Suspense Techniques

Dialogue Means Nothing - Use facial expressions, have one character not listening to each other, have the dialogue contradict what is going on. 

Keep the Story Simple - Keep the story linear and streamlined. Story should remain simple but the characters should be complex. 

Characters Must Break Cliches - Lisa breaks into the apartment in order to gain evidence. Thorwald is a respectable murderer. 

Use Humor to Add Tension - Characters in ironic situations, worst possible situations. 

Two Things Happening at Once - Used primarily to distract audience, Thorwald hides the knife. Miss Lonelyhearts is just a distraction, no major part in movie. 

Suspense is Information - Dog returns to the garden. 

Surprise and Twist - Son is the killer and dresses up as his mother in Psycho, Thorwald has instances where he looks innocent in Rear Window. 

MacGuffin Effect - Item or subject that drives the storyline, rosebud in Citizen Kane, briefcase in Pulp Fiction. 

In Rear Window the story is kept simple, the characters break cliche, humor is used to add tension, and multiple things happen at once. Thorwald pushing Jeff out of the window is a form of Surprise and Twist.