Vertigo (1958)
8.152 /10
6187 Reviews
Rate This Movie:
A retired San Francisco detective suffering from acrophobia investigates the strange activities of an old friend's wife, all the while becoming dangerously obsessed with her.
Videos & Photos
cast
... Det. John 'Scottie' Ferguson
... Madeleine Elster / Judy Barton
... Marjorie 'Midge' Wood
... Gavin Elster
... Coroner
User reviews
All I know, this film wasn’t so successful at first and this probably because the audience didn’t expect a film so dark and claustrophobic. Vertigo was so strange already from the beginning because of its surreal and nightmarish atmosphere. I bow to Hitchcock in his creativity in visualizing Jimmy Stewart’s acrophobia by implementing one of the oldest cinematography techniques, using zoom lens as it zooms in while the object moves away, emphasizing his terrified feeling and insecurity whenever he’s at a particular height due to a chronic vertigo he suffers. As always, the film director’s cameo appearance has always been fascinating since we know it’s his habit therefore we will usually let our eyes wander throughout the film, trying to spot him. In conclusion, this timeless thriller remains a classic gem despite the emergence of new modern films. The great visual effects also seem timeless when compared to digital effects. I hope my review doesn’t give you vertigo = )
Director:
Writer:
Thomas Narcejac (Novel)
Pierre Boileau (Novel)
Samuel A. Taylor (Screenplay)
Alec Coppel (Screenplay)
Release Date:
1958-05-09
Run Time:
128 min
MMPA Rating:
PG
Reviews of
Vertigo
All I know, this film wasn’t so successful at first and this probably because the audience didn’t expect a film so dark and claustrophobic. Vertigo was so strange already from the beginning because of its surreal and nightmarish atmosphere. I bow to Hitchcock in his creativity in visualizing Jimmy Stewart’s acrophobia by implementing one of the oldest cinematography techniques, using zoom lens as it zooms in while the object moves away, emphasizing his terrified feeling and insecurity whenever he’s at a particular height due to a chronic vertigo he suffers. As always, the film director’s cameo appearance has always been fascinating since we know it’s his habit therefore we will usually let our eyes wander throughout the film, trying to spot him. In conclusion, this timeless thriller remains a classic gem despite the emergence of new modern films. The great visual effects also seem timeless when compared to digital effects. I hope my review doesn’t give you vertigo = )
I will never understand the universal adoration for Vertigo. Blindly inherited wisdom is the only explanation. How anyone could prefer this to North by Northwest or Rear Window is beyond me. An exceptionally made, exceptionally boring movie
A tense, dizzying thriller from the Master.
Plot in a nutshell: A retired detective suffering from acrophobia takes the case of an old college chum's wife, who may be possessed by the spirit of her great-grandmother who committed suicide many years previous. But of course, a much darker, and more down-to-earth, secret lies beneath the surface.
Comments: James Stewart is the perfect anti-hero in this: clever and brave, but also disturbed, unhinged, and at times possessive. He does a stellar job with a difficult role.
In the supporting role of Stewart's faithful friend "Midge" is Barbara Bel Geddes, and she does a delightful job.
According to one source I've read, after Vertigo flopped upon release, Hitchcock blamed Stewart, claiming he (Stewart) was too old and people no longer wanted to see him, hence the film's lack of success. When Hitchcock went on to do North By Northwest, Stewart reportedly begged Hitchcock for the lead role, but Hitchcock refused, giving the lead to Cary Grant, who was actually four years older than Stewart.
But according to a biography of Cary Grant written by Pamela Trescott, the reason Hitchcock wanted Grant instead was simply because they worked well together and had wanted to do another collaboration after the success of To Catch a Thief. In short, that the lead role for North By Northwest had been intended for Cary Grant, and no one else, right from the beginning.
All that aside, Vertigo has established a high reputation as a masterpiece of film, and rightly so. It's also beautifully photographed, and the entire film has a soft, haunting, dreamy quality to it that's utterly captivating.
