![]() ![]() His star persona of the ‘everyman’ made him relatable to audiences, forcing them to align themselves with him and therefore become slightly more aware of the possible criticism of their actions towards women in Hollywood. The casting of Jimmy Stewart in this was a very deliberate and purposeful choice. ![]() Yet, inevitably, he becomes deeply infatuated with her, to the point of obsession after her perceived death. The third screenwriter to work on From Among the Dead was Australian born Alec Coppel.According to Dan Auilers book about Vertigo, it is unclear exactly why Coppel was chosen, but some sources state that he had briefly worked with Hitchcock providing uncredited contributions to To Catch a Thief. The plot revolves around a man tracking a woman in the beginning, within the guise of his being hired to protect her. The viewer is subconsciously called upon to go through a fraction of what they themselves, as well as Hollywood as a whole, make women go through in order to fit their ridiculous standards of beauty in order to be accepted, and indeed loved. Vertigo is a perfect example of a more self-aware and active spectatorship experience into the idea of voyeurism. Not to mention the fact that films like Rear Window (1954) revolve entirely around the concept of voyeurism and people watching. Hitchcock, both on and off set, was known for having certain voyeuristic tendencies, from including holes in the walls of hotel rooms in his films, ( Psycho, 1960) to drilling real holes on the sets to peep on his leading ladies. Stairs present themselves as an ongoing aesthetic quality in Hitchcock films, with the director having said, “Stairs are very photogenic.” when being asked about them by French filmmaker François Truffaut.įinally, the motif of voyeurism as a thematic plot point. After Madeleines apparent death, Scotties obsession deepens as he is driven to the brink of insanity, haunted by images of her. The stairs! The pinnacle point of the plot, the area of Scottie’s downfall, and of course, Madeleine/Judy’s far more literal downfall. A woman desperate to be seen for herself, not for what others want her to be. The letter written/narrated by Judy after battling with Scottie’s insatiable desire for her to appear more as the effigy of his dead lover perfectly sums up the contextual attitudes of Hollywood and its attitudes towards women within the star persona. The ‘Hitchcock blonde’ seen in the character of Madeleine/Judy, in a somewhat self-aware reflection on the auteur’s obsession with blondes. So in short, Alfred Hitchcock had mommy issues. Though the character isn’t technically a mother, she does go so far as to say, “” at one point when comforting the protagonist. ![]() The somewhat domineering maternal character, teetering on the edge of some odd romantic tension (seen throughout his works, “Mother” in Psycho (1960), , etc) presents herself in the form of Midge, a headstrong woman who cares deeply for the main character of Scottie (portrayed by everyman James Stewart). Practically every aspect of what makes a film recognisable as his is present: ‘Vertigo’, possibly one of Hitchcock’s most famous films, is perhaps the greatest depiction of Hitchcock’s prowess as an auteur. From his distinctive motifs both narratively and aesthetically, his work is not only instantly recognisable, but used as reference points for countless pieces of cinema since his time. Hitchcock would indeed be grateful.‘Vertigo’ (1960), and an Exploration into Alfred Hitchcock as an AuteurĪlfred Hitchcock is universally known as perhaps one of the greatest auteurs of all time. The colors are dazzling, and Bernard Herrmann's extraordinary score is crisp and haunting. A painstaking two-year restoration project saved this movie for future generations. Kim Novak is also eerily convincing in a difficult role, and Barbara Bel Geddes is irresistible as Midge Wood, the woman Scottie would be in love with if he knew what was good for him. Stewart, is easy to sympathize with as the good-natured guy who learns too late that he's been set up. This is the work of a master, whose genius shows in unconventional use of color and intricate storytelling that unwinds slowly, like the dizzying spirals of the opening credits sequence. Such psychologically complex material is best suited for adults and mature teens, who will find more to enjoy here than a simple suspense story. It's also, by his own accounts, his most personal picture, burrowing deep into what are said to have been some of the director's own darkest wormholes: obsessions with women, the desire to control them, and to mold them into a personal ideal. Poorly received during its original 1958 release, Vertigo has since been hailed as one of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest achievements, and it's certainly one of his most disturbing. ![]()
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |