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Rear Window - Collector's Edition

Rear Window - Collector's Edition

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $14.99
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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: the ultimate Hitchcock classic
Review: 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.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Best reason...Grace Kelly
Review: The best reason to see this is to watch the ever-elegant Grace Kelly in that black and white dress!

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: The dumbest movie ever
Review: I dont see how anyone could rate this movie 5 stars...the most
horrible movie ever...There is nothing left to say i dont wanna waste my time talking about this movie.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A race of Peeping Toms
Review: Mounting suspense, witty dialogue, great performances and so much to watch. Four reasons to see this movie immediately. If it's your first time watching Hitchcock, this might be a good place to start. The story centers around photographer L.B. Jefferies (played by Jimmy Steweart), who is confined to his apartment because of his broken leg. He is visited regularly by his nurse Stella (played by Thelma Ritter) and his socialite girlfriend Lisa (played by the luminous Grace Kelly). As for that, he really has nothing more to pass the time with. So he begins to spy on his neighbors. From this, several miny story-lines enfold but the most interesting by far is that of a man who appears to have murdered his wife. As the evidence becomes more clear, the suspense mounts and leads to a gripping conclusion that is much better than any in a modern day horror movie. A movie like 'Rear Window' is so interesting to watch because there is so much for us to watch. There's Jeff's story line, the possibility of a murder and all of the other things going on around him that gives the viewer something interesting and new. In a way, 'Rear Window' is like an homage to movies themselves. What is Jefferies doing? He's a voyeur. What are we when we watch movies? Getting the idea? Maybe that's what makes this movie so interesting to watch. As Stella quoted, we've become a race of peeping toms. So watch 'Rear Window', you won't regret it.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: clever!
Review: Great dialogue, Stewart as the chair-bound reporter observing life as it occurs outside his "rear window", in the alley below and also through the windows of the opposing apartment complex....does he observe a murder? We do not know, and neither does he, it does make for great suspense, kelly is fun as his girlfriend, too!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Number ONE on my all-time list
Review: This movie is too good for words. I saw Rear Window for the first time as a kid, and it captivated me. It sparked my interest in Hitchcock, classic cinema, black-and-white movies, and something I thought I would always despise, silent films.

While this film is not fast-paced or shocking, it is fun to watch. It is warm and rich with color, humor, and romance. It is truly one of the only movies to really focus on the element of mystery and get the audience involved in the suspense. It is impossible for me to critique it: like most Hitchcock pictures, there is so much going on behind the scenes. Even the in-depth studies on the DVD barely touch the surface on all the wonderful elements which comprise this entertaining film.

A cinematic marvel, Rear Window is primarily a game with a camera. Hitchcock pans from one window to the next and leads us wherever he wants us to go. Although a technical achievement, to me, this movie is simply fun to watch. Critics and audiences will continue to discuss and debate all aspects of this film. Steven Spielberg recently remarked that this movie contains the most suspenseful scene in movie history, and one which will never be outdone. Who am I to disagree? Many directors have tried to copy Hitchcock and without success, but luckily they have all learned from him.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Boring
Review: I feel stupid writing the only 1-star review for this movie, but what the heck. I thought Rear Window was boring. It starts off agonizingly slow and I thought it was annoying how all the action takes place in one setting (ala 12 Angry Men). The acting isn't half bad but the film is so slow...I can't imagine anyone wanting to sit through this film more than once. There's my 2 cents. Buy it if you like Hitchcock.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Excellent suspense classic, but...
Review: (. . . )The transfer is not "great" or even good. The transfer is absolutely horrible. I'm assuming that the original print was in dire shape, and this is the best condition "Rear Window" will ever be in. Plus, we get a rinky-dink mono mix. A film of this calibre should get the 5.1 Dolby surround sound treatment. That gripe aside, Rear Window is a timeless classic, and for that reason only, it should be in your collection. James Stewart (a great choice for an Everyman) plays a photographer who's laid up in his NYC apartment and has a habit of snooping into other people's homes with his telescope. When he hears strange noises and witnesses a neighbor doing dubious things, he begins to suspect that a murder has taken place. Hitchcock builds the suspense to a pitch so high that you're on the edge of your seat. A qualified classic, and a must-own for all movie buffs.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A landmark film now on your DVD!!
Review: Why is Rear Window so important? FIRST, because it sums up all the elements that made Hitchcock a master among directors. It presents his vision of what Cinema was all about. It has a flawless screenplay with, director, stars and technicians at their peak form. SECOND, because Rear Window is one perfect example of the production triumphs the studio-system industrial line of work could generate . THIRD, because it is not just a classical work: it shows the evolution from the classical period in film history towards modern cinema. FOURTH, because it is one perfect example of mastering a technique.

I will not bother with the story (which by now, I guess everybody already knows it - a man on a wheelchair watching his neighbors from his window... the crime... etc.) because the story is just one small aspect of what makes this film great. In fact, what it is important to point out is that this story (which is very simple) was translated into a screenplay structurally perfect. This perfection gives depth to the characters, amplifies relationships and oppositions (the stuff drama is made of) and makes the viewer an active part of the spectacle. The viewer works his way through the film and sees things we do not see very often on today's commercial cinema.

Plus it is now on DVD. Restored. The image is beautiful and the sound is fine dolby mono 2.0 (although I was expecting a stereo soundtrack when I heard the DVD restoration was coming). The extras are fine (could be improved). Anyway, when the work is that great, who complains about small things? An absolute gem that demands multiple viewings and endless analysis.

My favorite line: Thelma Ritter's "When General Motors has to go to the bathroom 10 times a day, the whole country's ready to let go."

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: rear window
Review: Rear Window is a truly brilliant film. It is better than any movie I have ever seen. I think films are definitely not as good today as they were those days. Hitchcock did films so brilliantly. A fantastic film.


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