Rear Window - Jessica Nguyen

There was one particular part in the movie that stood out to me when it came to the music and it making a special difference in the film. That part was when the musician guy and all his friends are playing together as a band in his apartment and everyone can hear their sweet sounds escaping through the window. The first major sound to come from the piece is the low smooth tones of the saxophone that make everyone stop. The sweet, slow rhythm has this sort of calming, soothing effect, that makes everyone stop and listen; they seem lost in time almost as they pause in whatever they are doing to listen to the music, in a transient state. While I was listening to it, I was picturing a floor full of dancers, in their big, sparkly, flowing dresses and the men in tuxedos gliding across the floor in some foxtrot or waltz.
The minor key the music is played in adds a sort of melodramatic-ness to the atmosphere which falls right in place with Lonely Heart about to commit suicide out of despair, thinking she'll never find someone to fall in love with her. Yet, the beauty of the piece is what keeps her from following through with the act. While the music's sad tone fell in-step with Lonely Heart's wish to die, it also foreshadows Lisa getting caught in the Thorwald's apartment, and his attack on her. When you see her pause to listen to it, you just know that he is about to catch her and the dramatic minor key with its sad tones add to her struggle against him. The violin comes in right when he discovers her, adding to the sad quality of the music, and then the high-pitched wind instrument (I believe a picalo or flute) starts when we see her thrown to the couch and the shot cuts to Jefferies and Stella's astonished and frightened faces. Even though the music in this scene is one of melancholy and used to heighten the terrible things taking place in this part, I feel that it also brings everyone together in the end.
Lonely Heart and the musician end up together where she finds happiness, and he also plays the finished product of the song for her, with the vocals and everything. The camera then pans to all the other apartments where you see life is back to normal and happy for most now that this horrific experience is over and the murderer gone from among them. The one lady has a new puppy, Ms. Torso finally has the man that she really loves, Jefferies and Lisa look happy and content together, and the new couple has finally lifted their shade and become part of the group, even if they are no longer in the wallows of first being married.