I agree with Jason that Rear Window is significantly more interesting when approached from a theoretical standpoint rather than from a passive one.  This is probably because it is so reflexive, being largely a film about film, and if you aren't reading it in that way, there is not much going on.  I do not think the vignettes which Jeff looks at are particularly interesting in and of themselves, not even the salesman/wife killer story.  The problem with the scenes in the apartments is that the residents lack subjectivity, as they are mere spectacles for Jeff and for us, the audience.  We do not identify with them, even if we sympathize.

This question of subjectivity vs. objectivity was confusing to me in Jeff's relationship with Lisa. The problem in their relationship is that she is an object to Jeff, who appears perfect and therefore somewhat undesirable and uninteresting.  How is it that when she is seen through the window, she acquires subjectivity, even though no one else as seen through the window does?

Bringing in the castration complex now, is it possible that Lisa possessed a kind of subjectivity within Jeff's apartment that threatened him and made him not want to marry her, but through the window she was merely an object, over whom Jeff had power and would thus not feel threatened by?

I guess I have two questions: 1) why does being looked at grant Lisa subjectivity, and 2) how does this supposed possession of subjectivity make her more attractive and LESS threatening to Jeff?