What does the 1954 mystery thriller Rear Window in common with 2014 action comedy 22 Jump Street? At first glance, the older and newer films have very little in common. The stories they tell have no similarities. Also, the editing styles and techniques are much more complex within the newer motion picture than the older one. However, after careful inspection, both films use the same basic components to achieve their storytelling goals.
A similar practice is the use of music to establish or reinforce the mood of a particular scene. Rear Window has music built directly into the storyline. The piano player was composing a song throughout the movie, and finished his song at the climax of the action. This lent itself to the plot, because his finished …show more content…
For its time, Rear Windows special effects were good and helped advance the plot. A specific example is everyone “rushing” outside when they hear the commotion between Jimmy and Lars. Hitchcock actually sped up normal shots to create a feeling of anxiety and panic that pulls the viewer in to the climax of the movie, much like action sequences in today’s films. However, these rushing sequences look a bit odd when you compare the same kind of faster motion in films today. Since today’s films utilize many more shots and shorter shot lengths, it is much easier to isolate sequences to slow down or speed up in order to create the appropriate feelings. In 22 Jump Street, the apex of the action occurs when Janko and Schmidt have to throw a grenade at a helicopter and then jump off of the helicopter into the ocean. Within those thirty seconds, I counted at least 20 different edits after watching the scene multiple times. That scene needed many different shots, large amounts of editing, stunt doubles, and effects added in during post production. Despite the large amount of work involved in creating the scene, the finished product is fluid. When Rear Window was made, the kind of technology that 22 Jump Street utilized was not available. Therefore, when it comes to effects, older movies really cannot compete with what is possible in newer
A similar practice is the use of music to establish or reinforce the mood of a particular scene. Rear Window has music built directly into the storyline. The piano player was composing a song throughout the movie, and finished his song at the climax of the action. This lent itself to the plot, because his finished …show more content…
For its time, Rear Windows special effects were good and helped advance the plot. A specific example is everyone “rushing” outside when they hear the commotion between Jimmy and Lars. Hitchcock actually sped up normal shots to create a feeling of anxiety and panic that pulls the viewer in to the climax of the movie, much like action sequences in today’s films. However, these rushing sequences look a bit odd when you compare the same kind of faster motion in films today. Since today’s films utilize many more shots and shorter shot lengths, it is much easier to isolate sequences to slow down or speed up in order to create the appropriate feelings. In 22 Jump Street, the apex of the action occurs when Janko and Schmidt have to throw a grenade at a helicopter and then jump off of the helicopter into the ocean. Within those thirty seconds, I counted at least 20 different edits after watching the scene multiple times. That scene needed many different shots, large amounts of editing, stunt doubles, and effects added in during post production. Despite the large amount of work involved in creating the scene, the finished product is fluid. When Rear Window was made, the kind of technology that 22 Jump Street utilized was not available. Therefore, when it comes to effects, older movies really cannot compete with what is possible in newer