The late Alfred Hitchcock was known for his mastery of suspense, having honed his craft with 69 directorial credits, 28 producer credits and multiple uncredited cameos in many of his films, including Marnie, The Birds, Psycho and Dial M for Murder.
Five of his movies were unavailable for more than 30 years because Hitchcock had bought back the rights as a legacy to his daughter. These “Five Lost Hitchcocks” — The Man Who Knew Too Much, Rope, The Trouble With Harry, Vertigo and Rear Window — were re-released in 1984, which is how Fathom Events will be able to screen the last film this Sunday and Wednesday.
The budget for Rear Window was more than $1 million, and the film was shot entirely on one set. The resulting stage took months to build and featured real electricity and running water in the fabricated New York apartments surrounding a large courtyard.
Photojournalist L.B. “Jeff” Jefferies, played by James Stewart, is recovering from a broken leg and is confined to a wheelchair in his tiny apartment. To pass the time, he begins spying on his neighbors with binoculars, assigning nicknames to those he sees, including “Miss Torso,” “Miss Hearing Aid” and “Miss Lonelyhearts.” He soon becomes convinced that he has witnessed a murder, and his model-girlfriend (played by Grace Kelly) joins him in his suspicions. But what did they really witness?
This 1954 film, considered one of Hitchcock’s best, has been digitally remastered and will be screened across the United States in this special two-day event.
2 p.m. and 7 p.m., Sunday and Wednesday. Various Houston locations including Memorial City Mall, 310 Memorial City Way and Houston Marq*E Stadium 22, 7620 Katy Freeway. For information, visit www.fathomevents.com/event/rear-window. $12.50.
Sun., March 22, 2 & 7 p.m.; Wed., March 25, 2 & 7 p.m., 2015
This article appears in Mar 19-25, 2015.
