Innovative Camera Techniques In Rear Window And The Birds

Out of Hollywood a few great talents arise. One such individual is Alfred Hitchcock, who directed numerous feature films and led the way for innovative camera techniques that are still implemented today. In his films, Rear Window (1954) and The Birds (1963), he explores mysterious situations, murder and bird attacks respectively, that center on a leading man and the supporting roles of women. One common theme is the distinctive roles of women, depending on relation to the man, to the leading man’s ultimate success. According to the Auteur theory, which claims that the director creates the film in his vision, these movies are embedded with Hitchcock’s own perspective and beliefs (White 111). Alfred Hitchcock believes, as shown through his feature

The leading lady is crucial because she is the one who helps him overcome his physical or psychological struggles. In Rear Window, Jeff relies on his girlfriend, Lisa, to engage the suspicious neighbor because he cannot walk due to an injury. Without Lisa’s help and “womanly intuition” Jeff would not have noticed that the wife’s abandoned wedding ring is key evidence in her murder. In this instance, Lisa aids her man by allowing him is exceed physical boundaries by becoming his legs. Correspondingly, in The Birds the leading man, Mitch Brenner lacks a father and his family is toppled without a leader. However, when Melanie arrives she treats him like a man, unlike his mother and younger sister, which gives Mitch the confidence to take the role of one mentally. Although he was physically capable to be a man, Mitch needed Melanie’s confidence and belief in him to truly be one. Hitchcock expresses here that women are also a psychological asset to men because they boost morale. Basically, Hitchcock is implying that men could only succeed when he enlist the aid of women. However, a devoted partner is not the only essential female in a man’s