Updated Thoughts on Cruising and Rear Window

At the present moment, I regard a film where you need to check the internet to grasp the meaning of the ending as a form of storytelling failure. Cruising falls into this category. I might change my mind on this, however.

Rear Window rewatch - stunning film. The entire film, a meta-comment on voyeurism and fantasy. Upon first glance, Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly's relationship seems like a textbook case of preposterous male self regard and fantasy...but Hitchcock is entirely self aware of this deception and leans into it via casting, costume, and characterization. Grace Kelly is an illusion, an absurd, over-the-top depiction of the feminine ideal. And Jimmy is preoccupied with the nonsense next door. Hitchcock is making a joke about our perversions. It's brilliant. And no wonder he tried to coax Grace Kelly out of retirement to continue acting later in her career.