'We’ve become a race of Peeping Toms. What people ought to do is get outside their house and look in for a change.'
If I had to name my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film it would be 1954's Rear Window. James Stewart is perfect in his role and I absolutely love Thelma Ritter as Stella. I could also definitely love, marry and have sex with Lisa, so elegantly played by Grace Kelly. I really should check out more of Kelly's work as an actress as she's so enjoyable in this film.
Although it turns into a murder mystery, at it's core, Rear Window is a film about voyeurism. Before Jeff starts following clues to a killer, he's watching women exercise, family dramas and sadness and depression through his tightly held binoculars. Jeff's voyeuristic tendencies may have been amplified by his accident, but it's obvious, they were there long before.
Rear Window (1954)
Visual Interpretation
by Von Melzer
When I was planning my Hitchcock themed Halloween posts, I initially thought Rear Window would be the easiest film to recreate. I was wrong. I pitched a guy in a blue robe with binoculars to several of my favorite artists, but it just didn't work out. I had interest and enthusiasm for the project, but accidents, model misses and a windowless studio meant it just didn't work out.
Then I remembered... One of the most interesting themes I explore on the site is voyeurism, and one of the best chronicles of the theme is the fetishly inclined Von Melzer. Not only does the Washington based photographer capture voyeuristic moments, he also often uses a pretty spectacular window.
I've featured several of Von Melzer's shoots, but the one that stood out for me was the 2015 piece The Third Floor Window. (HERE:) The images were right on theme, and perfect for the a Rear Window inspired post. Then I remembered another series of Von Melzer's work, this one featuring adult film star Colby Keller.
Although not in a wheelchair, this series of images beautifully capture the feeling of being alone, bored and with too much time on your hands. You can see the signs of boredom in the room, and the end result... a series of cameras and video feeds capturing every moment of all of Colby's neighbours. Von Melzer not only captured the voyeuristic feel of Rear Window, he also captured a great window, and an exceptionally beautiful rear.
Voyeurism (from the French voyeur, "one who looks").The voyeur may observe the subject from a distance, using sometimes some kind of devices and strategies.'
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