Yes! I almost wish I could experience it again for the first time. I think I was an adolescent when I first saw this film, and it solidified my love of psychological thrillers.
I had the pleasure of seeing this movie with James Stewart in the audience.He answered questions from the audience after the special showing at the AFI .
Vertigo is one of my favourite films that I've ever seen (definitely top five) and this review did it justice. You picked up on so many things with this clearly deep movie, and I rally enjoy your analysis. What you pointed out about the swirl motif used in the film, and the way you took it as Scottie directing Judy is really interesting. Alfred Hitchcock is my favourite directed in film, and as someone interested in his work and the infinite layers to his pieces, I love your input. Also, your review of Citizen Kane is really good!
Great review. Btw, I always felt like Kim Novak actually played 3 roles in Vertigo: Madeleine, Judy, and "those beautiful phony trances", "always green, ever living", Carlotta Valdes. As for the character of "Midge", you're spot on. But unrecognized by most viewers, critics and directors, Hitch didn't miss a beat with her character arc either. He went from her realistic, lively and optimistic nature, then hinted her destiny by ending the whole colorful and bright painting ("see me, take me, desire me") sequence in her apartment with the shot of her barely visible reflection in the window. Finally, in the hospital sequence, her last, motherly, unsuccessful attempts to get close again and revive Scottie, end up with a shot of her, sad and broken, completely fading out of the picture, and the "picture". Of course, there is no Vertigo without Herrmann's score, which was, in his own words, his personal favorite. And the dude started with Citizen Kane, and ended with Taxi Driver!
Can you explain what happened to Kim Novak when she went into the hotel where Ellen Corby is te landlady. She clearly enters the building and Jimmy follows her in but then the Landlady tells him there is no such person there. It's a mystery I could never solve.
The actual plot aside, the "subplot" was amazing: A man loses the woman he loves, so he successfully recreates her. PS: The dialogue between Stewart and Barbara Bel Gedes at her studio was wonderful.
"Vertigo" influenced many films from "Mulholland Drive" to "Basic Instinct." It is much admired because it holds up well even under scrutiny of the smallest detail. When Judy first sees Scottie on the street, notice how she subtly, almost imperceptibly pauses for a split second, indicating her shock in seeing Scottie again. It has a pretty interesting dream sequence too. After Madeleine falls to her death, Scottie dreams of *himself* falling. The film visualizes the metaphor of falling throughout, with tunnels, stairwells, camera zooming in and/or moving forward as if to probe, to fall further into the mystery. The last shot of Midge is her walking lonelily down a hospital corridor -- like a tunnel. One of the few backward shots is when Scottie finally finds out who Judy is: we see from his point of view a zoom-out shot from Madeleine's twirly hairdo, as if he is finally extricating himself from the mystery.
There is a nice scene in a bookstore where the storekeeper does a nice bit of monologue about Carlotta's dark history, and then the screen turns dark. For a moment you may think there is something wrong with your TV screen or something. Then you realize the sunlight outside has just turned dark. Later, the storekeeper has to turn on his lights. It's nice of Hitchcock to create this small but interesting touch.
Amazing review!!! You are so well spoken and articulated. I finally saw Vertigo for the first time this morning. I am working my way through the AFI top 100 list and I had never really dove into Hitchcock. I haven’t done any classic reviews but maybe you are inspiring me to dive into some reviews of old school film. I love your analysis. You are so intelligent and picked up so much from this film. Thanks for sharing! You’re channel is one of my favorites!
Had to see your review of one of my all time favorite films - loved your compelling take on this masterpiece. I suppose you could have easily made your review twice as long (and I could have easily watched it). To me "Vertigo" is very mythic, filled with archetypes, and it's no coincidence that Bernard Herman's score references Wagner's "Liebestod" (love-death) - the themes and characters remind me much of what inspired Symbolist era art - I think that Hitchcock, along with German expressionism, were very influenced by that earlier era. Hitchcock came out of silent films and I think this is an important part of his mastery.
This is a perceptive and interesting review of what is probably the greatest color film made. The reviewer's insights and analysis are both quite good. I know much about Hitchcock, Vertigo, and his movies, having seen them all, some many times, such as Vertigo - and having read two full length book biographies, and having watched almost all of his interviews. This young lady is one of the best reviewers of Vertigo. I agree with most of her analysis. One factual error: Scotty is a retired police detective, not a retired private investigator - he comes out of retirement to do a favor for his friend in the role of a private investigator. But that's minor. I am so pleased that this reviewer has great insights into the themes, and conflicts in Vertigo - and she is very familiar with the movie - unlike some other RUclips reviewers of Vertigo - including one who admits, as part of his review, that he has never seen the entire film !! I like her analysis of Midge, (Barbara BelGeddes,) and the roles played by Kim Novak. So, Bravo. I will be reviewing Vertigo in bits and pieces in the comment section of various RUclips posts about this film.
Great review. And I was really pleased to see you focus on Midge's role in the film. For a couple of decades now I've been of the mind that Vertigo is possibly all a dream from start to finish (As is Mulholland Drive and Under The Silver Lake). But at first I couldn't figure out who's dream it was meant to be. And I finally concluded that it was Midge's dream. And that the dream was her own subconscious warning her to stop trying to change herself for Scotty because he was too lost in searching for his fantasy woman. And one of the clues to that is Madeline's speech about walking down a long hall into the darkness, and if she goes into the Darkness she'll die. the final time we see Midge, she's walking down a long hall…and then the screen fades to black…and we never see her again.
Strangely enough I first saw this film when I was 7, so all the subtext went right over my head. But even then I remember being affected by the visuals, the hauntingly beautiful score by Bernard Herrmann, and that chilling ending..As I grew up and began to understand the deeper themes of obsession and such in the film, I grew to appreciate it even more…it remains one of my all time favorite films, certainly my favorite from Hitchcock.
I really appreciated this intelligent review. The idea that the second half of the movie can be seen as a metaphor for Hollywood with Scottie as the director is a very good one.
Excellent review! Thank you for bringing up Midge’s character; very underrated. And THANK GOD Kim Novak stepped in for the role. I think she did a better job than Vera Miles would have. And James Stewart is awesome of course. I fell in love with this movie when I was 12, and I’m still in love with it. It’s one of my top 3 favorite movies of all time.
I recently watched this film and to me not only Hitchcock was great at directing this film, but I think the main heart of this film was the score of Benard Hermann. It's so hypnotic that it makes you want to see the film over and over again.
Midge should have painted the portrait of Carlotta as herself made up as a glamorous ideal, not the librarian with glasses look. That was ridiculous. No matter if she was trying to make a point.
i just finished watching the movie and the only thing i could think as soon as it ended was wow! loved your review and thoughts, so insightful and i agree completely! i noticed how smazing the music was too, just incredible!
Great review of one of the top 5 movies ever made. The score by Herman was brilliant, with a hook within the exquisite framing. Regards, Gaot from Ruthless Reviews.
I live in the neighborhood where Scottys apartment is. When Scotty first follows Madeleine from the upscale high rise on the top of Nob Hill they zig zag unnecessarily to get to his place at the bottom of Lombard St on Russian Hill. Lombard St. is called the "Crooked street in the world." Very appropriate for Vertigo, but Hitchcock doesn't show them twisting down it like the chase scene in Bullit an almost identical trajectory beginning at nearly the exact spot. But, a VERY interesting scene shows Scotty following two almost identical green cars. Madeleines super expensive Rolls, the other a more prosaic Packard type American car until they diverge on different paths. That CANNOT be unintentional. Green is Madelines 'ghost' or auric color. Kind of an etheric doubling like the Carlotta painting. P.S. You do a good job.
You are brilliant! This is a superb review of the masterpiece with attention given to characters and things given short shrift in other reviews of this film. I'm totally blown away.
