"Vertigo" (1958), Director and Producer Alfred HItchcock's Psychological Thriller - Starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak

[DIShGo]

I have seen a lot of Alfred Hitchcock films, and "Vertigo" is one of my favorites. I can watch this movie over and over, and find something new and interesting each time.

My most recent viewing was in the National Gallery of Art East building. I was delighted to see a restored version of this film on the big screen. "Vertigo" has everything I want in a Hitchcock film: suspense, romance, interesting cinematography and a fantastic score. Kim Novak beautifully embodies the iconic Hitchcock heroine--cool, blonde and sophisticated. Jimmy Stewart is wonderful as Scottie, the retired police detective with a fear of heights. Critics have written that the way Scottie objectifies Novak's character is emblematic of the way Hitchcock viewed women, making this one of his most personal films.

SPOILERS FOLLOW!

I live in the San Francisco Bay area, so I also enjoyed seeing the City and surrounding areas depicted in "Vertigo." There is so much to appreciate in this film, but the heartbreaking ending is what resonates most with me. "Vertigo" depicts the objectification of a manipulative and manipulated woman who, in the end, becomes sympathetic and real. The viewer can't help but root for their fatally flawed love to succeed. It is heart-wrenching to watch these two people, who love each other so much, in unbearable pain over what cannot be, and what cannot be undone.

[DonRocks]

On 7/2/2016 at 3:29 PM, DIShGo said:

I have seen a lot of Alfred Hitchcock films, and "Vertigo" is one of my favorites. I can watch this movie over and over, and find something new and interesting each time.

My most recent viewing was in the National Gallery of Art East building. I was delighted to see a restored version of this film on the big screen. "Vertigo" has everything I want in a Hitchcock film: suspense, romance, interesting cinematography and a fantastic score. Kim Novak beautifully embodies the iconic Hitchcock heroine--cool, blonde and sophisticated. Jimmy Stewart is wonderful as Scottie, the retired police detective with a fear of heights. Critics have written that the way Scottie objectifies Novak's character is emblematic of the way Hitchcock viewed women, making this one of his most personal films.

"Vertigo" is one of "those" movies that I could have *sworn* I'd seen before, but now that I've seen the entire film start-to-finish, I'm certain that I hadn't - the famous scene with Jimmy Stewart looking queasy as he dangles probably fooled me.

Now that I have seen it, I can safely say I'd put it on my list of Top 10 Films of All-Time, and it's quite possibly my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film. It isn't good; it's *great*, and it has everything I could possibly want by Hitchcock.

They call him "The Master of Suspense," and I would also call him "The Master of Manipulation." He does such a thorough job of working the audience over - when this movie comes to a close, you just sit there, blinking. 

If you have a chance to see "Vertigo," seize the opportunity - it is a sensational movie. I always thought there was "Psycho" and whatever was second-best; now that I've seen this, I think Vertigo might have to take its place.

[DIShGo]

On 7/5/2016 at 10:16 PM, DonRocks said:

Now that I have seen it, I can safely say I'd put it on my list of Top 10 Films of All-Time, and it's quite possibly my favorite Alfred Hitchcock film. It isn't good; it's *great*, and it has everything I could possibly want by Hitchcock.

If you have a chance to see "Vertigo," seize the opportunity - it is a sensational movie. I always thought there was "Psycho" and whatever was second-best; now that I've seen this, I think Vertigo might have to take its place.

It quite possibly is my favorite Hitchcock movie as well, but I need to watch "Rear Window" again, because I recall loving that when I first saw it. I definitely prefer them both to "Psycho."

[DonRocks]

SPOILER ALERT

"How 'Vertigo' Foreshadowed 'Catfishing,' AI, and #MeToo" by Nicholas Barber on bbc.com