QUESTION: Using your notes below and your notes from your thriller seminars, analyze how Vertigo conforms to our expectations of thriller codes and conventions.

EDITING

Jump cuts, cross dissolves show the passing of time as he follows madeleine in her car. Cross dissolve used when scotty looking out window in hotel. Cross dissolve, red colour filter was used, this indicates, foreshadowing that something bad is going to happen. Flashback technique was used as Judy/Madeleine remembered what really happened. Movie ends with a fade to black.

CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES/MOVEMENT

Wide shots, close ups, birds eye view when looking at man who has fallen from building. When talking to midge we see her reaction to him talking about their engagements days, low and high angles as he walks on stepladder. Establishing shot of office/workspace. Two shot, Scotty is sitting down, and his friend is standing besides him, making him appear more dominant. Over the shoulder shots show us Scotty’s reaction. Inwards tracking shot, which shows us the new setting, the bar. P.O.V shot of Scotty driving after Madeleine. Wide shot of madeleine in the flower shop. Pan of Scotty walking from right to left. Zooming into her hair bun, then zooming into the picture of a lady who has the same bun. Pan R-L which shows the hotel that Madeleine has entered. Tilt to ceiling. Match on action of scotty getting a drink in Midge’s apartment. Two shot, scotty in foreground, midge in background. As Scotty looks at a picture of Carlotta, the image fades quickly into an image of Madeleine’s face, then fades back into the picture once again. Shot reverse shot when Scotty is talking to his college friend/employer. High angle shot of

scotty/reaction shot, shows how inferior he feels. Wide shot of rode allows us to see Madeleine’s car, and scotty following behind. Wide/establishing shot sets the new location of the golden gate bridge, this ties into how his friend was telling him about his wife visiting there often. Close up of the two, shows Madeleine passed out and Scotty distressed. High angle shots of Madeleine show the confusion she is feeling about what has happened. Shot reverse shot used when Madeleine is in her car. Bird’s eye view shot of them traveling through the hillside. This also shows us that there are no other cars on the road, which shows that they have travelled far, are isolated. On windy roads you can’t see what is around the corner, which relates to the scene as Scotty is unsure of where they are going, and creates suspense. Wide shot of the two surrounded by the redwoods makes them look very small/inferior. Two shot of them embracing in front of the ocean. Close up of Madeleine in Scotty’s apartment, but not looking at him as she is speaking. Bird’s eye view shot of the car, two shot of them sitting in car, eye line match is used to show where Madeleine is looking (at the sky). High angle shot of the church tower. Dolly zoom is used as he looks over stair banisters. Overhead shot of Scotty, with the tower in the left of the shot, shows the dismay that he feels. Tilt upwards to see the hotel that this other ‘Madeleine’ is in, allows us to see her opening the window. Shot reverse shot, as he talks to the new lady. Close up of Judy’s face, shows the conflict she is feeling. Wide shot of the two walking through a park. Two shot of them talking in Scotty’s apartment, she is looking up to him, he towers over her, which shows his dominance over her, e.g. making her dress in clothes that remind him of madeleine. Shot repeated of the two in the car. Establishing shot of the Peninsula, and the tower. Two shot of Scotty holding Judy at top of tower, shows him being dominant/violent and aggressive. Shot of Judy’s legs being dragged up tower steps.

SOUND

Unsettling score at beginning of the film. Organ playing in church. Distressing orchestra is played as Madeline jumps into ocean. Peaceful/romantic music, violins, playing as Scotty and Madeleine talk for the first time in his apartment,

this reflects the affection that Scotty already feels for her, mainly due to her beauty. Mysterious/suspenseful music plays as Scotty follow Madeleine through the streets of San Francisco. Rushed music is playing as Madeleine runs. Music builds up as we see Scotty looking at Judy, who is dressed exactly as Madeleine. Unsettling orchestra that crescendos when in the tower, reflects mood. Score is romantic as she proclaims love for him. Selective sound of scream, as Judy falls dramatic music is played.

THEMES & MOTIFS

Voyeurism, repeated numerous times. E.g. when he watches her sit in the art gallery, in the cemetery, at the Golden Gate Bridge Park. Theme repeated as he is looking for ‘Madeleine’ even though she is dead.

