Vertigo

(Go to full size to watch the trailer)

Tay's Rating- :D :D :D :

Interesting Facts:-Uncredited second-unit cameraman Irmin Roberts invented the famous "zoom out and track in" shot (now sometimes called "contra-zoom" or "trombone shot") to convey the sense of vertigo to the audience. The view down the mission stairwell cost $19,000 for just a couple of seconds of screen time.

-There is a 25 year age difference between James Stewart and Kim Novak, who were 49 and 24 respectively when the film was shot in 1957.

-The Empire Hotel where James Stewart eventually finds Kim Novak is (as of 2009) the Hotel Vertigo (formerly the York) located at 940 Sutter St. in the heart of San Francisco. Novak's character lived in Room 501, which still retains many of its aspects captured in the film.

-Alfred Hitchcock reportedly spent a week filming a brief scene where Madeleine stares at a portrait in the Palace of the Legion of Honor just to get the lighting right.

-Kim Novak does not speak until more than a third into the movie.

- Audrey Hepburn expressed an interest in playing the dual roles of Judy and Madeleine.

- The word "vertigo" is only spoken once in the movie, towards the beginning by Scottie to Midge. After that it is never uttered again. 

My Review: For class, we picked our own choice of a Hitchcock film so I picked Vertigo. I thought the film Vertigo was interesting. It had the unique story plot in a way. It definitely had some climaxes and twists. Vertigo was a great example for some of these chapters from the book. For an example, acting, directing style, and cinematography.

            The acting for the cast was unique. I felt that Vertigo was the first classic film that was “real” or realistic out of all of these classic films back then. It was the Hitchcock style that made it realistic. Vertigo really reduced the typical classic film traits like the overdramatic acting. It was simple and real but it had its dramatic moments. I liked the cast in Vertigo with Kim Novak and James Stewart. There was about 25 years age difference but it worked out for the movie. James’ drawl voice worked for his character Scottie.

            The directing style was a big part of this film because obviously of Alfred Hitchcock. He made this film Vertigo unique and separate from other films. Vertigo was a psychological thriller film because of Scottie’s fear of heights. I thought that was interesting because it was sorta the same as Birds in a way. Hitchcock’s ways in films are the twists in the plot also known for making psychological thrillers and suspense films.

            The cinematography was the main part of Vertigo because of the filming techniques. Here’s an interesting fact that I learned filming Vertigo, the camera zoom called "contra-zoom" or "trombone shot" part when Scottie was walking up the stairs to the top of the tower cost $19,000 for only a few seconds of screen time. I thought that was interesting because that’s how madness the filming in the movie industry. It can take so much for one part or scene. I thought the color palate in the whole film was different too.

            For my opinion for Vertigo is I liked it but I didn’t love it 100%. I loved the story plot twist of the character of Madeleine Elster/Judy Barton. I am a fan of psychological thriller films and I would put Vertigo on my list of favorite psychological thriller films. The cast was well picked. I am a fan of the cinematography of Vertigo and the techniques were used to film vertigo.