Product description

Vertigo [1958]

Price: £4.74
RRP: £14.99
Average customer rating: 4.5

Binding : VHS Tape
EAN : 5050582003147
Label : Universal Pictures UK
Manufacturer : Universal Pictures UK
Publisher : Universal Pictures UK
Release date : 2003-04-21
Title : Vertigo [1958]
Actor : Array
Audience rating : Parental Guidance
Format : Array
Languages : Array
Number of items : 1
Original release date : 1958-01-01
Running time : 122
Studio : Universal Pictures UK
Theatrical releaseDate : 1958
Number of discs : 1

Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
Dreamlike and nightmarishly surreal, Vertigo is Hitchcock's most personal film because it confronts many of the convoluted psychological issues that haunted and fascinated the director. The psychological complexity and the stark truthfulness of their rampant emotions keeps these strangely obsessive characters alive on screen, and Hitchcock understood better than most their barely repressed sexual compulsions, their fascination with death and their almost overwhelming desire for transcendent love. James Stewart finds profound and disturbing new depths in his psyche as Scotty, the tortured acrophobic detective on the trail of a suicidal woman apparently possessed by the ghost of someone long dead. Kim Novak is the classical Hitchcockian blonde whose icy exterior conceals a churning, volcanic emotional core. The agonised romance of Bernard Herrmann's score accompanies the two actors as a third and vitally important character, moving the film along to its culmination in an ecstasy of Wagnerian tragedy. Of course Hitch lavished especial care on every aspect of the production, from designer Edith Head's costumes (he, like Scotty, was most insistent on the grey dress), to the specific colour scheme of each location, to the famous reverse zoom "Vertigo" effect (much imitated, never bettered). The result is Hitch's greatest work and an undisputed landmark of cinema history.

On the DVD: This disc presents the superb restored print of this film in a wonderful widescreen (1.85:1) anamorphic transfer, with remastered Dolby digital soundtrack. There's a half-hour documentary made in 1996 about the painstaking two-year restoration process, plus an informative commentary from the restorers Robert Harris and James Katz, who are joined by original producer Herbert Coleman. There are also text features on the production, cast and crew, plus a trailer for the theatrical release of the restoration. This is an undeniably essential requirement for every DVD collection. --Mark Walker

Customer reviews

review by: oculus tauri date: 2008-07-18 rating:

Do not look below!
Vertigo is a well chosen word for the atmosphere of this film. San Francisco detective Scottie (James Stewart) chases a suspect on the rooftops of the buildings, he slips and barely holds on the rain gutter of one building. Another policeman comes to his rescue but he slips and gets killed after falling down. Scottie is deeply affected from this experience and he resigns from the force to open up his own detective agency. One friend of his hires him to guard his wife. What from? Evil spirits that engulf her! Funny enough Scottie does not believe in heresy but once he focuses on the case he is deeply moved with the situation. The wife of his friend spends hours at a certain museum staring at the same portrait of an aristocrat woman who died a century ago. She imitates her life, even her suicide. Scottie tries to solve the puzzle that he faces and he nearly goes insane.

The film stands out for its making and psychological thriller atmosphere. The double character of Madeleine Elster (Kim Novak) deserves credit. Also we are accustomed to James Stewart more than ever. The vertigo effect throughout the film is very well given. So much so that this film is taught in academies of cinema art. As to the gripping effect of the film the end deserves credit. But there is a notion that distresses me about the film, it is the missing links that are not told in the film. As in a simple mystery police novel the author solves the case with an evidence never mentioned before. As for the final scene I personally think it not appropriate, somewhat unnecessary.

A film that has to be watched but I am not sure I will watch it again.

review by: date: 2008-01-24 rating:

One of Hitchcock's finest
I've seen this film several times and every time I find many new aspects to it. Of particular interest is the famous dream sequence with its highly surrealistic imagery as well as the repeated image of the painting featuring Carlotta's grandmother. These two sequences clearly foreshadow the protagonist's ultimate fate, even though this is not clearly apparent in the final shots.

Hitchcock's choice of Jimmy Stewart as the lead was a good move in my opinion. His performance has the right amount of vulnerability and courage. Kim Novak is also very good as the tormented "ice maiden". All in all, an amazing film!

review by: s.vernon date: 2007-12-11 rating:

A GREAT FILM
Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo is probably his most discussed film, and I believe that since it is so controversial- and yet living up to such hype by having a level of mystery, daring and true human interest that is open to interpretation- it gets better with every passing year. It deserves more credit than it gets (like most of Hitchcock's films) and though it is well credited with it's intrigue, I think that Psycho (not that it is a bad film) gets more credit than this film should get. There are at least a few reasons for this, arguably of course. One, the acting is spectacular including James Stewart in one of his very best turns as the weary, emotionally perplexed and obsessed cop with a slight fear of heights and a 'thing' for a certain 'dead' woman. Hitchcock's leading lady here Kim Novak, is equally interesting and ambiguous as the leading lady (or ladies).

Two, the atmosphere Hicthcock invokes in this film is just right for the psychological tailspin that Stewart gets into, with the usage of lighting, real San Fransisco locations, and particularly the color green all to perfect, eerie effect. And three, there's Bernard Herrmann's score, on par with the Psycho score though maybe even better as a straight piece of classical music in the guise of tense, haunting movie music. It's also the kind of picture that is a MUST if you've already seen it, or even if not, and it comes around town on the big screen as all the images and dark scenes come into great view. Not one of the more outright 'fun' Hitchcock films, with the few chuckles plain comic relief, and maybe his best serious work. A++

review by: date: 2007-09-05 rating:

This is a Thriller?
Scottie (James Stewart) is a police officer forced to retire due to injuries and his dizzying fear of heights. His old friend Gavin (Tom Helmore) needs his services, however. Gavin's wife Madeleine (Kim Novak) appears to be going crazy. She wanders around town but has no recollection of the events. What really worries Gavin is that Madeleine is at the same age her great-grandmother committed suicide by jumping to her death.

Scottie eventually agrees to the job, but doesn't put much stalk in the theory that Madeleine is possessed. At least at first he doesn't. Is she really possessed? Can Scottie save her life?

And does the audience care? I've only seen a couple Hitchcock flicks, and I was less then impressed with them. I decided it was time to change that, and started here. It did nothing to change my mind.

The story starts out okay, just moves very slowly. I was drawn into the early story wondering what was really happening to Madeleine. That is, when the plot moved forward. I mean, we get shot after shot of Scottie following Madeleine around San Francisco. We get it already!

But then the second half comes and things go down hill. It's obvious to us early on what is happening, so we get bored waiting for the characters to catch up. Meanwhile, the acting gets so bad that it's actually laughable. And the climax? There isn't one. The story ends with a whimper.

I'm beginning to see why I haven't seen that many Hitchcock films before. If this is an example of what I have to look forward to, I won't be watching many more.

review by: date: 2007-08-17 rating:

THIS is a masterpiece? (Beware spoilers)
Vertigo is considered one of the greatest films ever made and celebrated as Hitchcock's masterpiece. Perhaps it is. But I found myself bored as I watched it even though I had to admire the artistic intent. There are so many holes in the film it could qualify as cheesy. However, try telling that to those who love it. I think they love it as much for its flaws as for its perfections.

Perfections: the feel of the San Francisco Bay area, the sense of historical California, the great beauty of the ocean framed by Monterey cypresses, the redwoods, the Golden Gate Bridge as seen from below and off to the side, the Bautista Mission, the fifties interior decor, Madeleine's costumes, the angle of Scottie's fedora, the acting by the three stars, James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The musical score by Bernard Herrmann is also celebrated, but I found it a bit overbearing at times, and of course Hitchcock loved using music to direct our sensitivities, and one can tire of that.

