The Art of Framing: Hitchcock's Vertigo
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- Опубликовано: 10 фев 2025
- It's my theory that in Vertigo Hitchcock applies one rule to his main character and how he relates to other characters in the film, as well as defining the film's themes.
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Wow, Hitchcock was a genius and so are you. This is one of the best film analyses I’ve ever seen, and I went to film school.
Dude, this is one of the greatest pieces of analysis I have ever seen on RUclips! Please keep making more of these. I would absolutely love to see more videos like this with other movies.
I have listened to many analyses by the experts about the Vertigo. This tops them all. This is fascinating analysis. I feel like I need to watch it again to notice this incredible movement of the characters. It is simply genius. Thank you.
This is brilliant!! I’ve seen so much on this film but no one has mentioned anything you’ve talked about here! Thank you so much!
I'm so sorry, I'm late to this channel.
Danny I'm blown away with your videos on Hitchcock! F me they are so amazingly good. I bow to you.
I love hitch, love that hes a go to for so many directors, but you have really woken me up to how deep Hitch was. If you love Hitch as much as I do, then there is also Alma, I'm starting to see, through you, how fricken important, not that I ever doubted her, but she has to be behind the many conversations with him to achieve what was captured on screen.
Sorry but, your video has really set a fire in me.
Thank you so much!!!
Yes, Hitchcock absolutely did work this way. He was very focused on the psychological and even subliminal effect his films had on his audience. I remember noticing in "Strangers on a Train" how the character of Guy Haines first hides from a police car behind the bars of an iron fence even though he is innocent. From this point on in every scene there is a striped, barred, or latticed pattern, reminding us subliminally of the danger Guy is now in vis a vis the law. In one instance, it is even the columns of the Lincoln Memorial. You may want to do a video on this.
WOW. I've seen this film a dozen times, but never realized what Hitchcock was doing with framing. The guy was a genius. Kudos, Danny Bellini
Very interesting. And yes, the first time I saw the film I did notice him driving on the left side of the road and it threw me for a moment, but then of course was right back into the story due to Hitchcock’s prowess with storytelling.
Thanks, good job.
This video is absolute brilliance
The power of observation is strong with this one.
Fascinating and insightful! Two points to clarify, however. The photo on Judy's dresser was of Judy and her mother, not her sister with her mother. This does not affect the point you are making. Also, Scottie is driving back to the mission in the left lane at the end because it appears to be a split highway, not a mistake or the result of his intensity in the moment. He drove in that same left lane when he originally, and calmly, first took Madeline to the mission. Keep up the great work, and thanks!
The point is still made visually. It's one man chasing two women. Who they are doesn't matter. Visually we're still looking at one man in one photo beside two women in the other photo. Two women who are separated by a line.
You are right about the highway though. That's just me overthinking the scene.
Your observation and analysis is inspired- kudos. You've spotlighted just one more layer of the fabric of this film and showed us one more reason why we enjoy it so much and why it is held in such high esteem. Your points make sense and blend well with so many others such as the meaning of colors, mirror images, dialogue and so forth. Like many fans I see something new every time I view Vertigo and it never gets old. I disagree with you regarding the wrong-side-of-the-road scene but only in that this is a divided highway and Scotty''s simply driving in the fast lane; but only the geeks know that- most people wonder why he's driving on the wrong side of the road and this supports your point. On a different issue, I've decided it was Judy who first spotted Scotty lingering in front of the flower shop (rather than he spotting her) and chose to stop on the sidewalk in hopes of stealing a glimpse of him or possibly catching his eye. Anyway, thanks for your video- I predict you will go far!
Thank you for the feedback! I didn't know about the highway, that makes so much sense. Thank you. And Judy spotting Scotty first makes everything even more tragic. So glad you liked the video. I haven't made a second one yet but I've been writing another essay about The Aviator. Similar thoughts. I hope to put that one together soon.
I saw this technique in the film somewhere in time, the main caracter was always on the right side of the frame and whenever something happend he was standing in the left side of the frame. I never saw something in it until I saw this video 😅
"Vertigo" is a brilliant film, as is your analysis!
Love this film. Watching it again and again . . . and this was fresh & insightful!
Awesome analysis video on one of the best and most beautiful looking movies ever made. I watched it again yesterday and I noticed that Madeline when in her role wearing that Grey outfit she has a hummingbird button on the whole time. When John finds her again in her green dress thinking he found someone who resembles her she's wearing a rabbit button the whole time.. Can't find anything about this and I can hardly imagine this is a random thing. My question is did you notice this as well and what can it mean?