Not one of my favorites from Hitchcock, and certainly dower, but still visually striking and two amazing performances from James Stewart and Kim Novak. This is only the second time seeing this, guessing the last time was maybe 10 years ago or so, not entirely sure when I'll revisit it. **3.75/5**
Perhaps it’s due to my dislike for the overrated “North By Northwest”, but as of now this is my favourite Hitchcock.
Cast & Crew of
Vertigo
Cast
... Det. John 'Scottie' Ferguson
... Madeleine Elster / Judy Barton
... Marjorie 'Midge' Wood
... Gavin Elster
... Coroner
... Scottie's Doctor
... Manager of McKittrick Hotel
... Pop Leibel
... Car Owner Mistaken for Madeleine
... Diner at Ernie's (uncredited)
... Man Walking Past Elster's Office (uncredited)
... Priest (uncredited)
... Nun (uncredited)
... Older mistaken identity (uncredited)
... Salesman (uncredited)
... Capt. Hansen (uncredited)
... Burglar (uncredited)
... Policeman on Rooftop (uncredited)
... Diner at Ernie's (uncredited)
... Diner at Ernie's (uncredited)
Crew
... Producer
... Art Direction
... Editor
... Original Music Composer
... Director of Photography
... Costume Design
... Art Direction
... Visual Effects
... Visual Effects
... Visual Effects
... Assistant Director
... Sound Recordist
... Set Decoration
... Makeup Supervisor
... Novel
... Hair Supervisor
... Novel
... Sound Recordist
... Associate Producer
... Set Decoration
... Title Designer
... Conductor
... Screenplay
... Screenplay
... Director
Similar Movies To
Vertigo
The Dark Knight (2008)
8.526/10
Batman raises the stakes in his war on crime. With the help of Lt. Jim Gordon and District Attorney Harvey Dent, Batman sets out to dismantle the remaining criminal organizations that plague the streets. The partnership proves to be effective, but they soon find themselves prey to a reign of chaos unleashed by a rising criminal mastermind known to the terrified citizens of Gotham as the Joker.
Release: 2008-07-16
Wilbur Wants to Kill Himself (2002)
6.535/10
The strange comedy film of two close brothers; one, Wilbur, who wants to kill himself, and the other, Harbour, who tries to prevent this. When their father dies leaving them his bookstore they meet a woman who makes their lives a bit better yet with a bit more trouble as well.
Release: 2002-11-08
Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
7.628/10
Holly Golightly is an eccentric New York City playgirl determined to marry a Brazilian millionaire. But when young writer Paul Varjak moves into her apartment building, her past threatens to get in their way.
Release: 1961-10-06
Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country (1991)
7.035/10
After years of war, the Federation and the Klingon empire find themselves on the brink of a peace summit when a Klingon ship is nearly destroyed by an apparent attack from the Enterprise. Both worlds brace for what may be their deadliest encounter.
Release: 1991-12-06
Saw (2004)
7.419/10
Two men wake up to find themselves shackled in a grimy, abandoned bathroom. As they struggle to comprehend their predicament, they discover a disturbing tape left behind by the sadistic mastermind known as Jigsaw. With a chilling voice and cryptic instructions, Jigsaw informs them that they must partake in a gruesome game in order to secure their freedom.
Release: 2004-10-01
Minority Report (2002)
7.35/10
John Anderton is a top 'Precrime' cop in the late-21st century, when technology can predict crimes before they're committed. But Anderton becomes the quarry when another investigator targets him for a murder charge.
Release: 2002-06-20
The Good German (2006)
5.813/10
An American journalist arrives in Berlin just after the end of World War Two. He becomes involved in a murder mystery surrounding a dead GI who washes up at a lakeside mansion during the Potsdam negotiations between the Allied powers. Soon his investigation connects with his search for his married pre-war German lover.
Release: 2006-12-15
Jackie Brown (1997)
7.358/10
Jackie Brown is a flight attendant who gets caught in the middle of smuggling cash into the country for her gunrunner boss. When the cops try to use Jackie to get to her boss, she hatches a plan — with help from a bail bondsman — to keep the money for herself.
