tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post8985977264936068656..comments2024-03-26T05:01:57.793-07:00Comments on DREAMS ARE WHAT LE CINEMA IS FOR...: VERTIGO 1958Ken Andersonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comBlogger16125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-69302008815398932562014-12-31T08:46:12.427-08:002014-12-31T08:46:12.427-08:00Hi Neely
I wish more people online were as eloquen...Hi Neely<br />I wish more people online were as eloquent in expressing a dissenting opinion as you. The whole subjectivity aspect of movie fandom is often so lost in people genuinely believing that "good" movies = movies we like to watch (or that there is even such an animal as a "good" movie that is not merely a matter of personal taste).<br />What I enjoyed reading in your comment is your ability to break down just what doesn't work for you. Although this film obviously works for me, I've been in your shoes over many a "classic" film. (Although not yet a classic I recently saw "Frozen" and can't for the life of me figure out how this perfectly rote movie became such a huge moneymaker).<br />But I digress....<br />I thoroughly understand that the characters in this film can be too remote to relate to.. Based on what you've written, I'd say your opinion is precisely in the majority of what people felt when "Vertigo" first came out. The current revisionist take just might have a touch of glamour nostalgia thrown in, making up for the films flaws. Stick to your guns. An individual point-of-view that isn't swayed by popular sentiment is becoming rarer and rarer.<br />Thank you for the compliments on my post and honestly sharing your own. I have some pretty weird tastes in movies...this won't be the last time we'll part company, I'm sure.<br />Thanks, Neely!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-37679432048513824242014-12-30T15:25:12.343-08:002014-12-30T15:25:12.343-08:00Hi Ken,
Well, I knew as I worked my way through y...Hi Ken,<br /><br />Well, I knew as I worked my way through your fabulous blog we'd part company somewhere, and it turns out it's exactly where I part company with pretty much the entire film community! So universal is the admiration for Vertigo that I can't deny the failing must be mine.<br /><br />I've sought out reviews and blog posts on various sites, hoping that if I glommed on to what it was that others appreciated I might find a way IN, but in spite of reading considerations of it as well expressed as yours, I never have.<br /><br />I saw this in the theater when that whole batch was re-released in the 80's, and I was underwhelmed, probably much in the same way you were as a kid -- it just didn't seem to me like "a Hitchcock movie," to me, and having waited so long to see it I was disappointed. (Ditto Trouble With Harry in the same release group.)<br /><br />When this recently replaced Citizen Kane on a whole bunch of critics lists as the greatest film of all time (and the husband wanted to see it again) I thought, "I MUST have missed the boat the first time around, and besides, any Hitchcock is worth revisiting."<br /><br />We projected it 7' wide and put it through a really good sound system, so I feel like I gave it a fair crack, and I genuinely wanted to like it. But I just couldn't care about any of the characters (though these same actors have made me care in other films), so if they were troubled, or imperiled, it generated no suspense (and after a while became pretty irritating).<br /><br />I didn't believe any of it, so the whole thing began to feel endless, and ultimately I said to the husband, "If I have to look at one more extended shot of Jimmy Stewart driving around San Francisco looking confused, I'm gonna take a hostage."<br /><br />Having spent 6 months in the bay, I agree with you that it looks here like it does in my most romanticized memories, and the movie IS quite an eyeful. But wanting (and being unable to) get involved was sufficiently frustrating to render the visuals not enough to hold me. (And I can get through Bachelor In Paradise on the decor alone!)<br /><br />Having said all that, I very much enjoyed the post -- intelligent, articulate, and passionate as always!Neely OHarahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12967247631845210906noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-86677464526334089702013-05-29T17:56:45.008-07:002013-05-29T17:56:45.008-07:00Ha! That is great line offering thanks to Gordon S...Ha! That is great line offering thanks to Gordon Scott! I couldn't agree with you more about the contrast between Miles and Novak. I think you hit on exactly the qualities the talented Vera Miles lacked. Two qualities so perfect for this film. <br />And while the stories about to what degree Hitchcock felt frustrated or happy with Novak change with every new telling, I think it is obvious that she provides the film with the allure and mystery it pivots on. Just might be the best film of her career. Thanks so much for the comments and of course the compliments!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-82499659884376743002013-05-29T10:03:50.030-07:002013-05-29T10:03:50.030-07:00Great work on this site, Ken. This particular page...Great work on this site, Ken. This particular page gives me the opportunity to publicly offer gratitude to the late Gordon Scott for getting Vera Miles pregnant. As lovely as she is (and as good an actress), she lacked charisma and mystery, the very things that make Kim Novak so compelling in this and many of her other films. Even Hitch could be shortsighted, but I hope he eventually came to realize that without Novak, Vertigo most likely would have missed the boat.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-40504772056469397582013-01-04T23:11:50.304-08:002013-01-04T23:11:50.304-08:00How terrific is that? The Paramount Theater in Oak...How terrific is that? The Paramount Theater in Oakland is an outrageously gorgeous venue to see a movie (I'm so jealous!).<br />My limited experience in seeing classic films in theaters is very similar to what you detail: demonstrative fans familiar with every frame, yet sprinkled within the crowd are neophytes who respond so spontaneously to the film that it triggers memories of one's introduction to the film at hand.<br />Many's the time I've envied a newbie at a classic film screening because, like you, I often can't recall my first-time reactions.<br />I agree that "Vertigo" is Hitchcock exposed, but I like the point you make about films ability to also function as a mirror for the viewer. If more people accepted that there is rarely ever a "right" way to experience a film, there's be fewer arguments between viewers with opposing opinions. Thanks for sharing you "Vertigo" recollections here, Eve! Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-62625441040803102002013-01-04T21:43:57.347-08:002013-01-04T21:43:57.347-08:00Ken,