The moment i watched Vertigo, it became my favorite movie, and Kim Novak is now my favorite actress. And to think, that Hitchcock's original choice for Madeline/Judy was Vera Miles (the sister from Psycho). It wouldn't have worked that well at all, in my opinion. Thankfully destiny intervenes. Before Vertigo, my favorite movie was Blue Velvet. So when i watched Vertigo, i instantly realized how much David Lynch was inspired by Hitchcock. Laura Palmer cousin from Twin Peaks was called Madeline Ferguson. Again played by the same actress.
YAGR! (yet another great review) And, how accurately you hit the nail on the head. I think Lynch learned so much from Hitchcock about parallel realities, dreams, and altered state of mind that generate percieved worlds that we long for or are afraid of. Another favourite of mine in this line is Rebecca: so much depth, so many layers, so heartbraking.
This movie is perfection, the relationship between scottie and Judy is breathtaking and somewhat hard to watch. The obsession he shows for her and her Image and the love she has for him is intoxicating to the point where it's dangerous. This is top 5 best movies all time
Great review as always, this was nice to hear, because I watched this for the first time last year and felt underwhelmed. Only in that it's hailed as the best film ever made in plenty of places and I think it's a film that will reward on repeat viewings? Your thoughts definitely amped me up for watching it again sometime soon!
Great analysis and very interesting interpretation! I liked your explanations of the visual "metaphors" throughout the movie, it's one of the things that enrich a movie, in my opinion. Hitchcock was truly a genius
Thank you! A well-done and wonderful commentary on this most haunting film! I totally agree with you on Barbara Bel Geddes (Midge) never really getting the credit she deserved, I've also never seen any credit given to "Pop Leibel" who told the tragic history of Carlotta at the bookstore. I thought it was compelling, but overlooked by apparently everyone else.
Great review! The score in the movie is incredible- i get goosebumps everytime I watch the scene where Scottie and Judy are walking past the Palace of Fine Art and the birds seem to fly past at just the right moment. However, I'd like your take on the ending since that has always baffled me. Friends have said that Scottie throws Judy off while it looks like to me like she jumps off, either because of the guilt she feels or because the she's convicned the nun is a ghost/apparition of the real Madeline. Also, check out Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus, starring Deborah Kerr ('47). The uncanny similarities with the flashing reds and greens , along with steep heights or vertical-ness are present in that film as well. Hitchcock no doubt "borrowed" from Powell and Pressburger for Vertigo.
Replying 6 years later. Judy isn't thrown off, and she doesn't jump off. She sees the shadow of the nun coming up the stairs and is spooked by it, because she (and the audience) can't yet see/understand what it is. So, she backs away in fear, but she goes a step back too far, and falls over the edge. Scottie then loses both the real woman, and the illusion at the same time.
Art is in every film, no matter how bad that film turns out, for some form of creative process must have taken place at some point. Great art has the ability of, when we are looking at it, it casts an almost subliminal spell - and it looks back at us. "Vertigo" is such a work of art. So cunningly Hitchcock cast his spell on me on first viewing, I did not, or would not, recognize Judy in the second half as the same ethereal almost ghostly Madeline he had been pursuing in the first half and my astonishment grew as Stewart gradually transformed the pretty, but almost unremarkable Judy, into the exact replica of that ideal. It is well known Hitchcock wanted Vera Miles but settled on Kim Novak when the former fell pregnant. Thank the heavenly gods she did because no-one could have pulled this slight of hand off as effectively miss Novak. Unsurprisingly this enigmatic film was not a box office hit at the time. It needed more emotional and cinematic experience to fully appreciate, and audiences were simply not ready for it, even now I think some viewers will find the same. Thank you for an excellent review. Michael - South Africa.
Glad you recognized Barbara Bel Geddes. Very under-rated performance. One question no one has ever answered. How does Scottie get down from the roof in the first scene? We see people scurrying around the dead cop, but by the time they could reach Scottie surely his grip would have given out. Another great Hitchcock touch: Stewart is hanging from the ledge in the penultimate scene in Rear Window, then hang ing from the rooftop in the first scene of Vertigo. I doubt that was a coincidence. He does this again when the dead, but menacing birds in the parlor of the Bates Motel become the live attackers in his next film The Birds. Terrific presentation. Happy to have stumbled upon your site.
Thanks. You did a good job on this. In the original story, you don't find out until the end that Judy and Madeleine are the same person. Hitchcock reveals this halfway through, which makes it more interesting. The censorship board made Hitchcock film an alternate ending, which was a scene with Scotty and Midge learning about the capture of Elster. Cheers.
I like your channel. You have a great choice in selecting the movies you choose to review and the way you also include some classic movies from the golden era. And on a lighter note, I like your dressing sense. You look quite beautiful in all your videos.
I thought you gave a very illuminating review. I particularly agree with your insightful analysis of Midge and the second half of the film. I shall listen to this review a second time and subscribe to your channel on the strength of what you have to say here. My favorite scene in all of film is the flower shop scene. So astonishing and achingly beautiful, as if it were truly a stolen view of Heaven from someone trapped on Earth. And that musical score! it is my favorite, and it is a character of the film in its own right. Vertigo is my third favorite film. Perhaps, it is more accurate to say it is one of a triumvirate. I like your review so much, I wonder what you would make of the other two. “The Pumpkin Eater” from 1964 is my seminal experience. It too has a beautiful and exalted film score that was the greatest it’s composer achieved. That same composer, Georges Delerue, wrote the film score of my second loved film, “Women In Love,” from 1969. A heartfelt thank you to you.
Wonderful review of a fantastic movie. Intelligent and articulate commentary concerning the fusion of fantasy and reality and the myth of the happiness of a man falling in love with an extremely beautiful woman that can only bring a painful ending.......
Just got back from watching this as part of the TCM Fathom Events and wanted to check out some reviews. Came across yours, and I have watched a few others of yours before. Your insights are always engaging and thorough. Genuine film appreciation and analysis that I enjoy listening to. Foolish me, I had not subscribed to your channel yet. Well I rectified that and followed you on Twitter as well. I was especially interested in your take from a female perspective, especially in the post #metoo culture. This is very much a film about the controlling nature men can take on women. I felt so much sympathy towards Madeline/Judy when watching the film this time. Hers is a tragic story, a woman not able to be appreciated as her own self. Only in how men see and mold her. And it costs her dearly because she didn't have the strength to stand up for herself. The sign of a great film is how it can still hold meaning and say something even as time passes and culture changes.
In spite of the fact that I love film, somehow I never got around to seeing Vertigo. So, I was doubly satisfied when I saw it tonight on the big screen. One thing that bothered me in the beginning was that Scottie was not found out by Madeline. He was hardly surreptitious in following her (maybe that was an early hint by Hitchcock). But, the ending let that make sense. I agree that the painting scene was painful. But, the most painful scenes for me were when an obsessed Scottie is trying to make Judy into Madeline. People often don't know that Kim Novak was the biggest sex symbol in Hollywood before Marilyn came into the limelight Great review of a great film.
Theo Lamp The most painful scene for me is the scene where Midge visits Scotty in the hospital. Little did I know that I would eventually become Scotty in that scene.
Thanks for discussing this. I just watched "Vertigo" again this afternoon. It was on Turner Classic Movies. Riveting ending. It's among my favorite films. "Psycho," however, is my favorite Hitchcock film. Shawn R.
This movie under Alfred Hitchcock's direction illustrate's the saying that physiology between men and women are 95% the same but the other 5% is unexplainable. The overpowering allure of (Scottie) wanting something he can't have,and not knowing what to do when he has it lol The grey suit and white blouse with Hitch telling her yes she will wear that outfit and by the way he preferred a bleach blond hair style. Don't miss that as the voyeurism and control of him actually telling a woman what to wear on top of HMU Guess Edith Head nailed it and Kim Novak out of all her beautiful photos over the years never looked so good.Anyway as men we are visual creatures and women exploit that vulnerability very well.Great no nonsense review.
