Vertigo
The film Vertigo, directed by Alfred Hitchcock was my first viewing of a psychological thriller made before the nineties. I can only imagine that Hitchcock was a great director to lead the way for directors in the genre of thrillers. The many different story lines made the film a very intriguing until the very end.
In a film review by Roger Ebert, he notes that one of the aspects of the film that makes it great is the way Hitchcock manipulates the story so that the viewer identifies and fears for both main characters. While manipulating the story Hitchcock also leads the audience to hold many layers of emotions for each character. I noticed that by the end of the film my feelings for each character were changing rather quickly.
Ebert’s comments made me realize that Hitchcock’s manipulation of the story manipulated my reaction to the story. I sympathized for Scottie for the majority of the film, from the very first scene when he watched his co-worker fall off of a rooftop up until he started trying to transform Judy to Madeline. At that point I really started to dislike him. I was surprised my reaction, usually when viewing a film I choose the character to identify with and stick with it. I then “switched sides” and felt for Judy, who was trying to make things work with Scotty, I then sympathized for Scottie again during the very last scene after Judy had fallen out of the tower to her death.
Links:
http://www.filmsite.org/vert.html
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052357/
8 comments:
I agree with you. I felt for Scottie for the majority of the film. There were times when I also felt bad for Judy. This lead me to favor both characters in the closing scene of the movie. Not knowing who to cheer on adds to the excitement!
I definitely felt the same way as you as I stated in my own comments on the film. I feel sympathy for Scottie because he's been manipulated but toward the latter half of the film I feel sympathetic for Judy because the situation she's become trapped within. It's difficult to side with only one character throughout the film and if that had been Hitchcock's intention then he really did a masterful job with this work.
I felt very strongly about Scottie and what was done to him. He was manipulated, with no control over it, so I agree with you when you felt bad for him. It was hard for me to feel bad for Madeline in the end, it may sound bad, but I think that she got what she had coming. Unfortunately it was a rooftop to the face!!!
hello, I agree with you it was very interesting to watch and see that Scottie, a quickly developed character, was not the only main character and that Judy had just as great a part. It was interesting how Hitchcock after unveiling the secret was able to show us Judy's pain sadness and troubles. In the tower the character’s are both on a downward spiral.
i agree with you totally. It was amazing how hitchcock made you pull for one character through out the movie and right towards the end pull for the other character and right a the height of the last scene you are pulling for both of them.
I also felt for Judy. It was interesting because for I missed the first part of the movie my feelings for I felt for the characters in the opposite order.I felt for Judy first, and it wasn't until the end that I started really feeling for Scottie. Interesting movie though!
Reading your blog I understand why you sympathized with Scottie first, but my experience was a little different. I missed the first half of the film so I felt for Judy first, and it wasn't until the end of the film when I really started to sympathize with Scottie. Interesting movie though!
I also felt for Judy. It was interesting because for I missed the first part of the movie my feelings for I felt for the characters in the opposite order.I felt for Judy first, and it wasn't until the end that I started really feeling for Scottie. Interesting movie though!
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