Alfred Hitchcock is considered one of the greatest directors of all time - and rightly so. He is the creator of some of the most important mystery films such as Vertigo(1958), Rear Window(1954), The Birds(1963) and Psycho(1960). Just in the beginning of August, 800 film critics and experts voted Vertigo as the Greatest Film of All Time ending the 60-year reign of Orson Welles' Citizen Kane which has toped almost every list up until now. In honour of this achievement, I've decided to revisit (or, in some cases, visit for the first time) as many Hitchcock films as I can, starting with the recently-crowned Vertigo starring James Stewart and Kim Novak.
Vertigo follows the story of private detective John "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart) who quits the San Fransisco Police after an incident during which, he discovered that he suffers from a pathological fear of heights.
He is soon hired by an old friend to follow his suicidal wife (Kim Novak) around the city. Ferguson can't help but fall in love with the beautiful but troubled woman.
He follows her all day and although every single think she does shows him that she might be possessed by a dead woman's spirit, he can't come in terms with this idea.
Scottie, due to his fear of heights, is unable to save the gorgeous woman from her fatal destiny, as she runs from him and climbs a bell tower from which she falls.
After her death, the distraught man meets Judy (also played by Novak) who reminds him of Madeleine. He decides to turn her to the exact image of the blonde woman he has loved so much.
The film is a study of sexual obsession and how it affects the life of even the most logical man. It shows how much a man can be destroyed when love is combined with guilt.
It is a tragic love story and very mysterious nonetheless. It grasps the audience's attention that tries to realize what's going to happen next and what is the reason behind Judy's actions.
It also brings forward the eternal fight of the metaphysical and the logical. Is Judy really possessed or is she a mentally ill person with suicidal tendencies?
The film is filled with beautiful images, a characteristic of the great Alfred Hitchcock. It has also been acclaimed for its innovative use of camera techniques such as reverse tracking shots and forward zoom.
San Fransisco looks breathtaking in Vertigo. And so do the people through Hitchcock's viewpoint. Kim Novak's gestures seem dream-like in this film that has to do with obsession, love, misunderstanding, loss of one's self, mental illnesses and various states of the mind where nothing is what it seems and everything turns out to be what you don't want it to be.
And also one cannot forget the amazingly atmospheric music written by Bernard Herrmann.
Director Cameo: Eleven minutes in, Hitchcock is a man who rushes in front of the camera, holding a musical instrument.
Memorable Quotes:
Vertigo follows the story of private detective John "Scottie" Ferguson (James Stewart) who quits the San Fransisco Police after an incident during which, he discovered that he suffers from a pathological fear of heights.
He is soon hired by an old friend to follow his suicidal wife (Kim Novak) around the city. Ferguson can't help but fall in love with the beautiful but troubled woman.
He follows her all day and although every single think she does shows him that she might be possessed by a dead woman's spirit, he can't come in terms with this idea.
Scottie, due to his fear of heights, is unable to save the gorgeous woman from her fatal destiny, as she runs from him and climbs a bell tower from which she falls.
After her death, the distraught man meets Judy (also played by Novak) who reminds him of Madeleine. He decides to turn her to the exact image of the blonde woman he has loved so much.
The film is a study of sexual obsession and how it affects the life of even the most logical man. It shows how much a man can be destroyed when love is combined with guilt.
It is a tragic love story and very mysterious nonetheless. It grasps the audience's attention that tries to realize what's going to happen next and what is the reason behind Judy's actions.
It also brings forward the eternal fight of the metaphysical and the logical. Is Judy really possessed or is she a mentally ill person with suicidal tendencies?
The film is filled with beautiful images, a characteristic of the great Alfred Hitchcock. It has also been acclaimed for its innovative use of camera techniques such as reverse tracking shots and forward zoom.
San Fransisco looks breathtaking in Vertigo. And so do the people through Hitchcock's viewpoint. Kim Novak's gestures seem dream-like in this film that has to do with obsession, love, misunderstanding, loss of one's self, mental illnesses and various states of the mind where nothing is what it seems and everything turns out to be what you don't want it to be.
And also one cannot forget the amazingly atmospheric music written by Bernard Herrmann.
Director Cameo: Eleven minutes in, Hitchcock is a man who rushes in front of the camera, holding a musical instrument.
Memorable Quotes:
Here I was born and there I died. It was only a moment for you; you took no notice.- Madeleine
- If I let you change me, will that do it? If I do what you tell me, will you love me? - Yes. Yes.- All right. All right then. I'll do it. I don't care anymore about me.- Judy and Scottie
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