Heey : ) Greetings from London, England. I very much enjoyed your intelligent and well thought out synopsis. Watched you from beginning to end, as its a favourite film of mine too. I believe the film also affected Kim, afterwards. The realisation that her own career and life were two completely different animals. One would never guess, but she was actually a hippie, living with her animals on her own, reclusive and a painter, yet every now and then that preferred world would be interrupted as she had to become someone else, play a role and pretend.
SHE FINALLY DID THE GOOD CHOICE, LEAVING FOR OREGON WITH HER VETERINARIAN HUSBAND BOB MALLOY(WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY, IN 2020) PAINTING AS MUCH AS SHE NEEDS IT AND LIVING WITH ANIMALS (SHE RIDES, ETC... AND ASSISTED HER HUSBAND ! SO SHE WAS EYES WIDE OPEN !
Your reviews are timeless thus I am here 3 years after, thanks for your interesting review thoughts and analysis of this classic , remember Body Heat with Kathleen Turner and William Hurt I really enjoyed that film and don’t really see it much on cable or talked about, anyway thanks again for sharing your always thought provoking and interesting reviews
The score affected me so much that I instantaneously recognized it when it is playing back in "The Artist". A masterpiece (the score and Hitchcock's movie, though " The Artist" is very good too).
I think this is the one film where Hitchcock was invested in the characters as more than chess pieces, and that makes it stand apart from his other excellent films.
Y'know, I've seen and loved VERTIGO for years now, always marveling at Hitchcock's craftsmanship, and have never paid much attention to Kim Novak's performance. Now after your enthusiastic review, I have to go back and focus on the skill and subtlety that she shows, especially in that 2nd half. Also, unless you plan to do a future review of it, got any thoughts on my favorite Hitchcock film, REAR WINDOW?
@@jeffreyjeziorski341 Are you talking to me? Are you .... talking to ...ME ??? (De Niroan voice). Hey Jeffrey. "Listen. Learn". What kind of paternalist condescendant remark is that? I have the CD of that soundtrack (TGTBATU). You should beware of whom you're talking to on social media. You're not the only smart person online, you know. It's an excellent soundtrack and I put the CD on often And yet, it does not compare to Herrmann's compositions for Vertigo. Vertigo's music is so good in fact,, that it has been used again in Oscar-winning picture " The Artist." From the first notes I heard, when the hero's sweetheart is rushing in her car to get to the main protagonist's home before he offs himself, we're treated with the famous bit from Vertigo when James Stewart is stalking his friend's wife. And it works its magic again. It's an homage, once said The Artist's director. Of course Morricone's music is superb too, but it does not strike as deeply as Herrmann's music. I think it's due to the fact that Morricone's style is very idiosyncratic, and is perfectly adapted to the spaghetti western universe, which verges on the thin limit between drama and burlesque. Very different indeed. In the end, music tastes are very subjective, and should not be ruled by diktats (e.g. " Listen. Learn"). Listen/Learn as well, Sir.
When I first watched this film i didn't know what to thing at first but as the days went on I just keep thinking about this film over and over again almost like an obsession. And a lot of it has to do with Bernard Herman music.
I need to revisit this one, it's been more than ten years. Recently I've been noticing performances from James Stewart that reveal a more complex character actor than he was in 30s and 40s. If you haven't, you should check out Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder. Great video.
Vertigo is truly a great film. I totally agree with your statement about the importance of the Midge character. She’s the counterpoint to Scotty buying into the Carlotta nonsense. There is a little mystery in Midge and Scotty’s past. Scotty mentions that they had been engaged for three whole weeks back in college, and that she had broken it off. Maybe the relationship in the past wasn’t romantic enough to Midge. Somehow they kept close over the years without marrying. Maybe Midge re-evaluated Scotty then based on unrealistic expectations.
I've thought about this a lot, lol. Midge is not the exposition character she might appear upon first viewing. She also is a pretty blonde, Scottie's type, BUT not the right kind of blonde. She's not "gorgeous", overtly sexy or mysterious. What you see is what you get with Midge. Midge can't be dominated either. But she loves Scottie AND understands him better than he does himself. She knew she wasn't enough for him, which is why she broke off the engagement, IMHO. Although she does hope he'll grow up someday & realize she's what he needs, if not what he wants.
@@etherealtb6021 Good thoughts on Midge. If they have been close since College days, it’s almost like being in committed relationship. She does seem to be waiting for him though, even though Scotty says he’s still available. Sounds like a hint.
I'm not sure if this is a spoiler you don't want to reveal, because I don't think it was mentioned explicitly... but, what the heck, spoilers are listed in the title of the video. That scene you mentioned in the middle, where Judy confesses that she was actually playing Madeleine, and the whole ruse is revealed in flashback, is (I think) the most pivotal. I remember seeing an edited-for-TV version of this years ago, and -- to make it squeeze into a two-hour TV slot -- some very clever content editor seems to have thought "that idiot Hitchcock gave away the entire mystery in the middle of the film! If we cut that scene out, we'll make this so much better," So that entire scene was removed to aid the run time. The effect, of course, was to tear the guts out of the film. That scene has two vital effects: -- It casts everything before it in a totally different light. Once we realize Judy/Madeleine KNEW she was being followed, we realize she (and Gavin) were designing a play for Scottie to watch...which goes with your idea of making us think about ourselves as an audience. After all, isn't that what actors are doing in a film -- performing a story as if they are not being watched, while actually knowing they are? Judy's (secret) revelation puts us, the audience, together with Scottie, sucked in by the same (perhaps ridiculous) conceit of Madeleine being possessed by a spirit (or at least thinking she is). Given that Madeleine (as you mentioned) is made up a lot like many of Hitchcock's leading ladies of the time, I wonder if that puts Gavin in the role (at least partly) of Hitchcock. But then Scottie does the same thing in the second half, and then gets mad when he realizes that real life does not match up with his dreams. His anger at that is maybe the most palpable emotion Hitchcock ever elicited in his films, and makes me think it is something Hitchcock himself may have felt. So Scottie may also be part Hitchcock... meaning perhaps that Hitchcock manufactures this dream world and then convinces part of himself that it is true. -- It sets a "bomb" under the table for the whole second hour-plus of the film. It's like watching a car wreck in slow motion, knowing it won't end well. Knowing Judy WAS Madeleine makes the second part of the film even more painful, as we see her trying to get his adoration back, but bringing herself closer to discovery with each step. I get a little knot in the pit of my stomach even now, having seen the film many times, as soon as Scottie starts making the drive to that old California villa, and the sadness is overwhelming as we see him push and push and push out of rage and pain, to the point of losing her all over again. Without Judy's confession, those end scenes would not be nearly as effective, and the second part of the film would really suffer. Excellent review! You always speak so well, and without notes (!). I would need a lot more edits to do anything like that.
Thank you. It's my favorite movie and always has been from the moment I first saw it. But I don't see the "darkness" you refer to in Scotty. What I see is someone who has, by virtue of the rooftop accident, become fatally flawed psychologically through no fault of his own, then, by virtue of Ellster's plot, a life experience (he should have control over - right? he's the hard headed sensible detective, isn't he?) he becomes obsessed with a romantic vision - that does not really exist.. He is drawn in by all that oh-so perfect beauty and grace and poise, only to lose himself in the process. Don't we all have a flaw for beautiful people - why? I agree it is Hitchcock's greatest work and the greatest film ever made. I wonder if he had any idea that it would become that so many years later, or was it, as you might hear him say, "Another Movie", haha. One of the things that I think shows this greatness is the Midge painted up as Carlotta scene. It's as if he's saying directly to the audience, right to your face and in very clear terms, "Now isn't this all ridiculous? - This picture of a dead woman who has come back to inhabit her ancestor, haha." You, the audience, agrees and laughs. And then, when Scotty is so offended by this, he tugs you immediately back into the just-exposed-as-ridiculous plot of the movie when you see Scotty's anguish exposed. Quite a trick - never seen another movie do anything like it. Again thanks. John, writing from, where else? San Francisco
An interesting analysis, good to watch. I have a question; why is this video mirrored? Just watched another of your videos, also back to front. You have a beautiful mind.