Around the time you posted this review I had ...Ken,<br />Around the time you posted this review I had the chance to see "Vertigo" in a theater for the first time. The screening happened to be at an art deco movie palace, the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, CA. How perfect is that? It was a packed house and 90% of the crowd obviously knew the film (cheers when Bernard Herrmann's name appeared in the credits, when Hitchcock appeared in cameo, etc.). In some respects, it was as if seeing the film for the first time for me, although I'm not sure why. I will say, though, that every time I watch "Vertigo" there seem to be new revelations of one sort or another. What I didn't expect that night was the loud gasps of those in the audience who clearly had not seen the film before and were shocked by its ending. That gave me something to think about. It had been so long since the first time I watched "Vertigo" that I didn't remember my own first-time reaction to the unexpected climax of Scottie's "second chance."<br /><br />It is said that an artist is always revealed in his art. With "Vertigo" it seems to me that Hitchcock most fully expressed himself artistically and personally. But like other great cinematic works, "Vertigo" can also function as a mirror for the viewer - allowing one a glimpse of his/her own inner landscape - as well as Hitchcock's.The Lady Evehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11963115499930520653noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-84752629341137001642012-09-04T05:26:36.677-07:002012-09-04T05:26:36.677-07:00Oh, my...hearing from you is like getting a letter...Oh, my...hearing from you is like getting a letter from home! You've been missed! Fond memories of when you and my partner were the only ones reading this blog.<br />I think you make such a good point in your observation about Scottie's mental illness. People hate to think a film can lead them around by the nose, but I think the lush, romantic score, combined with the inherently likable actor Jimmy Stewart, moves people to think the film is a good deal more romantic than it is. <br />You could build an entire thesis around your theory. To ask people to view Scottie's actions through the prism of anything but love would open up a broad vista of chilling scenarios.<br />Kneejerk psychology points to Hitchcock being blind to portraying Scottie as a sick individual because his own alleged sexual obsessions (say, towards Tippi Hedren) so mirror those of his "hero".<br />I think you write very well, but better still, I love how you think. A fresh perspective on a film as over-discussed as "Vertigo" isn't easy. Thanks for coming back and saying hi!<br />Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-85457859899181430362012-09-04T00:51:37.678-07:002012-09-04T00:51:37.678-07:00long time no comment! i've been enjoying watc...long time no comment! i've been enjoying watching your blog develop and am so thankful for the education you provide through it, not to mention your insightful and unique point of view! i am not the best writer, hence my silence for a little while in the comments. but anyway...<br /><br />when i first saw vertigo i was expecting scary suspense. and that is indeed what i took away from it, contrary to many others' reactions to the film. i found it as chilling a movie as 'psycho' from its centering on mental illness in the male lead character and his distorted relationship with women. scottie's character is immediately introduced as a man whose sanity has been compromised by a tragic event. i found it interesting how so many people trusted his character and didn't find him deeply disturbing. his abrupt obsession with madeline is more than simply love at first sight. it begins, like chinatown (funny you should mention polanski in your post!), in voyeurism. the progress of the plot in this movie left me chilled to my core. none of the characters can be trusted, but i actually find scottie to be the most disturbing. i would even venture to say that the bernard hermann score was misleading. i listen to it often on my ipod and i'm convinced that the haunting, melancholic music is what brings the 'troubled love-story' element to the film. take that away and you will see a frightful account of a mentally unstable man's obsession, and then repression, of a woman he hardly knows. sometimes i read it as simply a bizarre love-dream of a deranged and paranoid lunatic. how can we actually know that madeline/judy even existed at all? the very real and impersonal interaction he shares with midge is a perfect juxtaposition between reality and fantasy. and this is why i love hitchcock. <br /><br />whew. that's a heck of a lot of writing. just my take on it. i may change my mind on it tomorrow!! kathrynnovahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01925059701467213291noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-27510050433264365432012-03-17T16:38:50.122-07:002012-03-17T16:38:50.122-07:00Hi PTF
