Customer Reviews
A Great Version of 'Vertigo' -- FINALLY! 
2008-10-07
Universal has gained a rather unflattering reputation over the years for putting out some very substandard DVD's in terms of picture and sound quality. THE GLENN MILLER STORY and the Doris Day-Rock Hudson movies immediately come to mind. However, in the past year or two they have really gotten things on track, producing some of the best releases of classic films that have ever been done. They continue their new commitment to quality with the restored version of Alfred Hitchcock's VERTIGO. The film looks absolutely stunning, and Bernard Herrmann's unforgettable score has never sounded so good.
Since the film has been reviewed extensively here, I won't bother to add any further comments, other than to say that I find it amusing how quite a few viewers have complained about the number of implausible situations and story elements in VERTIGO and other Hitchcock thrillers. Well, as Hitch himself might have said: "Remember, it's only a MOVIE." We're not talking about a documentary here, we're dealing with a fictional story where there are many scenes and shots done strictly for effect.
Lastly, I will mention one oddity, simply because it's kind of puzzling. The film contains three logos at the beginning: the current Universal banner, an older Universal logo in color, and an original Paramount logo with the VistaVision introduction. The Paramount logo is proper, since that's the studio that first released the film, but -- it's in black & white! I'm not sure if this was a blunder or not, but for a brief moment you wonder whether the film is actually going to be in color.
In any case, whether you've seen VERTIGO many times or are curious about checking it out, this outstanding Special Edition is the one to get.
Overrated 
2008-09-23
Watching the films of Alfred Hitchcock reminds one of the fairy tale of Goldilocks And The Three Bears. Not so much in the actual filmic nature of the art, but in the critical reception accorded the films. As example, some of the films that are labeled masterpieces, like Psycho or The Birds, are just right in their assessment. Other films that are critically neglected are, in fact, among Hitchcock's better films, such as Rope and Frenzy. Then there are the films that are hailed as masterpieces, but which are profound disappointments. If they are not outright bad films, they certainly are only marginally solid films, and achieve their solidity mainly through technical accomplishments. In this category I would place Rear Window and Vertigo.
It's not that Vertigo is an awful film, for technically it's very well made- especially considering that era, but the flaccid and absurd screenplay simply does not hold up a half century on. Add to that the fact that the film is glacially paced, and you have a fairly boring film; one that even Jimmy Stewart's crotchety presence can barely enliven. However, I have long lauded films that do not place plot ahead of character development, so one might ask why am I asking for a better plot and more briskly paced film? Well, simply put, all of the characters are cardboard cutouts, and plot details are easier to resolve than character depth. If one is going to give mere archetypes (and that's being generous, the characters are really more stereotypes than archetypes) then the plot better zing and have a good payoff. This one does not. Part of the problem with the screenplay is the utter dependence for the propulsion of the plot upon the Neolithic psychiatric pseudoscience of the era, which too many of Hitchcock's films are dependent upon, and which leave most of his films in very shallow waters intellectually. This lack of intellectual and emotional depth is part of the reason he is rightly looked down upon when compared to greater masters of film, such as Stanley Kubrick, Orson Welles, Federico Fellini, Werner Herzog, Ingmar Bergman, or Martin Scorsese.
A film like this points out the fact that Hitchcock not only was not a `deep' director, but could not have been, for by sacrificing what he did best- manipulation, suspense, and twists of plot, all he did was sacrifice what he did best. He had no Bergmanian depths to plumb. Is it really believable that Scotty would become a deaf-mute for a year over his supposed guilt in `Madeline's' suicide? Stewart projects far too much sanity in this role, and as a filmic persona. When Midge is fussing over him he does not look remotely catatonic, merely sleepy. There were plenty of other downright bad moments in the film, of course, such as where Scottie is standing on a chair, looks out Midge's window, and faints gently into her arms. Now, he dwarfs her in size, and falling from several feet, he would not waft into her arms, but thud, and probably hurt both of them. This scene is set up only to show that Midge will always be there for Scottie, despite whatever convolutions their relationship has had. But, we get this from every moment they are together. There are many, many other screenplay moments that fail, and this surprises, for the co-screenwriters, Samuel Taylor and Alec Coppel, based the film upon the novel D'Entre Les Morts, by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, who also wrote the story for Henri-Georges Clouzot's great thriller Diabolique, a tale that Hitchcock tried to get the rights to, but failed. Given Diabolique's greatness one can only assume that the screnwriters, in concert with Hitchcock, ruined what was probably a great story.