James Stewart ..... Uhhhh ... yeah .... kinda... BUT .... Rear Window, It's Wonderful Life, Winchester 73, Broken Arrow always a little unsettling. Vertigo taken from a French surrealist work by Boileau/Narcejac. Dente les Morts ( Among the Dead).
Amazing review! Your thoughts are so insightful. I loved Vertigo when I saw it for the first time last month, now I think I might adore it. Question for you. Since it's 2017, AFI is going to be giving us a top 100 American movies for the 3rd time. What movie would you like to see added to the list? What movies would you like to see dropped? Personally, I'd like to see Memento added, and Titanic dropped.
Thanks! I'd like to see quite a lot of them dropped. I'm not a fan of that list. Though, I do give it credit on a certain level. I watched all 100 of them 10 years ago when I was around 17-18. It helped build my knowledge. But ultimately, it's more of a list about what is a crowd pleaser rather than true artistic vision.
deepfocuslens Yeah, I'm currently trying to watch all 100. I've got 25 or so to go. I've discovered some INCREDIBLE movies from going through it, (Like Annie Hall and Cuckoo’s Nest) but I can't help but feel it's not the best list out there. Do you have any recommended lists to check out after I finish AFI's?
Take a look at Sight & Sound's "The 50 Greatest Films of All Time." It's well curated and should introduce you to a lot of classic foreign cinema. Oh, and guess what was voted #1? :) www.bfi.org.uk/news/50-greatest-films-all-time
Are you going to keep answering dumb questions from us? - Song played at your funeral? - Do you consider yourself a cynical person? I can do this all day.
@@deepfocuslens For me, therecord is in thehands of my family : SCHUBERT'S Notturno for trio and piano, it alos lasts the average time of a cremation, my choice !
Just curious,, did you grow up with old movies to be able to appreciate them more or how did you get into them? I usually have to force myself to watch them. Anything older than 1967 or so I struggle with wanting to watch.
Jamaica Inn is one of the least interesting movies Hitchcock made during his British period, cinematographically speaking. It's filmed theater, and boring at that. And I watched virtually everything Hitchcock made. Even some of his silent films (The Lodger, for instance) are better than Jamaica Inn... Sorry :(
Great review of VERTIGO! I agree that Midge is overlooked in most discussions of VERTIGO, and that's a shame as well as a mistake. She's a crucial piece of the puzzle in trying to understand Scottie's psychology. Just a theory, but I think it's reasonably safe to assume that Scottie's relationship with Midge (they were engaged once) ended due to Scottie's behaviour towards her. In his obsession of attempting to turn Judy into Madeleine we learn of Scottie's perversion, his need to control. He's only comfortable around a woman he can control. Midge is clearly not that type and she probably called things off with him when she began to realise what he was like. Nonetheless, she's in love with him and is probably ready to give it another go. Hence the portrait: she is signalling to Scottie that she understands his need to control her and she's willing to play those games if that's what it takes to have a relationship with him. Scottie's reaction, on the surface at least, can be interpreted as disappointment that she's poking fun at his investigation, but actually he feels threatened by her as she is challenging his perversion. Interestingly, the last time we see Midge it's when she's walking down the corridor after seeing Scottie at the hospital. Madeleine talks about a dream in which she's walking down a corridor and in Freudian analysis it usually refers to searching for something you can't ever find. Moreover, the motif of falling is again understood in Freudian terms as the lack of control. In that sense, the MacGuffin of Scottie's acrophobia (as the film really isn't about vertigo at all) simply refers to the fact that Scottie is scared of losing control in his relationships with women. He has a perversion and the only way he can ever have a healthy relationship with a woman - Midge being his ideal mate - is to get over it. Seeing Madeleine/Judy die for the second time suggests the cure, but we don't know if it plays out like that. I’d also add that this sort of perversion for control is hinted at in REAR WINDOW where Jeff can’t have a relationship with Lisa until she matches the type of woman he needs in his life. She doesn’t subject herself to the same degradations as Judy in VERTIGO and, in fact, her picking up a copy of Harper’s Bazaar at the end of the film suggests she has a little of the Midge in her. However, that’s another discussion altogether.
Hi and congrats on your excllent channel. Based on your taste in movies and psychological reflections I'm guessing you'd really enjoy the documentary "The Pervert's Guide to Cinema". Not what it sounds like - but actually a Freudian perpective on the history of cinema by eccentric philosopher, psychoanalyst, and political pundit Slavoj Zizek with particular emphasis on Hitchcock (Vertigo, Psycho), Lynch (Mulholland, Blue Velvet), Chaplin (Great Dictator, City Lights) and other favs of yours (eg: The Conversation) . Its a hell of lot more fun than I just made it sound and, if the mood takes you, I'd be interested in your review. Best wishes and look forward to hitting a richly deserved 4000.
I’ll never forget the experience of seeing this film for the first time.
Yes! I almost wish I could experience it again for the first time. I think I was an adolescent when I first saw this film, and it solidified my love of psychological thrillers.
Same
I had the pleasure of seeing this movie with James Stewart in the audience.He answered questions from the audience after the special showing at the AFI .
Wow, how I envy you!
Vertigo is one of my favourite films that I've ever seen (definitely top five) and this review did it justice. You picked up on so many things with this clearly deep movie, and I rally enjoy your analysis. What you pointed out about the swirl motif used in the film, and the way you took it as Scottie directing Judy is really interesting. Alfred Hitchcock is my favourite directed in film, and as someone interested in his work and the infinite layers to his pieces, I love your input. Also, your review of Citizen Kane is really good!
Great review. Btw, I always felt like Kim Novak actually played 3 roles in Vertigo: Madeleine, Judy, and "those beautiful phony trances", "always green, ever living", Carlotta Valdes. As for the character of "Midge", you're spot on. But unrecognized by most viewers, critics and directors, Hitch didn't miss a beat with her character arc either. He went from her realistic, lively and optimistic nature, then hinted her destiny by ending the whole colorful and bright painting ("see me, take me, desire me") sequence in her apartment with the shot of her barely visible reflection in the window. Finally, in the hospital sequence, her last, motherly, unsuccessful attempts to get close again and revive Scottie, end up with a shot of her, sad and broken, completely fading out of the picture, and the "picture". Of course, there is no Vertigo without Herrmann's score, which was, in his own words, his personal favorite. And the dude started with Citizen Kane, and ended with Taxi Driver!
He started (Hermann) much earlier than Citizen Kane : "Mrs Muir and her ghost" !
Can you explain what happened to Kim Novak when she went into the hotel where Ellen Corby is te landlady. She clearly enters the building and Jimmy follows her in but then the Landlady tells him there is no such person there. It's a mystery I could never solve.
The actual plot aside, the "subplot" was amazing: A man loses the woman he loves, so he successfully recreates her.
PS: The dialogue between Stewart and Barbara Bel Gedes at her studio was wonderful.
I've only just found your channel and the first notification I get is a review of Vertigo. This day is a good day.
CineWish I felt that too. I am ending my day with her review, a saving and redeeming grace.
Wow, a reviewer on youtube who actually knows what they're talking about. Quite unexpected.
IT'S SO TRUE ! AND RARE, RARE, RARE !