I wholeheartedly agree. The film seems to y...Hi PTF<br />I wholeheartedly agree. The film seems to yield new things each and every time you watch it. And I just think Kim Novak is great in this. What she does with her voice and overall countenance as the two characters is terrific.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-13847104419506713022012-03-17T10:02:43.261-07:002012-03-17T10:02:43.261-07:00This film triggered my near-obsession with all thi...This film triggered my near-obsession with all things Kim Novak.<br />I recently watched this one again on TCM and no matter how many times I've seen it the damned thing never fails to raise the hairs on the back of my neck.<br /><br />It's just a masterpiece on every single level.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-15261626649388074992012-03-14T04:02:26.616-07:002012-03-14T04:02:26.616-07:00I agree. Seeing "Vertigo" on the big scr...I agree. Seeing "Vertigo" on the big screen and with an audience is almost like seeing it for the first time. I had an opportunity once, and, like you, was made aware of many things I hadn’t noticed before. Chiefly the use of color throughout.<br /><br />For me, the effectiveness of the whole Judy into Madeline transformation lies in the mid-story reveal of the “mystery” of the plot. Judy, who is relatively safe at this point, had fallen in love with Scottie but had to give him up to keep the “secret.” When they meet again, Judy (like Scottie) is granted another opportunity for love and hopes that Scottie to fall in love with HER, not HER as Madeline. When she learns that he cannot help himself from wanting to change her into the image of his lost love, Judy takes the ultimate risk of exposure by allowing herself to be re-transformed into the woman she helped murder. Scottie is obsessed with a dead woman and Judy is in love with a man who can only love her if she becomes that woman, at least superficially. Her inability to get him to love her for herself is tragic, her willingness to literally sacrifice herself and risk discovery so that she can be with him is pathos. When Judy says “I don’t care about me anymore.” She means it. Even if it means being found out, she she’ll do anything to make Scottie love her. I don’t believe her fear at the end is for herself. She’s more afraid that if Scottie learn the truth, there’s no chance he’ll ever love her.Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-15964190052417698522012-03-13T14:40:21.890-07:002012-03-13T14:40:21.890-07:00The violence that is enacted on Judy to change her...The violence that is enacted on Judy to change her back to Madeleine is frightening not because of Scottie's fiercely urgency but because of Judy's fear (especially when they get back to the mission). I've seen this several times over the years and even got to see it in the theater once when a little one screen movie house managed to get a print somewhere. It was great to see it with an audience--other peoples' reactions pointed things out to me I had never noticed before. It's for this, all the details, that it's so easy to re-watch. I could even do that just for the colors (the flowers! matching cars in the background! not to mention the green light, which is used in "Rope" too, though there it's flashing red and green).Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-40636811641825748312012-03-10T22:04:07.478-08:002012-03-10T22:04:07.478-08:00Hi Poseidon
You know, I think you hit on why the f...Hi Poseidon<br />You know, I think you hit on why the film seemed so slow in those late 60's TV airings. All those commercials were murder on a sustained mood piece like this. The fact that Hitchcock's films are always so distinctly period-looking is one reason why the sometimes artificial look of them never bothers me. So much feels stylized anyway. Thanks for reading!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-48011742931941888172012-03-10T21:08:10.341-08:002012-03-10T21:08:10.341-08:00I loooovve this movie. I was in high school (I th...I loooovve this movie. I was in high school (I think!) when those 5 Hitchcock films came out of seclusion and they were run on a pay cable channel soon after. I checked them out due to curiosity (the vibrant period look of the movies, the colors, styles, etc... intrigued me) and became an instant fan. When I think of a mood-setting, progressively momentous movie like Vertigo being shown on network TV with cuts and commercials (!) I shudder. I agree with all you say about it, particularly how it can be enjoyed even though we know what's coming. And that music.... wow. Great job!Poseidon3https://www.blogger.com/profile/10465785002285422594noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-39039467800088193722012-03-10T14:58:47.000-08:002012-03-10T14:58:47.000-08:00Hi Daudesign
I agree. I think that's why the a...Hi Daudesign<br />I agree. I think that's why the auteur theory fell out of favor. It's useful in academic or critical discussions to attribute an entire film to a single person, but I think you're right in calling attention to the fact that part of Hitchcock's genius was in his choice of collaborators. Edith Head (who had an army of collaborators of her own), Herrmann, and Saul Bass are as much a part of what I love about "Vertigo" as Hitchcock's contributions (which, apparently, were his fetishes). Thanks so much for commenting!Ken Andersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04940648971296673233noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2627032459273165000.post-88028301002052052032012-03-10T10:10:34.278-08:002012-03-10T10:10:34.278-08:00No doubt that Hitchcock was a genius. But what is ...No doubt that Hitchcock was a genius. But what is often overlooked is his willingness to collaborate with, even at times depend on, other artists. Much of what engages the viewer in Vertigo is the music by Bernard Herrmann. Without his score, the movie would have failed. Another collaborator was Saul Bass, who not only created the movie posters and opening credits in Hitchcock films, but often designed frames in plotting the story. I don't know if the spiral motif that runs throughout Vertigo is purely Hitchcock's concept. But I'd be willing to bet that Bass had something to do with it.daudesignhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17131808021113354401noreply@blogger.com