Timeless Classic

Rating: Null/10 (14 November 2000)

Vertigo(1958) is the greatest movie of all time. Based on a book by Pierre Boileau and Thomas Narcejac that was written especially for Hitchcock after finding out too late that he sought to adapt an earlier book by them that would be filmed as Diabolique(1955). Vertigo is an psycological thriller about obsession, misplaced love, and death. This is a film that perfectly states Hitchcock's most personal throughts. Two other films that dealt with sexual dominance are Notorious(1946), and Marnie(1965).

Vertigo is a great cinema piece for a few reasons. First, most of the characters in the movie are three dimensional and well defined. Second, it uses a number of different colors to its advantage. Third, the camera movement is beautiful and smooth. Fourth, The story is so gripping that its hard to take you eyes off the screen as you wonder what happens next.

Alfred Hitchcock's direction is almost flawless and his expertise in some of the scenes is brilliant. My three favorite films of Alfred Hitchcock has to be Vertigo(1958), Shadow of a Doubt(1942), and Notorious(1946). James Stewart gives a complex and emotional performance as the detective who obsesses over the image of Madeleine. Kim Novak has the most difficult role in the duel performance as Madeleine/Judy. Bernard Hermann's score is a beautiful piece of music.