"Vertigo" influenced many films from "Mulholland Drive" to "Basic Instinct." It is much admired because it holds up well even under scrutiny of the smallest detail. When Judy first sees Scottie on the street, notice how she subtly, almost imperceptibly pauses for a split second, indicating her shock in seeing Scottie again. It has a pretty interesting dream sequence too. After Madeleine falls to her death, Scottie dreams of *himself* falling. The film visualizes the metaphor of falling throughout, with tunnels, stairwells, camera zooming in and/or moving forward as if to probe, to fall further into the mystery. The last shot of Midge is her walking lonelily down a hospital corridor -- like a tunnel. One of the few backward shots is when Scottie finally finds out who Judy is: we see from his point of view a zoom-out shot from Madeleine's twirly hairdo, as if he is finally extricating himself from the mystery.
Great analysis!
There is a nice scene in a bookstore where the storekeeper does a nice bit of monologue about Carlotta's dark history, and then the screen turns dark. For a moment you may think there is something wrong with your TV screen or something. Then you realize the sunlight outside has just turned dark. Later, the storekeeper has to turn on his lights. It's nice of Hitchcock to create this small but interesting touch.
Amazing review!!! You are so well spoken and articulated. I finally saw Vertigo for the first time this morning. I am working my way through the AFI top 100 list and I had never really dove into Hitchcock. I haven’t done any classic reviews but maybe you are inspiring me to dive into some reviews of old school film. I love your analysis. You are so intelligent and picked up so much from this film. Thanks for sharing! You’re channel is one of my favorites!
Had to see your review of one of my all time favorite films - loved your compelling take on this masterpiece. I suppose you could have easily made your review twice as long (and I could have easily watched it). To me "Vertigo" is very mythic, filled with archetypes, and it's no coincidence that Bernard Herman's score references Wagner's "Liebestod" (love-death) - the themes and characters remind me much of what inspired Symbolist era art - I think that Hitchcock, along with German expressionism, were very influenced by that earlier era. Hitchcock came out of silent films and I think this is an important part of his mastery.
This is a perceptive and interesting review of what is probably the greatest color film made. The reviewer's insights and analysis are both quite good. I know much about Hitchcock, Vertigo, and his movies, having seen them all, some many times, such as Vertigo - and having read two full length book biographies, and having watched almost all of his interviews. This young lady is one of the best reviewers of Vertigo. I agree with most of her analysis. One factual error: Scotty is a retired police detective, not a retired private investigator - he comes out of retirement to do a favor for his friend in the role of a private investigator. But that's minor. I am so pleased that this reviewer has great insights into the themes, and conflicts in Vertigo - and she is very familiar with the movie - unlike some other RUclips reviewers of Vertigo - including one who admits, as part of his review, that he has never seen the entire film !! I like her analysis of Midge, (Barbara BelGeddes,) and the roles played by Kim Novak. So, Bravo. I will be reviewing Vertigo in bits and pieces in the comment section of various RUclips posts about this film.
I fully agree with the positive evaluation of the remarkable analysis this young woman gives us about Vertigo ! I would train her as a psychologist !
I like how wholesome this comment section is ;)
This review is amazing. I hope i can eventually break a film apart like this. All Hail deepfocuslens
Great review. I just finished watching it for the first time. I loved it! You are really pretty too 😉
Great review. And I was really pleased to see you focus on Midge's role in the film. For a couple of decades now I've been of the mind that Vertigo is possibly all a dream from start to finish (As is Mulholland Drive and Under The Silver Lake). But at first I couldn't figure out who's dream it was meant to be. And I finally concluded that it was Midge's dream. And that the dream was her own subconscious warning her to stop trying to change herself for Scotty because he was too lost in searching for his fantasy woman. And one of the clues to that is Madeline's speech about walking down a long hall into the darkness, and if she goes into the Darkness she'll die. the final time we see Midge, she's walking down a long hall…and then the screen fades to black…and we never see her again.
Strangely enough I first saw this film when I was 7, so all the subtext went right over my head. But even then I remember being affected by the visuals, the hauntingly beautiful score by Bernard Herrmann, and that chilling ending..As I grew up and began to understand the deeper themes of obsession and such in the film, I grew to appreciate it even more…it remains one of my all time favorite films, certainly my favorite from Hitchcock.
I really appreciated this intelligent review. The idea that the second half of the movie can be seen as a metaphor for Hollywood with Scottie as the director is a very good one.
Excellent review! Thank you for bringing up Midge’s character; very underrated. And THANK GOD Kim Novak stepped in for the role. I think she did a better job than Vera Miles would have. And James Stewart is awesome of course.
I fell in love with this movie when I was 12, and I’m still in love with it.
It’s one of my top 3 favorite movies of all time.
I recently watched this film and to me not only Hitchcock was great at directing this film, but I think the main heart of this film was the score of Benard Hermann. It's so hypnotic that it makes you want to see the film over and over again.
Great and deeply insightful analysis!
Vertigo with Mulholland Drive and Chinatown are my three all time favorite films at this moment.
i love how articulate you are, thank you for this review
What do you think about Rope 1948? Cuz I really fall in love with that masterpiece!
Midge should have painted the portrait of Carlotta as herself made up as a glamorous ideal, not the librarian with glasses look. That was ridiculous. No matter if she was trying to make a point.
i just finished watching the movie and the only thing i could think as soon as it ended was wow! loved your review and thoughts, so insightful and i agree completely! i noticed how smazing the music was too, just incredible!
The last scene just broke my heart. Hitchcock was a phenomenal storyteller. No one can match him.
Great review of one of the top 5 movies ever made. The score by Herman was brilliant, with a hook within the exquisite framing. Regards, Gaot from Ruthless Reviews.
I'm been a Hitchcock fan for ove 4 decades. Great review, I learned something new.
I live in the neighborhood where Scottys apartment is. When Scotty first follows Madeleine from the upscale high rise on the top of Nob Hill they zig zag unnecessarily to get to his place at the bottom of Lombard St on Russian Hill. Lombard St. is called the "Crooked street in the world." Very appropriate for Vertigo, but Hitchcock doesn't show them twisting down it like the chase scene in Bullit an almost identical trajectory beginning at nearly the exact spot.
But, a VERY interesting scene shows Scotty following two almost identical green cars. Madeleines super expensive Rolls, the other a more prosaic Packard type American car until they diverge on different paths. That CANNOT be unintentional. Green is Madelines 'ghost' or auric color. Kind of an etheric doubling like the Carlotta painting.
P.S. You do a good job.
You should review rear window
This movie reminds me so much of everything I love about a great opera
What an amazing review! I hope you earn many more subscribers.
You are brilliant! This is a superb review of the masterpiece with attention given to characters and things given short shrift in other reviews of this film. I'm totally blown away.
Fantastic video! This is hands down my favorite Hitchcock film and in my top 5 Favorite Films.
This film was very interesting to me because it left me wondering what did I just watch. Then I found myself wanting to watch it over and over again.
The moment i watched Vertigo, it became my favorite movie, and Kim Novak is now my favorite actress. And to think, that Hitchcock's original choice for Madeline/Judy was Vera Miles (the sister from Psycho). It wouldn't have worked that well at all, in my opinion. Thankfully destiny intervenes.
Before Vertigo, my favorite movie was Blue Velvet. So when i watched Vertigo, i instantly realized how much David Lynch was inspired by Hitchcock. Laura Palmer cousin from Twin Peaks was called Madeline Ferguson. Again played by the same actress.
Great film and an excellent and perceptive review as always Maggie. Thanks.
YAGR! (yet another great review) And, how accurately you hit the nail on the head. I think Lynch learned so much from Hitchcock about parallel realities, dreams, and altered state of mind that generate percieved worlds that we long for or are afraid of. Another favourite of mine in this line is Rebecca: so much depth, so many layers, so heartbraking.
