Comparison: Rear Window v Disturbia

Comparison: 'Rear Window' v 'Disturbia'

As already mentioned in my blog, 'Disturbia' (Dist.) is a remake of 'Rear Window' (R.W). I always feel that remakes never do the original any justice, however in this case I couldn’t be further from the truth. I think Disturbia is absolutely brilliant, in my opinion, better than Rear Window. I have therefore decided to compare the two to see what it is that makes them both so successful.

The Narrative

Similarities:

• Both heroes/main characters have been forced to stay at home. -House arrest and a broken leg. Therefore the voyeurism is forced.
• They are both spying on their neighbours. -‘Jeff’ spies on the arguing couple, the musician etc. Kale spies on Turner, Ashley etc.
• Both narratives are focussed on these neighbours.
• They both suffer a distraction. Both cases this is a party.
• Both films are mainly from the main characters point of view (sometimes their friend’s point of view). This means we know only as much as this character/the hero. This also gives us an insight to events which makes it less dramatic to us, unlike their friends. (We gain info. as the main character gains it.)
• Both characters watch their neighbours’ events. In Dist. (Disturbia) kale watches Turner mow the lawn. In R.W (Rear Window) he watches the neighbours doing some gardening.
• The police/law believe neither of the main characters
• The main characters friend enters the neighbour’s/villain’s house to look for clues/evidence.
• Both the main character’s love interests also become obsessed with voyeurism (and they practically move in).
• The main characters suspicion of the villain is correct
• Women are murdered in both
• Villains catch the main character watching them
• The villains invade the heroes property
• Takes time for the main plot to surface, I.e. the murders
• Both villains also kill animals (deer, rabbit, or dog)
• Both villains kept the evidence well hidden
• Dialogue is mostly character driven but decisive events are not, about 60/40 percent ratio.
• The main characters use up to date technology to compile evidence (picture of plants which move place and video camera of Turner’s garage)
• Both use technology to bide their time. ‘Jeff’ uses the camera flash to temporarily blind the villain and Kale jumps over his perimeter of house arrest which calls the police and bides his time to find his mother.
  

Differences:

• Dist. has a more traumatic back story.
• Dist. builds up to the main plot slowly which sets the scene and introduces characters. R.W plot goes straight into voyeurism.
• There is much more dialogue in Dist. due to more characters.
• In Dist there is a high body count, where as in R.W only one person is killed.
• There is more technology used in Dist. e.g. mobile phones, computers, a video camera, etc.
• In Dist. Kale is deceived by what he believes to be proof. E.g. in Dist. Kale thinks the clubber leaves Turner’s house but really it is Turner wearing a wig.
• In Disturbia his friend investigates the villain’s house, but in R.W it is his partner
  

Iconography

Similarities:

• There are many frames within frames- e.g. binoculars/camera lens and windows. This reinforces the theme of voyeurism as we are constantly placed as onlookers.
• Shots are nearly always from the hero’s and his helpers’ POV. The POV of the villain is not used so as to heighten suspense.-his views are incomprehensible to us.
• All villainous behaviour occurs during night time. Connotation of light-good and dark-evil. At night time things are unseen.
• Domestic location is used and the disruption occurs inside the home.
• Use of knives, up to date technology and vehicles
• Animals play key roles in the films (and are killed in both)
• Other than the main characters, dress codes are up to date with the time period.
  

Differences:

• R.W is set in urban apartments, but Dist. is set in a suburban road.
• In R.W the whole film is set from one room. Dist. is set in a large house with many rooms, each showing a different house and meaning.
• diegetic sounds differ from urban cafes and traffic to lawn mowers and splashes (from the pool)
• In Disturbia there are more of his friend’s POV as there is more parallel editing.- e.g. when Kale’s friend goes into the villain’s house. In R.W the hero is more isolated and so the majority of shots are from his POV.
• Greater use of technology in Dist. e.g. mobiles, computers, cameras, games consoles, etc.
• Dist. displays a more effective use of colour. There is a range of dull, blue colouring when villainous action occurs as a connotation of coldness and lack of emotion and saturated and more reddish lighting at moments of passion. The film quality is also better, but reflects upon the time period.

Characters

Similarities:

• The hero is not worried about their appearance. They dress casually, unlike their love interests who dress to impress.
• The females are very attractive.
• The villains are bold and confident, even more so when they notice they are being watched. They are also larger and stronger than the hero.
• The female helper is very active in the plot, although they both get into trouble with the villain.
• The main characters have a helper- Ronnie, and the nurse
• Both heroes form sexual relationships.
• Among the hero and his friends there is an obsession with the plot.

Differences:

• In Dist. main characters are often teenagers whereas in R.W they are all adults. This is reflective of the time period as children would not have acted in thrillers during the 1950’s.
• The hero in Disturbia is in his situation due to being naughty and a slacker at school. In R.W the hero is a gentleman and is accidentally placed in the situation.
• The helper in Dist. is Kale’s best friend, but in R.W it is Jeff’s nurse.
• The victim in R.W is the villain’s ill wife. Disturbia his victims are numerous attractive females.
• In R.W the villain is more mysterious and the audience is not given much information about his character. This therefore acts as an enigma code. Unlike this, the Disturbia villain is charismatic and visits Kale’s mum. This is enigmatic for the act that we want to find out what the cunning villain is planning.
• Characters are more believing in Disturbia- in R.W they eventually believe him
• In R.W his friends (nurse and partner) discourage him from watching the neighbours, whereas in Dist. the friends (friend and love interest) encourage his voyeurism

Themes

Similarities:

• House arrest
• Suspense and fear
• law and order
• Suspicion of neighbours
• Useless police involvement
• claustrophobia
• Voyeurism/spying
• Right and wrong
• The role of technology
• Sexual Attraction

Differences:

• In Dist. Kale’s a father dies
• The mother and son relationship
• In R.W Jefferies has to convince his friends before they believe him, but in Dist. there is the theme of trust and they believe him from the beginning.
• Role of technology: in Dist. it is used to provide evidence, in R.W it is used to stall the villain.

What have I learnt from this comparison?

• Genre conventions are always repeated because they work/ are successful.
• Over time, remakes need to be updated for the new audience so as to play on the current fears in society.
• Remakes/similar films can be just as satisfying for film buffs (who watched the original) as they have expectations and can form a discussion/comparison between the films.
• Directors use structures/ frameworks which have lots of narrative so they can use it again and again.