I'm so glad you noticed this thank you. I could give you a short answer, but if you look up the symbolism of each animal you can find significant connection to the characters in this film wearing them
This is mindblowing. Thanks for making such a smart analysis.
I notice lots of comments dismiss these ideas, but that just shows how few people understand or even care to understand just how an artist thinks. Many many artists think just like this; abstract ideas and formal rules underpin every choice, every action and object shown. And every colour and movement is there to encode a deeper meaning and to work on the viewer without their conscious perception. It doesn’t matter if the audience neither notices this internal structure or if they refute it’s presence... it’s there none the less.
Maybe. But my first thought was it is likely a textbook example of reading too much into it. Right now I guess it could be either. 50/50. Convince me.
Great insight, so brilliant! This frame really works and makes me respect Hitchcock more, want to watch the film seriously once again.
Excellent video. It wasn't Madeleine's dress Judy was hugging, but her own.
Oh man, I missed that. So then she's really holding onto herself in this moment. She's doing this last bit for her; not for him or for Madeline. Even more powerful. Thanks for this!
Wow this was extremely clever. Great job!
Sorry to see you stopped making videos. This is one of the best film analysis’s ive ever seen.
"Vertigo" is my favorite Hitchcock film. No matter how many times I've seen it, there is something new. I am intrigued by the color green with all types. The strange green of Madeline's RR. Her emerald green of her opera cape in Ernie's. Judy's tasteless green when she on the street. And the mystical green coming through the window when they kiss.
What do you think green and red symbolize? I've seen different theories
@dom7568 There is a commentator on YT who thinks that Madeline's/Judy's various shades of green is indicative of her deception. I have trouble with that. The only things that are red are Scotty's robe in his apartment when he saves her from drowning, the red of Carlota's necklace and the red of Ernie's. (Can you think of another red?) I can't see any reason except Kim Novak's pale skin is a perfect foil for red. It takes my breath away every time I see Madeline's opera cape, the red of Ernie's, her flawless complexion and her blonde hair. It is one of the most gorgeous scenes in the history of cinema. Green? No clue. It's just one of the mysteries of Hitchcock.
I always wonder that Judy jumped, thinking that Elser was there; same shape of head and nun cap.
Pretty brilliant, whoever you are! Can't leave her/bridge-good catch.
What a great analysis
This essay is brilliant, I always noticed there is something up with the camera movement but i couldn't figure it out was it is :)
Really well done! Never even noticed this, Id love you to do Psycho 🤞
yesssssssssssssssss need it
9:17 To support your theory even more, Judy is writing the letter with her LEFT hand
Thats because Kim Novak is left-handed. So were Eva Marie Saint and Cary Grant ( North by Northwest). Tippi Hedren and Anthony Perkins were also lefties.
@@jeffreykaufmann2867 Awesome, Im lefty/ambidextrous so I always pay attention to which a person writes with in films/TV
@pyrotechnick I'm around 70% Left handed. Right handed for Musical instruments, Hockey, Baseball and Golf.
I got Vertigo just grappling with the ideas in this video....
(But they Were intriguing! Really genius if Hitch had it all planned to shoot this way for these reasons.)
Wow, as many times as I've seen that film, I'd never noticed that.
Very very interesting idea
Great how you noticed all these
Amazing essay!!! Keep on the great work!
You my friend are a genius, thank you
Excellent movie it is evergreen camera angles location and star casting
Great insight. Thanks for sharing!
If you claim that Scottie is guilty of Judy's death at the end, how was he relieved of his fear of heights? Is it because he now knows the truth so the fear went away because he went to face it head-on but still felt guilty due to what happened?
I think the new trauma of losing someone he loved was powerful enough to outweigh the fear he once had.
You are so perceptive and articulate about what Hitchcock was up to in every scene and shot! Thank you for that.
Then perhaps you (or someone else here) can explain a shot in the movie that I have asked about elsewhere and never gotten any response, much less an insightful one.
In the McKittrick Hotel lobby, when the lady clerk goes upstairs to check the room Judy/Madeleine stays in, there is an insert shot from Scottie's subjective POV of an old chandelier. Scottie/Stewart takes so much notice of it he litterly performs a quick double-take to really soak it in.
