Rear Window Thesis

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e at the time. Assembling the extensive wardrobe of designer clothing and accessories Lisa appears in was a daunting task for an American in the 1950s. Aside from the direct cost of handmade dresses and jewelry made by the finest courtiers in Europe, acquiring them generally required several rounds of measurements and alterations before the final sale, which were usually done in-house. Only those who could afford to visit Paris frequently could have a Dior or Balenciaga dress made for them in the first place, let alone actually being able to afford one. Instead of simply bludgeoning the viewer over the head with exposition explaining that Jeff feels outmatched and emasculated by his girlfriend’s grace and social prowess, Hitchcock allows her …show more content…

Lisa may indulge in finer tastes, but she’s also morally grounded and genuinely in love with the schleppy Jeff. Instead of allowing Lisa to directly torment Jeff, Hitchcock uses her charm and precision to deflate the classic Jimmy Stewart everyman. At the film’s conclusion, Lisa appears in plain denim trousers and an unremarkable red shirt, showing that she’s willing to concede in order to maintain a healthy relationship. (1:52:03) However, as soon as Jeff falls asleep, she pulls out a hidden copy of Harper’s Bazaar, showing that her natural elegance simply cannot be …show more content…

(The Real Story of Casino, 2:16) In order to properly recreate the unabashed materialism and craven desires of the swinging 70s, Scorsese earmarked over $1 million of the film's budget on costuming, paying particular attention to Ginger's expansive and expensive wardrobe bought for her by Sam. From her sheer midriff-bearing silk top used as loungewear (29:22) to her full-length chinchilla coat bought as a housewarming gift (46:08) to her body-hugging gold leaf dress ostensibly worn for a charity event, (55:14) nothing in Ginger's wardrobe is meant to hide her body or features. As a high-rolling hustler, first of the Tangier’s wealthy “whales” and later her own husband, Ginger’s attention-grabbing skills are her only real means of providing for herself. In an interview with the Los Angeles Times during the film’s development, costume designer John Dunn explained that “These characters, for the most part, were low-life people who worked their way up the gambling hierarchy. Presentation was more important than ability when it came to reinventing themselves.” Besides showing off her husband’s seemingly bottomless bank account, Ginger’s glitzy outfits serve to keep the attention on her at all times. Paired with Sam’s equally ostentatious suits, which run the color spectrum from cherry

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