive package and should be of interest to any Hitchcock fan as well as Cinema fans in general.

45 of 49 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars the ultimate Hitchcock classic, October 20, 2001

By 

Byron Kolln (the corner where Broadway meets Hollywood) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Rear Window (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

The ultimate Hitchcock classic, REAR WINDOW gives us a glimpse into the mind of Alfred Hitchcock, and in turn Hitchcock turns the mirror on us and forces us to admit our darkest desire...to be voyeurs.

That is exactly what Jeffries is. Jeffries (James Stewart) is a wheelchair-bound photographer who spends his time cooped up in his apartment, peeping in on the neighbours across the courtyard. He comes up with "names" for them; Miss Torso the ballerina; Miss Lonely-Hearts; The Newly-Weds and so on. His only contact with the outside world is his girlfriend Lisa (Grace Kelly) and his wisecracking nurse Stella (Thelma Ritter).

Unknowlingly witnessing the murder of Mrs Thorwald, he, along with Lisa and Stella, set out to expose the truth about Mr Thorwald (Raymond Burr) and uncover the mystery of her quick disapperance.

A beautifully-restored print by James Katz and Robert Harris (also responsible for the beautiful new renderings of MY FAIR LADY and VERTIGO), is the highlight of this DVD. The original negative was severely faded and turning green when Universal aqquired the entire Paramount film library. Color-correction and shadow detail are now back to their original state, as is the soundtrack featuring Franz Waxman's sparkling score.

The ULTIMATE Hitchcock thriller, with more than a touch of romance and comedy.

47 of 54 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Hitchcock's Classy Voyeurism Thriller..., March 17, 2000

By 

Benjamin J Burgraff (Las Vegas) - See all my reviews
(TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Rear Window (Collector's Edition) (DVD)

One of the joys of Alfred Hitchcock films is his ability to take social taboos, present them in an enticing context, throw in major stars we know and love to perform them, and thus make abhorrent behavior seem attractive! 'Vertigo' is the best-known example of this Hitchcock trait ('Psycho' also comes to mind), but 'Rear Window' is the most fun to watch, because of the appealing combination of James Stewart and Grace Kelly!

Stewart is a photographer, laid-up while recuperating from an accident (cleverly shown through photographs in his studio), who, out of boredom, begins spying on his neighbors. Jimmy Stewart a 'Peeping Tom'? Only Hitchcock could get away with this!

Of course, Kelly, as his high fashion model girlfriend, and Thelma Ritter (who is fabulous as his nurse), are appalled by Stewart's behavior, but are drawn into voyeurism by Stewart's devotion to it, particularly after he witnesses an apparent murder (committed by Raymond Burr, in one of the most wonderfully EVIL roles of his career!)

The film takes on a cat-and-mouse intensity, as Stewart attempts to prove Burr's guilt to his skeptical policeman buddy (nicely played by Wendell Corey). To add a touch of sexual foreplay to the proceedings, Kelly models a variety of '50s evening and nightwear, while teasing the injury-constrained Stewart ("Previews of Coming Attractions", she purrs). All this leads up to a fabulous, claustrophobic finale, with camera flashes, and a twist ending that is pure Hitchcock magic!

The restoration of the film gives the movie a clarity and modern 'feel' that viewers will love!

Watch this 'new and improved' edition, and see why 'Rear Window' is one of the most popular Hitchcock films!