This movie is perfection, the relationship between scottie and Judy is breathtaking and somewhat hard to watch. The obsession he shows for her and her Image and the love she has for him is intoxicating to the point where it's dangerous. This is top 5 best movies all time
Great review as always, this was nice to hear, because I watched this for the first time last year and felt underwhelmed. Only in that it's hailed as the best film ever made in plenty of places and I think it's a film that will reward on repeat viewings? Your thoughts definitely amped me up for watching it again sometime soon!
RazorwireReviews I agree with those who think that it is the greatest film. I am simply overwhelmed with thought and emotion when I see it.
Great analysis and very interesting interpretation! I liked your explanations of the visual "metaphors" throughout the movie, it's one of the things that enrich a movie, in my opinion. Hitchcock was truly a genius
Thank you! A well-done and wonderful commentary on this most haunting film! I totally agree with you on Barbara Bel Geddes (Midge) never really getting the credit she deserved, I've also never seen any credit given to "Pop Leibel" who told the tragic history of Carlotta at the bookstore. I thought it was compelling, but overlooked by apparently everyone else.
Great review! The score in the movie is incredible- i get goosebumps everytime I watch the scene where Scottie and Judy are walking past the Palace of Fine Art and the birds seem to fly past at just the right moment. However, I'd like your take on the ending since that has always baffled me. Friends have said that Scottie throws Judy off while it looks like to me like she jumps off, either because of the guilt she feels or because the she's convicned the nun is a ghost/apparition of the real Madeline. Also, check out Powell and Pressburger's Black Narcissus, starring Deborah Kerr ('47). The uncanny similarities with the flashing reds and greens , along with steep heights or vertical-ness are present in that film as well. Hitchcock no doubt "borrowed" from Powell and Pressburger for Vertigo.
Replying 6 years later. Judy isn't thrown off, and she doesn't jump off. She sees the shadow of the nun coming up the stairs and is spooked by it, because she (and the audience) can't yet see/understand what it is. So, she backs away in fear, but she goes a step back too far, and falls over the edge. Scottie then loses both the real woman, and the illusion at the same time.
Vertigo is my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film. I love it.
I agree with you about Bernard Herrmann. Yes, he was a great film scorer. Shawn R., Mo-Mutt Music
Reviewing the classics❤ Old Hollywood is my preference and you have a way with words.
Thank you, RUclips recommendations! Subscribed immediately. Nice to see my all-time favorite movie get such a great analysis.
Art is in every film, no matter how bad that film turns out, for some form of creative process must have taken place at some point. Great art has the ability of, when we are looking at it, it casts an almost subliminal spell - and it looks back at us. "Vertigo" is such a work of art. So cunningly Hitchcock cast his spell on me on first viewing, I did not, or would not, recognize Judy in the second half as the same ethereal almost ghostly Madeline he had been pursuing in the first half and my astonishment grew as Stewart gradually transformed the pretty, but almost unremarkable Judy, into the exact replica of that ideal. It is well known Hitchcock wanted Vera Miles but settled on Kim Novak when the former fell pregnant. Thank the heavenly gods she did because no-one could have pulled this slight of hand off as effectively miss Novak. Unsurprisingly this enigmatic film was not a box office hit at the time. It needed more emotional and cinematic experience to fully appreciate, and audiences were simply not ready for it, even now I think some viewers will find the same. Thank you for an excellent review. Michael - South Africa.
Glad you recognized Barbara Bel Geddes. Very under-rated performance. One question no one has ever answered. How does Scottie get down from the roof in the first scene? We see people scurrying around the dead cop, but by the time they could reach Scottie surely his grip would have given out. Another great Hitchcock touch: Stewart is hanging from the ledge in the penultimate scene in Rear Window, then hang
ing from the rooftop in the first scene of Vertigo. I doubt that was a coincidence. He does this again when the dead, but menacing birds in the parlor of the Bates Motel become the live attackers in his next film The Birds. Terrific presentation. Happy to have stumbled upon your site.
Hitchcock did have a good sense of humor and it is evident in all of his films.
Thanks. You did a good job on this. In the original story, you don't find out until the end that Judy and Madeleine are the same person. Hitchcock reveals this halfway through, which makes it more interesting. The censorship board made Hitchcock film an alternate ending, which was a scene with Scotty and Midge learning about the capture of Elster. Cheers.
I like your channel. You have a great choice in selecting the movies you choose to review and the way you also include some classic movies from the golden era. And on a lighter note, I like your dressing sense. You look quite beautiful in all your videos.
Thanks! :)
I thought you gave a very illuminating review. I particularly agree with your insightful analysis of Midge and the second half of the film. I shall listen to this review a second time and subscribe to your channel on the strength of what you have to say here.
My favorite scene in all of film is the flower shop scene. So astonishing and achingly beautiful, as if it were truly a stolen view of Heaven from someone trapped on Earth. And that musical score! it is my favorite, and it is a character of the film in its own right.
Vertigo is my third favorite film. Perhaps, it is more accurate to say it is one of a triumvirate. I like your review so much, I wonder what you would make of the other two. “The Pumpkin Eater” from 1964 is my seminal experience. It too has a beautiful and exalted film score that was the greatest it’s composer achieved. That same composer, Georges Delerue, wrote the film score of my second loved film, “Women In Love,” from 1969.
A heartfelt thank you to you.
Wonderful review of a fantastic movie. Intelligent and articulate commentary concerning the fusion of fantasy and reality and the myth of the happiness of a man falling in love with an extremely beautiful woman that can only bring a painful ending.......
Just got back from watching this as part of the TCM Fathom Events and wanted to check out some reviews. Came across yours, and I have watched a few others of yours before. Your insights are always engaging and thorough. Genuine film appreciation and analysis that I enjoy listening to. Foolish me, I had not subscribed to your channel yet. Well I rectified that and followed you on Twitter as well. I was especially interested in your take from a female perspective, especially in the post #metoo culture. This is very much a film about the controlling nature men can take on women. I felt so much sympathy towards Madeline/Judy when watching the film this time. Hers is a tragic story, a woman not able to be appreciated as her own self. Only in how men see and mold her. And it costs her dearly because she didn't have the strength to stand up for herself. The sign of a great film is how it can still hold meaning and say something even as time passes and culture changes.
ROPE is one of the most underrated directed movies. That is art.
Superb analysis of one of my all time favorite films. Well done!
In spite of the fact that I love film, somehow I never got around to seeing Vertigo. So, I was doubly satisfied when I saw it tonight on the big screen. One thing that bothered me in the beginning was that Scottie was not found out by Madeline. He was hardly surreptitious in following her (maybe that was an early hint by Hitchcock). But, the ending let that make sense. I agree that the painting scene was painful. But, the most painful scenes for me were when an obsessed Scottie is trying to make Judy into Madeline. People often don't know that Kim Novak was the biggest sex symbol in Hollywood before Marilyn came into the limelight Great review of a great film.
Theo Lamp The most painful scene for me is the scene where Midge visits Scotty in the hospital. Little did I know that I would eventually become Scotty in that scene.
Thanks for discussing this. I just watched "Vertigo" again this afternoon. It was on Turner Classic Movies. Riveting ending. It's among my favorite films. "Psycho," however, is my favorite Hitchcock film. Shawn R.
This movie under Alfred Hitchcock's direction illustrate's the saying that physiology between men and women are 95% the same but the other 5% is unexplainable. The overpowering allure of (Scottie) wanting something he can't have,and not knowing what to do when he has it lol The grey suit and white blouse with Hitch telling her yes she will wear that outfit and by the way he preferred a bleach blond hair style. Don't miss that as the voyeurism and control of him actually telling a woman what to wear on top of HMU Guess Edith Head nailed it and Kim Novak out of all her beautiful photos over the years never looked so good.Anyway as men we are visual creatures and women exploit that vulnerability very well.Great no nonsense review.
