Johnny-O

Rating: 10/10 (11 April 2005)

An example of how much information can be withheld from the audience as the movie progresses and the irony (in literary terms) of letting them know MORE than the protagonist as the story reaches a certain turning point.
I saw a clever tool being used when Kim Novak writes the letter of apology and there is a voice over, speaking NOT to the audience but to the person she is writing too in the process letting the audience know too, some information of the plot we didn't have a clue about early on.
The dolly/zoom effect is used extnsively in this film and has been used by many imitators and inspired. Namely Spielberg in JAWS, when Roy Scheider gets up from his reclined position.
What we get in the end, since we already know everything is NOT surprise but rather, anticipation and a lot of suspense. And finally we get the payoff of those earlier scenes in the film that lasted about an hour or so of the movie - when Scottie finally explodes in the end releasing the hurt of his betrayal.
And there is one final twist in the movie, that despite Scottie's character arc of having possibly conquered his acrophobia - displays the irony and recurring area of the plot. It's like poetry, where it rhymes and some stanzas are repeated. And that's cohesion in the world of storytelling to me. You'll see what I mean when you see the film.
As usual, Hitchcock has shot the film beautifully with excellent styling and Bernard Hermann's music accentuates the hypnotic thrill and dread; something that contributes even more to the suspense of the movie.
A great movie. Highly recommended, if you are a film student. Especially if you are a screenwriter.
VERTIGO. Grade A+