SYMBOLIC CODES (including enigma and binary opposites)

Lot’s of red in the bar, the matching hair styles (rose bun) the throwing of the flowers into the ocean. The clothing and hairstyles Madeleine wears show how she is trying to emulate her grandmother. In his apartment, Scotty is now wearing green clothing, which could represent that he is a good guy, colour green also represent jealousy, and Scotty is jealous that she is not with him. Madeleine is wearing a red robe, the colour red could symbolize that he should be cautious around her, almost like a red flag. We start to question Scotty’s mental state. The use of the ocean a lot could have different representations, uncontrollable, dangerous, and unsure of what is beyond the surface, which

relates to Madeleine. The two are always wearing contrasting clothing, e.g. Madeleine’s white coat and Scotty’s black one. Midge’s painting of herself, which is like the one of Carlotta, shows how she is trying to make herself more appealing towards Scotty. Staircases are used which represent Scotty’s mind. Wearing a green dress, like the first time he met Madeleine. Scotty is still obsessed with Madeleine, which is making Judy jealous as she wants him to lover her as Judy, not Madeleine. Enigma is used, in silhouette scene, with green lighting. Mirrors are used in different scenes with Judy. Same red necklace as on the painting of Carlotta. The necklace is an important symbol is it allows Scotty to figure everything out.

IDEOLOGY

Misogyny,

LIGHTING

Low key lighting, blue light for intro of film, e.g. the chase scene. Soft lighting used on close up on madeleine, where as scotty has harsher, this shows the contrast between the two. Lighting becomes more saturated when in the alleys. Low-key lighting when he enters door. Mixture between light and dark, chiaroscuro lighting. High key lighting for madeleine, low key for Scotty when in flower shop. Returns to natural light when he goes outside. The lighting of Scotty and other man is low key, but lighting of Madeleine in

background is high key. Low key when scotty is in bar. Lighting in Midge’s apartment is always bright, and so are the colours. Scotty’s apartment contrasts to Midge’s as the lighting in his is rather low key. Low key lighting is used which reflects the dark mood. Lighting is light in the court room, white is used which shows. Green lighting fills up Judy’s apartment due to the neon sign outside the window. Causes a silhouette. Chiaroscuro lighting adds to mystery. Blurry lighting makes it look as if Judy is the ghost of Madeleine. The car is darker the second time they drive out, which foreshadows what is about to happen. Low key lighting is used when in the church/tower again, gets darker the higher they get. Chiaescuro lighting, shows the split personality, good vs evil.

NARRATIVE

Non linear sequence. Narrative changes when Judy is writing her letter, voiceover tells her side of the story.

CHARACTERS REPRESENTATION

Scotty / Ferguson, questioning his motives, his mental state.

SETTING & MISE-EN-SCENE MOOD & TONE

Set in San Francisco, beginning of film opens with a chase scene

on top of numerous buildings. Madeleine stands out in the restaurant because of her green clothing which contrast with the red of the interior. Hitchcock wanted to show a personality contrast by making her wear a grey suit, shows her difficult, unusual personality. Many flowers in shop. The hotel has lots of dark tones/colours, which adds to the mystery of the scene. Whilst in bookshop, large windows are present which allows us to see what is happening on the streets outside. Red door used as front door. Scene changes from redwood forest to the Oceanside. Her outfits always change, which adds to her overall mysterious vibe. The Grey suit was used again, reoccurring theme. Clothing boxes littered all around the room. Wearing a black dress at the end, her look is like ‘Madeleine’s’ and the colour black also represents death mourning, which is relevant as she does die when she falls out of the tower.

OTHER

He positions himself closer to her whilst him and Madeleine are talking, in an effort to get closer to her. This causes the shot to change from a shot reverse shot to a 2 shot. When she is reflecting or switching personalities, she never looks at Scotty as she speaks. As they are kissing she does not take her eyes off the church across the road. When they are talking, you can see that she feels guilty. As Judy walks backwards, we can see her trying to pick up the phone, shows her uneasiness. Scotty made her an appointment to get her hair done, is dyed blonde.