Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock) notes for an A* in A Level. This document contains the following topics:
Hitchcock as an auteur
Voyeurism
German Expressionism
Cinematography
Vertigo Context
Key sequence analysis
Motifs
Laura Mulvey, Visual Pleasures and Narrative Cinema (1975) notes
, ALFRED HITCHCOCK
Classic auteur managed to imprint his own style through the way he films,
visual style and gets an imprint on those aspects in his films. Master of mise
en scène with an unmistakable “world view.” His films are assigned to him
as in the credits and publicity material making him a ‘star’ director.
- Style and distinctive marks
- Music of Bernard Hermann
- Cary Grant and James Stewart performances
- Highlights the importance of visual
- The recurring themes are fear of imprisonment, guilt, taboo subject
matter, and voyeurism
- Set designed by Henry Bumstead
- Director of Photography, Robert Burks.
James Stewart as John Scottie Ferguson (protagonist)
Kim Novak as Judy Barton and Madeleine Elster (female lead/princess)
Barbara Bel Geddes as Marjorie "Midge" Wood (sidekick)
Tom Helmore as Gavin Elster (sidekick)
Voyeurism
One of Hitchcock’s main themes was that of looking at itself - how we look at
other people, how it feels to look through someone else’s eyes, what
pleasures we get from that. In Vertigo the main character voyeuristically
observes others (apparently) without their knowledge. Critics have said this
is Hitchcock exploring the nature of cinema itself: all film spectatorship is
voyeuristic; we the audience watch (in darkness) the personal lives of other
people who aren’t aware they are being observed.
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