If the script and direction is weak, however, the best parts of the film are the score, provided by Bernard Herrmann, and the camera work. The music directs the viewer, but does not lead nor overwhelm, save for the trite and sappy love scenes, which are bad all around. Even better than the film's soundtrack is the cinematography by Hitchcock's long time cinematographer Robert Burks. The palette is lush with reds, greens, and browns, as the shots of the sequoias, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the art museum are gorgeous, making the most of the now outdated Technicolor technology. There is also a brief scene which features Ellen Corby, who would later go on to fame as the crotchety grandmother in the television series The Waltons, that is humorous. For those interested in Hitchcock's cameo, it comes about eleven minutes into the film, in a throwaway shot designed only for the cameo, where we see him crossing a street before we get to the interior of Gavin Elster's office.
Yet, even more so than the implausibilities, bad screenplay, and sexism, that damn the film is the fact that Vertigo is simply dull. Add that to a lead character who is a creep with problems, its love story pathetic, and its `mystery' being rather pallid and given away too soon, and the claim that Vertigo is one of Hitchcock's most overrated films is a good one. At best, it is merely a mediocre film. And, as Goldilocks might claim, that sort of assessment is `just right.'
Overrated 2008-09-23
Watching the films of Alfred Hitchcock reminds one of the fairy tale of Goldilocks And The Three Bears. Not so much in the actual filmic nature of the art, but in the critical reception accorded the films. As example, some of the films that are labeled masterpieces, like Psycho or The Birds, are just right in their assessment. Other films that are critically neglected are, in fact, among Hitchcock's better films, such as Rope and Frenzy. Then there are the films that are hailed as masterpieces, but which are profound disappointments. If they are not outright bad films, they certainly are only marginally solid films, and achieve their solidity mainly through technical accomplishments. In this category I would place Rear Window and Vertigo.
It's not that Vertigo is an awful film, for technically it's very well made- especially considering that era, but the flaccid and absurd screenplay simply does not hold up a half century on. Add to that the fact that the film is glacially paced, and you have a fairly boring film; one that even Jimmy Stewart's crotchety presence can barely enliven. However, I have long lauded films that do not place plot ahead of character development, so one might ask why am I asking for a better plot and more briskly paced film? Well, simply put, all of the characters are cardboard cutouts, and plot details are easier to resolve than character depth. If one is going to give mere archetypes (and that's being generous, the characters are really more stereotypes than archetypes) then the plot better zing and have a good payoff. This one does not. Part of the problem with the screenplay is the utter dependence for the propulsion of the plot upon the Neolithic psychiatric pseudoscience of the era, which too many of Hitchcock's films are dependent upon, and which leave most of his films in very shallow waters intellectually. This lack of intellectual and emotional depth is part of the reason he is rightly looked down upon when compared to greater masters of film, such as Stanley Kubrick, Orson Welles, Federico Fellini, Werner Herzog, Ingmar Bergman, or Martin Scorsese.
A film like this points out the fact that Hitchcock not only was not a `deep' director, but could not have been, for by sacrificing what he did best- manipulation, suspense, and twists of plot, all he did was sacrifice what he did best. He had no Bergmanian depths to plumb. Is it really believable that Scotty would become a deaf-mute for a year over his supposed guilt in `Madeline's' suicide? Stewart projects far too much sanity in this role, and as a filmic persona. When Midge is fussing over him he does not look remotely catatonic, merely sleepy. There were plenty of other downright bad moments in the film, of course, such as where Scottie is standing on a chair, looks out Midge's window, and faints gently into her arms. Now, he dwarfs her in size, and falling from several feet, he would not waft into her arms, but thud, and probably hurt both of them. This scene is set up only to show that Midge will always be there for Scottie, despite whatever convolutions their relationship has had. But, we get this from every moment they are together. There are many, many other screenplay moments that fail, and this surprises, for the co-screenwriters, Samuel Taylor and Alec Coppel, based the film upon the novel D'Entre Les Morts, by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac, who also wrote the story for Henri-Georges Clouzot's great thriller Diabolique, a tale that Hitchcock tried to get the rights to, but failed. Given Diabolique's greatness one can only assume that the screnwriters, in concert with Hitchcock, ruined what was probably a great story.
If the script and direction is weak, however, the best parts of the film are the score, provided by Bernard Herrmann, and the camera work. The music directs the viewer, but does not lead nor overwhelm, save for the trite and sappy love scenes, which are bad all around. Even better than the film's soundtrack is the cinematography by Hitchcock's long time cinematographer Robert Burks. The palette is lush with reds, greens, and browns, as the shots of the sequoias, the Golden Gate Bridge, and the art museum are gorgeous, making the most of the now outdated Technicolor technology. There is also a brief scene which features Ellen Corby, who would later go on to fame as the crotchety grandmother in the television series The Waltons, that is humorous. For those interested in Hitchcock's cameo, it comes about eleven minutes into the film, in a throwaway shot designed only for the cameo, where we see him crossing a street before we get to the interior of Gavin Elster's office.
Yet, even more so than the implausibilities, bad screenplay, and sexism, that damn the film is the fact that Vertigo is simply dull. Add that to a lead character who is a creep with problems, its love story pathetic, and its `mystery' being rather pallid and given away too soon, and the claim that Vertigo is one of Hitchcock's most overrated films is a good one. At best, it is merely a mediocre film. And, as Goldilocks might claim, that sort of assessment is `just right.'
I Feel Dizzy! 
2008-08-30
Skip this edited or censored disc. I remember with excitement the original with James Stewart and Kim Novak. But, according to the "product details" provided by Amazon, Stewart and Novak are missing from this third "special" version. My advice is to wait for the fourth dip into the Hitchcock canon, when hopefully Stewart and Novak will be restored to their starring roles.
A re-release of a classic 2008-08-17
It is unusual to see a director produce his best work after the age of 50, but that is exactly what Alfred Hitchcock did. Starting in 1948 with "Rope" and ending with "The Birds" in 1963, this was the era of his most inspired films. "Vertigo", in my opinion, is the best film of his entire body of work.
It is funny to note that when this film was first released in 1957 that it was not that popular in theaters and was pretty much universally panned by critics. In 1992, when the British Film Institute performed a survey of the world film critics to compile an all-time ten-best list that comes out every decade, Vertigo came in at fourth place. It didn't even make that list in 1962 or 1972. Part of the reason for the delayed popularity of the film could be that it requires repeated viewings to really gain an appreciation of it. Such repeated viewings were not possible for most viewers until the advent of home video systems and cable around 1980.
As for the film itself, it is a brilliantly twisted movie infused with touches of genius and madness that focuses on the interconnected nature of love and obsession. Interwoven with this main theme is a crime mystery that is revealed to and solved for the audience but not the protagonist, James Stewart's character, for the last 45 minutes of the film.
Alongside these themes is the issue of lost opportunities - how we grieve over them, and whether or not what we perceive as lost opportunities were ever "real" opportunities in the first place. This issue is raised not only for Scotty (James Stewart) - if only he could have gotten to Madeleine (Kim Novak) in time, if only he could have rescued the policeman from falling to his death at the beginning of the film, if only he could have seen through the scheme that manipulated him so perfectly and ultimately drove him temporarily mad - but for just about everybody else in the cast too. This includes Scotty's college girlfriend (Barbara Bel Geddes) who has remained his friend through the years and obviously still harbors thoughts of what might have been if only she had accepted Scotty's marriage proposal years before.
Besides the excellent acting and superb plot, the score is outstanding as is the cinematography, especially the visual darkness of the mission San Juan Bautista versus the angelic beauty of Madeleine which belies what is really going on. I highly recommend this film to anyone who has the time to watch it more than once. Just one viewing won't do it justice.
