Rear Window

A beautiful restoration of a voyeuristic masterpiece, this recently re-released 1954 classic is more relevant than ever in our contemporary peeping-Tom society. Alfred Hitchcock directs James Stewart as a bored photographer, laid up with a broken leg in his sweltering New York flat, who discovers a murder while spying on neighbors across his courtyard with a telephoto lens. After lulling the viewer into a sense of comfort and familiarity with snappy banter and other delightful distractions (such as the luminous Grace Kelly as Stewart's society girlfriend), Hitchcock meticulously unveils the evidence of homicide, mounting tremendous tension as Stewart's efforts to expose the crime prove dangerous. Universal has given the DVD release of Rear Window a characteristically exceptional mastering with their usual top-notch extras in the Hitchcock series: a superb "making of" documentary, extra featurette, stills, and production notes. Highly recommended. Editor's Choice. [Note: Universal has also just released nine other new Hitchcock titles: Rope, The Trouble with Harry, Topaz, Torn Curtain, Frenzy, Shadow of a Doubt, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Family Plot and Saboteur.] (R. Blackwelder)[DVD Review—Oct. 14, 2008—Universal, 2 discs, 115 min., PG, $29.99—Making its latest appearance on DVD, 1954's Rear Window (Special Edition) sports a fine transfer and Dolby Digital 2.0 mono sound. DVD extras include audio commentary by John Fawell (author of Hitchcock's Rear Window: The Well-Made Film), the 55-minute documentary “Rear Window Ethics,” the episode “Mr. Blanchard's Secret” from Alfred Hitchcock Presents (26 min.), a “Pure Cinema: Through the Eyes of the Master” featurette (25 min.), a “Breaking Barriers: The Sound of Hitchcock” featurette on the director's unique use of sound (24 min.), excerpts of filmmaker Francois Truffaut interviewing Hitchcock (16 min.), a conversation with screenwriter John Michael Hayes (13 min.), production photos, production notes, and trailers. Bottom line: an excellent extras package for a cinema classic.]