I first saw 'Vertigo' back in the late 90's during the celebration of director Alfred Hitchcock's 100th birthday. I'm sad to say that I didn't appreciate the film much, preferring the second film they showed that evening 'Psycho' and I became one of many who felt the same way when the film first released back in 1958. The critics and audiences at the time weren't exactly kind to 'Vertigo', giving it only average reviews and little to no attention at the box office which resulted in the film vanishing into history for many years. It wasn't until the mid 1980's that it along with several other Hitchcock films were discovered in a dusty vault and restored to their former glory and by then, the world began to rethink its views on the film. The love put into its restoration by Universal Pictures and its large audience over the many years since has labeled 'Vertigo' as Hitchcock's lost masterpiece and is widely considered to not only be his best work, but the best film of all time.
So, having only seen it in its entirety for the second time today what do I think of it? Well, I'm glad I was able to see it and fully appreciate it and while I don't feel that it's the best film of all time I do feel it's Hitchcock's best. This is due to using old techniques and enhancing them in unique ways along with implementing some new and unseen techniques that I am surprised didn't blow away the critics/audience at the time. I would say the biggest technique used in 'Vertigo' that many filmgoers would recognize is a camera shot we call a Trombone shot which is famously used to show star James Stewart's fear of heights on screen in a way that has the audience feel what he feels. A lot of folks may recognize this camera shot in the 1975 classic film 'Jaws' as well.
However, 'Vertigo' is more than just a visual treat with colorful and beautiful cinematography but it's also the film that I feel personifies Hitchcock as a whole making it his most personal film. It tells a tale of obsession, tragedy, love, blonde women, and of course the usual Hitchcock staple of murder and intrigue wrapping around everything else. Sadly, the one thing about 'Vertigo' that I've always tried to figure out without avail is the beautiful use of the color green throughout the film. It's the color of the young woman Madeline's car, it's a common color seen in Johnny's apartment, and many neon lights sport the color during pivotal moments but I wish I could figure out its significance. It may be because it's my favorite color but it stands out so much in the film, especially in technicolor that I feel it means something.
The performances are excellent in the film, with a drastically different role for James Stewart. He begins the film as the usual charming pretty boy he was known for in his early roles, but as he dives deeper and deeper into his obsession with the lovely young woman he's investigating he becomes a madman, whose aggressive and borderline violent behavior comes as a shock in the climax. James Stewart is one of the greatest actors of all time and 'Vertigo' is one of the biggest examples that shows off his talents. Sadly, he was criticized for such a contrast from his previous works at the time and he went unappreciated for this film for years. Kim Novak does very well in her role as Madeline, never giving away too much about herself until just the right moments which keeps the audience engaged and worried for her and by the end of the film we begin to feel a little obsessed ourselves.
'Vertigo' is one of the greatest films of all time, and one of the few that is absolutely perfect. Whether or not you're a big fan of Hitchcock (which seems to be a trend in the film industry nowadays) you at least owe yourself a look at this film if you have to see only one of his works.
10/10
Part of my top 50 Best Films' list (#5)
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