As an aside, this film is so contagious that I am sure that it has influenced other filmmakers over the years to the point of plagiarism, the most obvious example being Tim Burton's 1989 film, "Batman". The Joker dragging Vicki Vale to the top of Gotham cathedral's stairway and the confrontation and revelations of the past once at the top of the tower sure look like the closing 15 minutes of this movie. The following are the extra features:
Disc 1: Main Feature
1.85:1 Anamorphic Widescreen
English DD5.1 Surround and DD2.0 Mono
English SDH, French and Spanish subtitles
Feature Commentary with Associate Producer Herbert Coleman, Restoration Team Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz and Other Vertigo Participants
Feature Commentary with Director William Friedkin
Foreign Ending
The Vertigo Archives
Production Notes
Original Theatrical Trailer
Restoration Theatrical Trailer
Disc 2: Extra Features
Obsessed with Vertigo: New Life for Hitchcock's Masterpiece
Partners in Crime: Hitchcock's Collaborators
Hitchcock / Truffaut Interview Excerpts
Alfred Hitchcock Presents "The Case of Mr. Pelham"
Vertigo a masterpiece by the master of suspense 2008-07-19
Although it wasn't a box-office success when originally released in 1958,
Vertigo has since taken its deserved place as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most spellbinding, most deeply personal achievement. In fact, it consistently ranks among the top 10 movies ever made in the once-a-decade
Sight & Sound international critics poll, placing at number 4 in the most recent survey. (Universal Pictures' spectacularly gorgeous 1996 restoration and rerelease of this 1958 Paramount production was a tremendous success with the public, too.) James Stewart plays a retired police detective who is hired by an old friend to follow his wife (a superb Kim Novak, in what becomes a double role), whom he suspects of being possessed by the spirit of a dead madwoman. The detective and the disturbed woman fall ("fall" is indeed the operative word) in love and...well, to give away any more of the story would be criminal. Shot around San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of the Legion of Honor are significant locations) and elsewhere in Northern California (the redwoods, Mission San Juan Batista) in rapturous Technicolor,
Vertigo is as lovely as it is haunting.
--Jim Emerson
Fascinating and creepy... 2008-07-06
This movie started out a bit boring, but once Stewart's character meets Novak's character, it takes off from there. The plot centers around a man who wants Stewart to follow Novak, saying she's his wife and that she's possessed by the spirit of a woman who committed suicide 100 years before. Needless to say, Stewart falls in love with Novak, and she with him. She runs to her death, and he ends up a different man. But a year later, he spots a mysterious woman who looks a great deal like his lost love, and he makes her over to have the same appearance. Then he catches a mistake on her part, and sets out to get the truth from her. I won't give it all away, but the ending has a real twist and a morbid ending. The actors are all excellent, and there are things the viewer doesn't see coming. This is a movie that truly deserves 5 stars.
DO NOT BELIEVE THIS IS NTSC!! 2008-05-27
If you go to amazon.co.uk and look up this title you will see that it is listed as PAL (the European standard) NOT NTSC (compatible with the US, Canada etc.).
Not only is this version Region-2 restricted - it will NOT play on a standard US DVD player unless your player can also properly decode and convert PAL video to NTSC.
I do not see HOW these 'sellers' can get away with saying that Region-2 is the ONLY restriction.
The ONLY way to get 'Vertigo' in NTSC Region-1 in Anamorphic Widescreen and properly 16:9 Enhanced (at this time) is to purchase the whole 'Alfred Hitchcock - The Masterpiece Collection' at $95.00.
I already have most of these films so, sadly, I'm going to wait for the Blu-ray release (which they must surely be working on at this time).
Greatness 2008-04-29
Enough things have been said about this great movie, I cannot add anything further, just let me tell you: the scene where Judy comes out from the room dressed as Madeleine, the dreamlike view, the Music, Scotty's reaction, just like he is watching his dead love rise to life before his eyes: is powerful stuff. Just for that short scene this film is worthy of artistic greatness, a masterpiece, something that is rare in this days.
Absolute recommendation for any film buff, some few naysayers claim the movie is slow and the vertigo effect is dated ...yeah sure it is, but does it really matter?
Amazing Film! 2008-04-17
This happens to be my favorite Hitchcock film.
The DVD is great. There are interviews and extras galore!
This is considered Hitchcock's most personal film. I think it might have something to do with the fact that almost the entire film is shown solely from Jimmy Stewart's perspective.
Scotty has had an accident and discovers he has vertigo. Almost simultaneously, an old friend calls upon him to follow the Mrs. Apparently she slips into trances that take her back to another time (and into insanity!). But complications arise as Scotty realizes his attraction to her has little to do with the job ...
This is a movie I watch over and over again. The funny thing is, I have talked to many others who have the same obsessive reaction to it as well.
Give it one viewing, and you will be hooked.
