Essay - Rear Window

Essay; Rear Window.

Rear Window was produced in 1954 by an Alfred Hitchcock, through many extracts I have chosen to use "Scream." The techniques used for the 21st century appropriation of "Scream" include setting, music, dialogue, cinematography, age of character and symbolism. The changes that I have made to the extract in Rear Window follow: The setting is now in Bronx, New York and the date is January of 2012. The music is more intense because I have used the beginning of The Time, written by the Black Eyed Peas. The characters speak because it creates more tension in the Extract. Changes to cinematography in term of the camera angles and panning, symbolism creates suspense and a horror for an addicted 21st century audience.

The setting in Rear Window isolates each individual by placing each character by a separate window, this display a sense of independence. The buildings looked aged, broken down and at some points soothing. It does not give the viewer the frightening feel that majority of modern day horror movies display, the rear window apartment Jeff is staying in is located in Manhattan. To appropriate this setting I intend to turn the apartments into units (making the space for each individual larger) rendering the bricks to make a more modern look, whilst possibly making cracks in the walls to establish how aged the units are to the audience. When the panning occurs there should be many more people lurking around the units and graffiti should be displayed on the first few units to display a creepy neighbourhood in the 21st century. The film would have been produced in Bronx, New York because that specific area looks like a slum, the preferred season to produce this would have been sometime in the winter of 2012.

Music is essential in any horror film, the music used in this extract "Scream" appears to be very soft, with the use of a keyboard or harp. (The music can be faintly heard. It is quiet easy to forget that the fear factor of almost any horror film would decrease dramatically if the music was removed or altered to something not benefitting the horror film). To appropriate this extract I intend to make the music louder therefore the viewers may hear the type of sound and sense of suspense that Hitchcock is trying to establish in this Extract. The music should be played at a faster beat. I as the producer I would have the song "The Time by the Black Eyed Peas" in mind because at the start of this song the music is very soft and builds its self up as the song progresses. For example if a high pitched sound or the sound of footsteps and voices would bring the viewers to suspense and establish a feeling of anticipation.

Dialogue is the technique that makes a film a film. Without dialogue throughout the film, the film would not make much sense. Characters are trying to communicate to the viewers through dialogue. It is a special connection between the characters and the viewers. This extract has no dialogue, no dialogue means no connection between the characters and the viewers. To appropriate this extract I intend on adding dialogue to Jeff's character. Jeff could call somebody on his landline and the phone line may be cut or Jeff may simply mutter to himself about how dramatically his life has changed over the last few weeks from his accident. By adding just a few lines of dialogue the viewers