Movie Memories... Rear Window

It's 1984 and I'm in the theater located in the student union on the University of Florida campus. I'm taking an exceptional film appreciation class and experience my first Hitchcock film... Rear Window. The audience is packed with a combination of both film class students and non-film class students. All of us are too young to know or understand Hitchcock.

The lights dim, the crowd quiets and we are taken on a fascinating thrill ride. I am amazed at the Every Man quality of Jimmy Stewart. I realize that Grace Kelly is the most beautiful actress I had seen on film.

At one point in the film, Raymond Burr, playing the baddy, looks directly into the camera at a very suspenseful moment... the entire audience SCREAMS. Yes, we actually screamed. Out loud. Without control.

I was hooked.

I will spend the rest of my life trying to recreate that cinematic moment for others through my own work. I don't know if I'll every achieve it, but will keep trying.