Why? What are we to think Scottie/we see in that chandelier, the "clue" or deeper meaning of it?
Hitchcock obviously put that POV insert shot there for a specific reason as he does with every shot in this and his other movies.
But I have yet to read why he put that shot in VERTIGO.
Any thoughts?
Wow! Blew mind mind. Wonderful
I don't believe I ever heard Hitchcock mention this theory.
Awesome. More Hitchcock videos!
Needs more views.
And if so - did Hitchcock go to all this left-to right - right-to - left trouble deliberately - or was it all unconscious?
I'm learning from other commenters and film critics that he did express this type of filmmaking and so these decisions could very well be conscious or an unconscious result of his trained mind.
This was great
Fascinating
Ufff amazing. Love this video. 👏👏
With all due respect, this is not "Your Theory." It has been written about by scholars for years.
Yep. I learned this in a college film class in 1990. I even wrote a paper on the movie, and I recall specifically mentioning how Scotty moves from left to right precisely as he says that he doesn't "want to get mixed up".
With all due respect if I wasn't taught this by scholars and did not know these scholars you speak of, then I must have developed it on my own and therefore am allowed claim ownership on this random RUclips video that I posted years ago.
Well done, interesting point of views. But "We may never know if she jumped or fell?"
We will never know! If she jumped, it's because she knowingly duped a man she fell in love and because of that fact the two of them can never be happy together. He will always want Madeline and she will have always lied to him.
If she fell, then it's a tragic story of lovers who were never meant to be.
EXCELLENT!!!
Any notion of symbolism or intent behind the colors in the film?
Rather intense.
Wow I didn't notice this
Excellent.
Wow superb work❤
Can u pls lets us know which software did u use to create that white line effect?
Thank you! I did that all on After Effects using the draw tool
More please
I've been working on a similar video for Martin Scorsese's The Aviator. Stay tuned!
Danny Bellini will do
You're right, I'm left, she's gone.
Wow. Nice analysis. But it can be too much for some.
But, what about the first time Scottie sees Madeline? She's with Gavin, walking left to right. How does that fit into the plot?
I'll have to watch it again to see! Though, I will say that not everything always lines up to my theory. It is just a theory after all.
This movie is quite difficult to comprehend. I am no idiot, but really???
It an interesting theory and the film mostly supports it. But you are absolutely wrong about Scotty driving on the wrong side of the road. Yes, he's driving in the left lane. But look at the road markings: he's in the left side of a 2-lane road, with the lanes separated by a single, white dashed line. Not a solid line, not a double yelow line that separates traffic going in opposite directions. Scotty is in the left side of a 2-lane road, heading towards the mission. To his left is the tree-lined grassy median that separates the traffic heading towards the mission from the traffic headinf away from the mission. We can't see the opposing traffic because of the trees. So yes, he's in the left lane. But there is nothing inherently "wrong " about it.
Hmmm not sure. Although interesting, I feel it’s over-analysis talking someone down a hole. Same in Kubrick doc 237. Interesting though
Make more videos
I know... working on it
Lol man, interesting. But what about people from, let's say, Japan, who are brought up reading right to left? Does that mean they have an incorrect subconscious reading of the film?
Haha I would assume, if my theory has any weight, that it would still serve as a tool of communication. Subconsciously they’d still notice something intentional was happening and respond to it, but no… I don’t see it having the same weight.
Interesting theory but a little simplistic
You're reading far too much into it. It's a movie made by an american for other americans. A chimpanzee's grunts are far more complex than Vertigo.
what pills you on?
Does anyone else get the impression this is a textbook example of "reading too much into it"? I got that at first. Then the driving on the wrong side of the road thing. At least 50/50 now.
Of course he's not reading too much into it, great filmmaking is all about using every cinematic technique possible to emphasise the story you are telling, theres a reason Hitchcock is always regarded as one of the greatest of all time.
Number 1 BS
Amazing how many people are buying this poppycock!
We respond to what we see on screen.
2:37 Up is invariably positive, lofty, holy. Like ‘heaven’.
0:37 Not everybody reads left to right. But, yes, those who know how to manipulate video material put on the left the start of a movement that has significance, and place the good/ those with deserved authority characters on the left. Think of it (if you write and read left to right) as the idea of idealised / positive/ beneficial origins.
PS- those who came with the religious idea of ‘left hand of god’, the left as the evil write from right to left. Just in case you doubted the validity of the cognitive sciences (it’s not my idea).