Narratives
Disturbia has multiple murders where as in Rear Window there is only one. Rear window is an urban based film, and is mainly in one setting. Disturbia is suburban and there is use of more than one setting, e.g. the inside of the killers house. There is more action and a faster moving plot in Disturbia compared to Rear Window.
Themes
Similarities:
Both films are based on entrapment, i.e. being housebound.
There are also themes of suspense, murder, fear, suspicion, claustrophobia, voyeurism, technology, right and wrong, good and evil, sexual attractions and justice, and police.
Differences:
In Rear Window the reason for being housebound is a broken leg, but in Disturbia it is house arrest. In Disturbia the characters believe and are trusting of the protagonists beliefs from the start, but in Rear Window he has to persuade and provide evidence for them. There is also parental relationships shown in Disturbia with the death of his father and a single widow mother etc.
Iconography
Similarities:
In both films, artificial lightin is used, e.g street lamps, house lights etc. There are also a lot of frame within frame shots, for example through binoculars. The settings are also normal places, and therefore tap into societies fears of what happens behind closed doors. Knives are also in both films as murder weapons.
Different dress codes in each film are clear, due to different time periods. The set is larger for Disturbia and uses the villains house, and multi rooms within a house, Rear Window is based in one room of a flat. Rear Window is urban, Disturbia is Suburban. The main character in Disturbia is a slacker, who is to blame for his housebound ness, whereas in Rear Window the lead has a job and is unfortunate to be in the situation.
In both Films there are the same number of main characters, the housebound, sidekick and female character, who is also in both films is seen as a sex symbol. All the main characters become very involved in the plot in both films. Also the victim in ech film is a female. In both, the villain is also played by a man, who also appears to be of similar age in each film. The main protagonist is untidy in appearance, and appears not to be bothered with it. The female is contrastingly well dressed, in fashionable expensive clothing, and also differs to the common damsel in distress character, but is brave ( in both films). The films are also set within the period they were filmed, thus to play on the current fears of society.
Differences:
The films are however set in different time periods. The ages of the characters is also different, in Disturbia they are teenagers and in Rear Window they appear to be in their thirties or even 40s. The plot is also different as in Disturbia the female character initiates the watching of the neighbour, whereas in Rear Window she tries to detract form it. The gathering of evidence and exploration of the villains house is also done differently. In Disturbia it is the male sidekick who goes in under the main protagonists say so, where as in Rear Window it is the female character who does so of her own accord. The sidekick in Rear Window is a female nurse, whereas in Disturbia it is a male friend. There is one vicitim in Rear Window, but more in Disturbia.
Similarities:
Both of the films are from the heroes point of view. In both films the character is believed by friends but not by the police. Both use technology coherent with the time periods. Both films are not very enigmatic as we know all the protagonist does, which is a lot. There are dead animals in both, a dear in Disturbia and Dog in Rear Window. In both films there is also a case of mistaken identity. A party is also in each , which detracts form the killer.
Differences:
Disturbia has multiple murders where as in Rear Window there is only one. Rear window is an urban based film, and is mainly in one setting. Disturbia is suburban and there is use of more than one setting, e.g. the inside of the killers house. There is more action and a faster moving plot in Disturbia compared to Rear Window.
Themes
Similarities:
Both films are based on entrapment, i.e. being housebound.
There are also themes of suspense, murder, fear, suspicion, claustrophobia, voyeurism, technology, right and wrong, good and evil, sexual attractions and justice, and police.
Differences:
In Rear Window the reason for being housebound is a broken leg, but in Disturbia it is house arrest. In Disturbia the characters believe and are trusting of the protagonists beliefs from the start, but in Rear Window he has to persuade and provide evidence for them. There is also parental relationships shown in Disturbia with the death of his father and a single widow mother etc.
Iconography
Similarities:
In both films, artificial lightin is used, e.g street lamps, house lights etc. There are also a lot of frame within frame shots, for example through binoculars. The settings are also normal places, and therefore tap into societies fears of what happens behind closed doors. Knives are also in both films as murder weapons.
Differences:
Different dress codes in each film are clear, due to different time periods. The set is larger for Disturbia and uses the villains house, and multi rooms within a house, Rear Window is based in one room of a flat. Rear Window is urban, Disturbia is Suburban. The main character in Disturbia is a slacker, who is to blame for his housebound ness, whereas in Rear Window the lead has a job and is unfortunate to be in the situation.
Characters
Similarities:
Similarities:
In both Films there are the same number of main characters, the housebound, sidekick and female character, who is also in both films is seen as a sex symbol. All the main characters become very involved in the plot in both films. Also the victim in ech film is a female. In both, the villain is also played by a man, who also appears to be of similar age in each film. The main protagonist is untidy in appearance, and appears not to be bothered with it. The female is contrastingly well dressed, in fashionable expensive clothing, and also differs to the common damsel in distress character, but is brave ( in both films). The films are also set within the period they were filmed, thus to play on the current fears of society.
Differences:
The films are however set in different time periods. The ages of the characters is also different, in Disturbia they are teenagers and in Rear Window they appear to be in their thirties or even 40s. The plot is also different as in Disturbia the female character initiates the watching of the neighbour, whereas in Rear Window she tries to detract form it. The gathering of evidence and exploration of the villains house is also done differently. In Disturbia it is the male sidekick who goes in under the main protagonists say so, where as in Rear Window it is the female character who does so of her own accord. The sidekick in Rear Window is a female nurse, whereas in Disturbia it is a male friend. There is one vicitim in Rear Window, but more in Disturbia.
After closesly looking at the story similarites and differences within Rear Window and Disturbia, i think i would prefer to use an urban setting for my thriller, especially as i am thinking along the lines of a gangster thriller possibly. Although i like disturbia and believe it is a very effective and well made film, the associations of a mobster are going to be most easily shown in an urban setting, especially as i only have 2 minutes of screen time. Things i would like to take from both films however and use as guidance for my own triller, are the limited number of cast/characters . Which will make scenes easier to shoot, and allow me to explore the characters in more depth within the 2 minutes of screen time than would be possible with a large casting. I also think the concentration of telling the story from only one characters point of view , following the main protagonist as the opening sequene to my film would be effective.
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