Does Not Illustrate: Rear Window Homage

Full disclosure, I've never seen Rear Window, but the image of "Rear Window" Homage and its description of jumped at me:

The description implies that this is an easy parallel to get, but I'm not exactly sure how this is supposed to fit the concept described in Laconic: "an incapacitated character witnesses a crime from their home by accident without the perp's knowledge and spends the story trying to bring the perp to justice, usually recruiting other abled people to aid them." Like, I just see a guy in a wheelchair next to three other people in the same room together — I don't get how that's a "blatant" reference, or how that illustrates the trope concept.

The only major visual I'm aware of of Rear Window as someone who's never looked at it is the shot of the protagonist using his camera to look out his apartment window, maybe something like that would be more indicative of the homage of this trope?

Edited by number9robotic on Apr 28th 2024 at 4:11:40 AM

Pull. Maybe a pic showing both the scene from Rear Window and the parody

I think the 'famous visuals' are already "Rear Window" Investigation and "Rear Window" Witness.

I've never seen either the work in the image nor the film itself, but enough Pop-Cultural Osmosis has occurred for me to recognize the black and white gown and the guy with the camera in current. Weak Keep Until Better Image Suggested, maybe.

The Pig Who Cried Werewolf:

Weak to 4.2, because it’s too similar to the image from "Rear Window" Investigation.

It’s possible we could import the Simpsons image from that page to "Rear Window" Homage.

It feels odd to me that we have three tropes for this same concept, but, whatever.

Weak to 4.2

4.2

I think 4.1 what with it being a poster makes the homage part stronger, though I wouldn't be against 4.2 either

I think cropping Current down to this also works better (since it cuts the two randos in modern dress and keeps the guy in the wheelchair and the lady in Lisa's dress, could use a quality upgrade):

I also like the Simpsons pic on "Rear Window" Investigation better than the Pig ones because it shows the wheelchair the best - when I think "Rear Window Homage" I think the Jeff analogue being in a wheelchair is one of the key features that shows it's specifically a Rear Window parallel and not just a snoop with a telescope.

Edited by MissConduct on Apr 29th 2024 at 4:01:57 AM

That is very fuzzy. To be clear I don't mind the current and prefer it as is compared to a crop. I just thought mine was worth suggesting.

Also the Pig is in a wheelchair you can see the handle over his shoulder.

Edited by Bullman on Apr 29th 2024 at 3:14:15 AM

As a Stock Shout-Out, this trope might benefit from a collage.

^ agreed; comparing scenes from the original film would help greatly too

Do we think "female assistant in a nice dress" or "wheeling around peeping on the neighbors" is more indicative of the plot?

I'd say the injured person usually in a wheelchair or at least unwell spying on what at least looks like a crime is more important. The dress is pretty incidental.

EDIT works: The inspiration in top left, then clockwise from top right: Castle, The Pig Who Cried Werewolf (Shrek short), and The Simpsons

Edited by GracieLizzy on Apr 30th 2024 at 1:36:49 PM

15

to 15.

that's better but i feel like the pig screenshot should show a more explicit reference if it's possible; i know the film popularised the 'man staring at thing through telescope to spy on people' image but it feels pretty generic as a lot of movies have used that shot

(disclaimer: have not watched either version of Rear Window, so take with a grain of salt)

I think 15 is fine. The top left having the scopin' and the title makes it clear the others are imitating it.

15

15

"I spy, with my suspicious eye, a parody of me"