Flaws:

Scottie hanging from the drainpipe railing, watching the cop trying to save him fly over to land several stories down, dead. What is not explained is how the cop was expected to pull him up with nothing to hold onto or how Scottie managed to survive. Apparently he fell but only broke his back because in the next scene he is in surgical corset unable to scratch certain itches.

The ersatz psychology. It was the fifties and psychoanalytic psychology was all the rage. One of the bestsellers of the day was The Fifty-Minute Hour: A Collection of True Psychoanalytic Tales by Robert Lindner in which a shrink relates tales told by his patients. Hitchcock loved this sort of thing (cf., Spellbound (1945) with Gregory Peck and Ingrid Bergman). Audiences also loved it. But the psychology is strictly bananas.

Driving on the wrong side of the road (about which Hitchcock is reported to have said when it was pointed out to him, "You drive your way. I'll drive mine.")

The plot. Oh, the plot. Never but never has there been a more elaborate and unlikely murder-your-rich-wife scheme. Judy Barton is hired, persuaded or, gee, maybe hypnotized into playing Gavin Elster's wife who is to commit suicide by jumping off the bell tower at the mission. First Gavin (Tom Helmore) has to establish that she's crazy and suicidal. This is done by having her drive dreamily around the Frisco Bay area looking for the haunts of her great grandmother who committed suicide. The key is to get Scottie to believe it so he can testify that she was suicidal. For this to work, (1) Madeleine has to fool a police detective--one might say mesmerize him, which she does, (2) Get him to the bell tower at the right time where he is afraid to go to the top--that works, but you have to buy the psychology, (3) Time it so that Madeleine appears to jump off, but in reality you throw the dead body of your wife off after having broken her neck (body kept warm perhaps in your car with the heater on?), (4) Hide with Madeleine at the top of the tower until the coast is clear (whenever that might be).

Although Kim Novak's performance is interesting it is unlikely that she could fool ex-detective Scottie into believing she was somebody else. When she reappears as Judy Barton in the brown hair and the different makeup, it really makes the audience do a double take before realizing that she and Madeleine are the same. But Scottie's take seems to be that she (and some other women at first glance) look like Madeleine--after all, he just got out of the nut house. It is only when he sees the necklace that he comes to his senses.

Another thing afficionados love about this movie is the way Hitchcock was able to subtly strip his stars of their glamour and make them look more or less human. James Stewart never played a part anything like this before. All the funny faces he has to make, perplexed while driving, terrified on the way up the bell tower, insane and terrified in the dream sequence, etc. It is said that Hitchcock blamed the lack of popular success of this movie (when it was belatedly released, not now) on Stewart looking too old, and therefore Hitchcock never worked with him again. But I think Stewart, after seeing the way he looked in this movie--so unheroic, so lost as a real human being--decided he was never going to let Hitchcock do THAT to him again, and that's probably why they never worked together again.

Kim Novak's curvy body and flopping you-know-whats are revealed in outfits that Grace Kelly would never wear. And poor Barbara Bel Geddes with those most unattractive glasses! How she pines for Scottie. One of the best scenes occurs when she shows Scottie her self portrait as the mysterious Carlotta with the glasses on (!) followed by her "Stupid, stupid, stupid!" self-flagellation after Scottie, who was offended at the grotesque sight, walks out.

But why is Scottie always hanging out at her place? And how they talk the plot in the beginning so that we might know that they were once a couple! But Hitchcock never worried about anything but the effect his movie might have on the audience. Improbilities, clumsy plot devices, etc., were secondary. And you know what, he was right, as P.T. Barnum was right. Hitchcock never overestimated the sophistication of his audience and that was one of his strengths. The audience just wants to be entertained, to be diverted, to live the fantasy for a while.

Somebody said that the real entertainment in watching this movie is in watching it again after you know the story. I think they're right. It's definitely a film buff's movie.

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