Just watched Vertigo......again.....on TCM, and you have nailed the movie. Your way of conveying your review is spot-on. Just wonderful. A+
Heey : ) Greetings from London, England. I very much enjoyed your intelligent and well thought out synopsis. Watched you from beginning to end, as its a favourite film of mine too. I believe the film also affected Kim, afterwards. The realisation that her own career and life were two completely different animals. One would never guess, but she was actually a hippie, living with her animals on her own, reclusive and a painter, yet every now and then that preferred world would be interrupted as she had to become someone else, play a role and pretend.
SHE FINALLY DID THE GOOD CHOICE, LEAVING FOR OREGON WITH HER VETERINARIAN HUSBAND BOB MALLOY(WHO PASSED AWAY RECENTLY, IN 2020) PAINTING AS MUCH AS SHE NEEDS IT AND LIVING WITH ANIMALS (SHE RIDES, ETC... AND ASSISTED HER HUSBAND ! SO SHE WAS EYES WIDE OPEN !
Concerning the latest SIGHT AND SOUND list of best movies of all time, do you have any reactions?
Your reviews are timeless thus I am here 3 years after, thanks for your interesting review thoughts and analysis of this classic , remember Body Heat with Kathleen Turner and William Hurt I really enjoyed that film and don’t really see it much on cable or talked about, anyway thanks again for sharing your always thought provoking and interesting reviews
The score affected me so much that I instantaneously recognized it when it is playing back in "The Artist". A masterpiece (the score and Hitchcock's movie, though " The Artist" is very good too).
I think this is the one film where Hitchcock was invested in the characters as more than chess pieces, and that makes it stand apart from his other excellent films.
Y'know, I've seen and loved VERTIGO for years now, always marveling at Hitchcock's craftsmanship, and have never paid much attention to Kim Novak's performance. Now after your enthusiastic review, I have to go back and focus on the skill and subtlety that she shows, especially in that 2nd half.
Also, unless you plan to do a future review of it, got any thoughts on my favorite Hitchcock film, REAR WINDOW?
I would say even more: Herrmann's score IS the best film score of all times. Period.
Yes, Yes, YES!
I’ll take Chinatown 1974
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly. Ennio Morricone......Listen. Learn.
@@jeffreyjeziorski341 Are you talking to me? Are you .... talking to ...ME ??? (De Niroan voice).
Hey Jeffrey. "Listen. Learn". What kind of paternalist condescendant remark is that? I have the CD of that soundtrack (TGTBATU). You should beware of whom you're talking to on social media. You're not the only smart person online, you know.
It's an excellent soundtrack and I put the CD on often And yet, it does not compare to Herrmann's compositions for Vertigo. Vertigo's music is so good in fact,, that it has been used again in Oscar-winning picture " The Artist." From the first notes I heard, when the hero's sweetheart is rushing in her car to get to the main protagonist's home before he offs himself, we're treated with the famous bit from Vertigo when James Stewart is stalking his friend's wife. And it works its magic again. It's an homage, once said The Artist's director.
Of course Morricone's music is superb too, but it does not strike as deeply as Herrmann's music. I think it's due to the fact that Morricone's style is very idiosyncratic, and is perfectly adapted to the spaghetti western universe, which verges on the thin limit between drama and burlesque. Very different indeed.
In the end, music tastes are very subjective, and should not be ruled by diktats (e.g. " Listen. Learn"). Listen/Learn as well, Sir.
do you like lars von trier's stuff? would you ever review it (if so do antichrist)
Bernard Herrmann's score was heavily influenced by Richard Wagner's Tristan and Isolde.
That opening music is very much gripping!!
Just discovered this channel. Great stuff, will get through as many as possible.
All my life I've been looking for an intelligent woman who likes the same movies that I do. And here she is. Amazing!
Absolutely amazing.. review :)
When I first watched this film i didn't know what to thing at first but as the days went on I just keep thinking about this film over and over again almost like an obsession. And a lot of it has to do with Bernard Herman music.
I need to revisit this one, it's been more than ten years. Recently I've been noticing performances from James Stewart that reveal a more complex character actor than he was in 30s and 40s. If you haven't, you should check out Otto Preminger's Anatomy of a Murder. Great video.
Music and guest appearance by Duke Ellington.
I just watched Vertigo for the first time and I'm devastated. I definitely wanted that happy ending that was never going to come.
I agree, Jimmy Stewart is great in this. So is Barbara Bel Geddes, as you suggest. Their scenes are great together. Shawn R., Mo-Mutt Music
AND ABOVE ALL NOVAK IN THIS DOUBLE ROLE ! WHO ELESE COULD HAVE DONE THAT?
Vertigo is truly a great film. I totally agree with your statement about the importance of the Midge character. She’s the counterpoint to Scotty buying into the Carlotta nonsense.
There is a little mystery in Midge and Scotty’s past. Scotty mentions that they had been engaged for three whole weeks back in college, and that she had broken it off. Maybe the relationship in the past wasn’t romantic enough to Midge. Somehow they kept close over the years without marrying. Maybe Midge re-evaluated Scotty then based on unrealistic expectations.
I've thought about this a lot, lol. Midge is not the exposition character she might appear upon first viewing. She also is a pretty blonde, Scottie's type, BUT not the right kind of blonde. She's not "gorgeous", overtly sexy or mysterious. What you see is what you get with Midge. Midge can't be dominated either. But she loves Scottie AND understands him better than he does himself. She knew she wasn't enough for him, which is why she broke off the engagement, IMHO. Although she does hope he'll grow up someday & realize she's what he needs, if not what he wants.
@@etherealtb6021 Good thoughts on Midge. If they have been close since College days, it’s almost like being in committed relationship. She does seem to be waiting for him though, even though Scotty says he’s still available. Sounds like a hint.
I'm not sure if this is a spoiler you don't want to reveal, because I don't think it was mentioned explicitly... but, what the heck, spoilers are listed in the title of the video. That scene you mentioned in the middle, where Judy confesses that she was actually playing Madeleine, and the whole ruse is revealed in flashback, is (I think) the most pivotal.
I remember seeing an edited-for-TV version of this years ago, and -- to make it squeeze into a two-hour TV slot -- some very clever content editor seems to have thought "that idiot Hitchcock gave away the entire mystery in the middle of the film! If we cut that scene out, we'll make this so much better," So that entire scene was removed to aid the run time. The effect, of course, was to tear the guts out of the film. That scene has two vital effects:
-- It casts everything before it in a totally different light. Once we realize Judy/Madeleine KNEW she was being followed, we realize she (and Gavin) were designing a play for Scottie to watch...which goes with your idea of making us think about ourselves as an audience. After all, isn't that what actors are doing in a film -- performing a story as if they are not being watched, while actually knowing they are? Judy's (secret) revelation puts us, the audience, together with Scottie, sucked in by the same (perhaps ridiculous) conceit of Madeleine being possessed by a spirit (or at least thinking she is). Given that Madeleine (as you mentioned) is made up a lot like many of Hitchcock's leading ladies of the time, I wonder if that puts Gavin in the role (at least partly) of Hitchcock. But then Scottie does the same thing in the second half, and then gets mad when he realizes that real life does not match up with his dreams. His anger at that is maybe the most palpable emotion Hitchcock ever elicited in his films, and makes me think it is something Hitchcock himself may have felt. So Scottie may also be part Hitchcock... meaning perhaps that Hitchcock manufactures this dream world and then convinces part of himself that it is true.
-- It sets a "bomb" under the table for the whole second hour-plus of the film. It's like watching a car wreck in slow motion, knowing it won't end well. Knowing Judy WAS Madeleine makes the second part of the film even more painful, as we see her trying to get his adoration back, but bringing herself closer to discovery with each step. I get a little knot in the pit of my stomach even now, having seen the film many times, as soon as Scottie starts making the drive to that old California villa, and the sadness is overwhelming as we see him push and push and push out of rage and pain, to the point of losing her all over again. Without Judy's confession, those end scenes would not be nearly as effective, and the second part of the film would really suffer.
Excellent review! You always speak so well, and without notes (!). I would need a lot more edits to do anything like that.
Brilliant review. I learnt a lot. Thank you
Thank you. It's my favorite movie and always has been from the moment I first saw it.
But I don't see the "darkness" you refer to in Scotty. What I see is someone who has, by virtue of the rooftop accident, become fatally flawed psychologically through no fault of his own, then, by virtue of Ellster's plot, a life experience (he should have control over - right? he's the hard headed sensible detective, isn't he?) he becomes obsessed with a romantic vision - that does not really exist.. He is drawn in by all that oh-so perfect beauty and grace and poise, only to lose himself in the process. Don't we all have a flaw for beautiful people - why?
I agree it is Hitchcock's greatest work and the greatest film ever made. I wonder if he had any idea that it would become that so many years later, or was it, as you might hear him say, "Another Movie", haha.
One of the things that I think shows this greatness is the Midge painted up as Carlotta scene. It's as if he's saying directly to the audience, right to your face and in very clear terms, "Now isn't this all ridiculous? - This picture of a dead woman who has come back to inhabit her ancestor, haha." You, the audience, agrees and laughs. And then, when Scotty is so offended by this, he tugs you immediately back into the just-exposed-as-ridiculous plot of the movie when you see Scotty's anguish exposed. Quite a trick - never seen another movie do anything like it.
Again thanks.
John, writing from, where else? San Francisco
An interesting analysis, good to watch. I have a question; why is this video mirrored?
Just watched another of your videos, also back to front. You have a beautiful mind.
Would love to hear you do a video on Under the Silver Lake. It’s very much a modern homage of all the themes from Vertigo.
Excellent review!! brilliant and sensitive! thank you!!
Hey DFL, have you seen Terry Gilliam's '12 Monkeys'? He references 'Vertigo' by using shots from Hitckcock's film in his own
James Stewart ..... Uhhhh ... yeah .... kinda... BUT .... Rear Window, It's Wonderful Life, Winchester 73, Broken Arrow always a little unsettling.
Vertigo taken from a French surrealist work by Boileau/Narcejac. Dente les Morts ( Among the Dead).
YOU FORGET JIMMY IN THE REMARKABLE "ANATOMY OF A MURDER" By Otto Preminger !
Greatest movie ever made.
Great connection to cinema. I'm gonna have to watch Vertigo again with this insight.
Amazing review! Your thoughts are so insightful. I loved Vertigo when I saw it for the first time last month, now I think I might adore it.
Question for you. Since it's 2017, AFI is going to be giving us a top 100 American movies for the 3rd time. What movie would you like to see added to the list? What movies would you like to see dropped? Personally, I'd like to see Memento added, and Titanic dropped.
Thanks! I'd like to see quite a lot of them dropped. I'm not a fan of that list. Though, I do give it credit on a certain level. I watched all 100 of them 10 years ago when I was around 17-18. It helped build my knowledge. But ultimately, it's more of a list about what is a crowd pleaser rather than true artistic vision.
deepfocuslens Yeah, I'm currently trying to watch all 100. I've got 25 or so to go. I've discovered some INCREDIBLE movies from going through it, (Like Annie Hall and Cuckoo’s Nest) but I can't help but feel it's not the best list out there. Do you have any recommended lists to check out after I finish AFI's?
Take a look at Sight & Sound's "The 50 Greatest Films of All Time." It's well curated and should introduce you to a lot of classic foreign cinema. Oh, and guess what was voted #1? :) www.bfi.org.uk/news/50-greatest-films-all-time
Gorgeous dress
Lost Highway also has a lot of points in common with Vertigo.
Are you going to keep answering dumb questions from us?
- Song played at your funeral?
- Do you consider yourself a cynical person?
I can do this all day.
haha yeah, though I try to save some answers for Q&As
-Requiem, Grande messe des morts, Op. 5 - "Agnus Dei" by Berlioz
- yes
@@deepfocuslens For me, therecord is in thehands of my family : SCHUBERT'S Notturno for trio and piano, it alos lasts the average time of a cremation, my choice !
Just curious,, did you grow up with old movies to be able to appreciate them more or how did you get into them? I usually have to force myself to watch them. Anything older than 1967 or so I struggle with wanting to watch.
I got into them on my own. I enjoy film history.
I also loved Jimmy Stewart in 'Harvey'.
The painting scene also gave me a hard feeling hard to express.
how come nobody ever talks about jamaican inn....it's a hitchcock
Jamaica Inn is one of the least interesting movies Hitchcock made during his British period, cinematographically speaking. It's filmed theater, and boring at that. And I watched virtually everything Hitchcock made. Even some of his silent films (The Lodger, for instance) are better than Jamaica Inn... Sorry :(
Great review of VERTIGO!
I agree that Midge is overlooked in most discussions of VERTIGO, and that's a shame as well as a mistake. She's a crucial piece of the puzzle in trying to understand Scottie's psychology.
Just a theory, but I think it's reasonably safe to assume that Scottie's relationship with Midge (they were engaged once) ended due to Scottie's behaviour towards her. In his obsession of attempting to turn Judy into Madeleine we learn of Scottie's perversion, his need to control. He's only comfortable around a woman he can control. Midge is clearly not that type and she probably called things off with him when she began to realise what he was like. Nonetheless, she's in love with him and is probably ready to give it another go.
Hence the portrait: she is signalling to Scottie that she understands his need to control her and she's willing to play those games if that's what it takes to have a relationship with him. Scottie's reaction, on the surface at least, can be interpreted as disappointment that she's poking fun at his investigation, but actually he feels threatened by her as she is challenging his perversion.
Interestingly, the last time we see Midge it's when she's walking down the corridor after seeing Scottie at the hospital. Madeleine talks about a dream in which she's walking down a corridor and in Freudian analysis it usually refers to searching for something you can't ever find.
Moreover, the motif of falling is again understood in Freudian terms as the lack of control. In that sense, the MacGuffin of Scottie's acrophobia (as the film really isn't about vertigo at all) simply refers to the fact that Scottie is scared of losing control in his relationships with women. He has a perversion and the only way he can ever have a healthy relationship with a woman - Midge being his ideal mate - is to get over it. Seeing Madeleine/Judy die for the second time suggests the cure, but we don't know if it plays out like that.
I’d also add that this sort of perversion for control is hinted at in REAR WINDOW where Jeff can’t have a relationship with Lisa until she matches the type of woman he needs in his life. She doesn’t subject herself to the same degradations as Judy in VERTIGO and, in fact, her picking up a copy of Harper’s Bazaar at the end of the film suggests she has a little of the Midge in her. However, that’s another discussion altogether.
Hi and congrats on your excllent channel. Based on your taste in movies and psychological reflections I'm guessing you'd really enjoy the documentary "The Pervert's Guide to Cinema".
Not what it sounds like - but actually a Freudian perpective on the history of cinema by eccentric philosopher, psychoanalyst, and political pundit Slavoj Zizek with particular emphasis on Hitchcock (Vertigo, Psycho), Lynch (Mulholland, Blue Velvet), Chaplin (Great Dictator, City Lights) and other favs of yours (eg: The Conversation) .
Its a hell of lot more fun than I just made it sound and, if the mood takes you, I'd be interested in your review. Best wishes and look forward to hitting a richly deserved 4000.