1. Vertigo Notes
EDITING!
• non-linear narrative!
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CAMERA SHOTS/ANGLES/MOVEMENT!
• dolly zoom to emphasise the height of the drop!
• establishing shot!
• tracking shot!
• crane shot/tilt!
• POV during stalking scenes!
• Madeleine has dominance!
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SOUND!
• unsettling score at beginning!
• contrast between chase sequence music and classical music from the next scene!
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THEMES & MOTIFS!
• voyeurism!
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SYMBOLIC CODES (including enigma and binary opposites)!
• binary opposites - black and white!
• red filter - represents danger!
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LIGHTING!
• chiaroscuro - contrast between light and dark!
• art gallery - Scottie in the dark, Madeleine in the light!
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NARRATIVE!
• non linear.!
• Fear of leaving the house and vertigo, agoraphobia.!
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CHARACTER REPRESENTATION!
• Questioning himself and his motives. Scottie is represented as being quite
persuing and stalking Madeline. When he sees Judy he wants to recreate what he
had with Madeline so he is quite forceful to change Judy. Madeline is represented
in a grey suits which is very unusual for a woman of the time, showing how
different she is. She also wears green to show her mysteriousness. In a scene in
the apartment when Scottie and Madeline are talking, Madeline appears ghost
like and when they kiss the background changes, Scottie realises this but doesn’t
care. Scottie knows that Madeline isn’t real but wants to have his fantasy.!
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SETTING & MISE-EN-SCENE!
• Madeleine’s grey suit subverts audience expectations!
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MOOD & TONE!
• Uncomfortable feeling, mysterious atmosphere.