Vertigo

Vertigo

1. key scenes

   • Opening Titles
     • introduces key themes through symbolism
     • Spiral visuals are open to interpretation (falling, hypnosis etc)
     • works at a sub concious level
     • womans face suggests seduction
     • red filter: love, lust, danger
   • restaurant scene
     • long take of camera panning over the restaurant
       • scottie's search for perfection
     • focus on colour, scottie and madelaine stand out on red background
       • madelaine is green on red ( envy & lust) 
     • follows madelaine from scotties POV - shows his lust
   • first meeting of Judy
     • green car - shows sickness
     • lots of close on Scotty - show emotions
     • repeats framing of Madelaine in restaurant
       • Judy stands in the same places as madelaine, including standing in front of a mirror - hints that Judy is Madelaine
     • camera is scotties perspective
   • department store scene
     • Judy's perspective
     • scottie seems overpowering
     • Judy dressed in green - scotties illness
     • sat at same lever - they are equal
     • "you want me to dress like her" - obsession

2. key themes

   • obsession
     • obsessed with madelaine
     • leads to him being a control freak to Judy
     • shown in department store scene
   • freudian theories
     • ID, ego and Superego
       • ID is the subconcious desires  super ego is the concious  ego is the sense of self  Three shown in opening scene  Id is criminal, super ego is the policeman, ego is scottie
   • Neurosis
     • caused by his vertigo
     • leads to all his other aspects - obsession, guilt, etc
   • Guilt
     • guilt from being unable to help policeman
     • can remove guilt by helping madelaine
     • guilt returns after madelaines death

3. Critical reception

   • changed from a critical flop to one of the most successful films ever
   • controversy over representation of women
     • camera is used to show how women are represented in society  no longer profound about society
   • complex plot stops people appreciating other portions of the film