Release: 1997-12-25
Sin City (2005)
7.461/10
Welcome to Sin City. This town beckons to the tough, the corrupt, the brokenhearted. Some call it dark… Hard-boiled. Then there are those who call it home — Crooked cops, sexy dames, desperate vigilantes. Some are seeking revenge, others lust after redemption, and then there are those hoping for a little of both. A universe of unlikely and reluctant heroes still trying to do the right thing in a city that refuses to care.
Release: 2005-04-01
Sin City: A Dame to Kill For (2014)
6.4/10
Some of Sin City's most hard-boiled citizens cross paths with a few of its more reviled inhabitants.
Release: 2014-08-20
North by Northwest (1959)
7.978/10
Advertising man Roger Thornhill is mistaken for a spy, triggering a deadly cross-country chase.
Release: 1959-08-06
Rebecca (1940)
7.9/10
Story of a young woman who marries a fascinating widower only to find out that she must live in the shadow of his former wife, Rebecca, who died mysteriously several years earlier. The young wife must come to grips with the terrible secret of her handsome, cold husband, Max De Winter. She must also deal with the jealous, obsessed Mrs. Danvers, the housekeeper, who will not accept her as the mistress of the house.
Release: 1940-03-23
The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari (1920)
7.9/10
Francis, a young man, recalls in his memory the horrible experiences he and his fiancée Jane recently went through. Francis and his friend Alan visit The Cabinet of Dr. Caligari, an exhibit where the mysterious doctor shows the somnambulist Cesare, and awakens him for some moments from his death-like sleep.
Release: 1920-02-27
Muriel's Wedding (1994)
6.8/10
Socially awkward Muriel Heslop wants nothing more than to get married. Unfortunately, due to her oppressive politician father, Muriel has never even been on a date. Ostracized by her more socially adept friends, Muriel runs into fellow outcast Rhonda Epinstalk, and the two move from their small Australian town to the big city of Sydney, where Muriel changes her name and begins the arduous task of redesigning her life to match her fantasies.
Release: 1994-09-29
Young Adam (2003)
5.824/10
A young drifter working on a river barge disrupts his employers' lives while hiding the fact that he knows more about a dead woman found in the river than he admits.
Release: 2003-09-26
About a Boy (2002)
6.688/10
Will Freeman is a good-looking, smooth-talking bachelor whose primary goal in life is avoiding any kind of responsibility. But when he invents an imaginary son in order to meet attractive single moms, Will gets a hilarious lesson about life from a bright, but hopelessly geeky 12-year-old named Marcus. Now, as Will struggles to teach Marcus the art of being cool, Marcus teaches Will that you're never too old to grow up.
Release: 2002-04-26
The Killing (1956)
7.647/10
Career criminal Johnny Clay recruits a sharpshooter, a crooked police officer, a bartender and a betting teller named George, among others, for one last job before he goes straight and gets married. But when George tells his restless wife about the scheme to steal millions from the racetrack where he works, she hatches a plot of her own.
Release: 1956-06-06
Stolen Kisses (1968)
7.289/10
The third in a series of films featuring François Truffaut's alter-ego, Antoine Doinel, the story resumes with Antoine being discharged from military service. His sweetheart Christine's father lands Antoine a job as a security guard, which he promptly loses. Stumbling into a position assisting a private detective, Antoine falls for his employers' seductive wife, Fabienne, and finds that he must choose between the older woman and Christine.
Release: 1968-09-04
Basic Instinct (1992)
6.932/10
Catherine, a novelist with an insatiable sexual appetite, becomes a prime suspect when her boyfriend is brutally murdered -- a crime she had described in her latest story.
Release: 1992-03-20
About the Looking for and the Finding of Love (2005)
4.3/10
Director helmut Dietls and Patric Susskinds illustrate a legendary story of two lovers who cant keep themselves away from death.
Release: 2005-01-27