Vertigo (Universal Legacy Series)
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: James Stewart, John Benson, Kim Novak, Margaret Brayton, Paul BryarBrand: Universal
Cinematographer: Robert Burks
Composer: Bernard Herrmann
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled)
Format: AC-3, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, NTSC, Original recording remastered, Special Edition, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 128 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-10-07
Audience Rating: PG (Parental Guidance Suggested)
Studio: Universal Studios
Movie Reviews of Vertigo (Universal Legacy Series)
Movie Review: The master of suspense completely outdoes himself...
Summary: 5 Stars
I'm sure many, if not all of you, have seen this movie (it is a widely loved classic) but for the sake of those who have not, I will keep this review as brief and as vague as I can.
`Vertigo' is a masterpiece.
Okay, so I'll say more than that. The thing is, `Vertigo' is one of those movies that the less said about the better. I personally knew nothing of this movie when I saw it. I merely knew that it was supposed to be the best film Alfred Hitchcock ever made. While I am partial to `Psycho' I must admit that `Vertigo' is a much grander achievement and seriously is one of the best films ever made, by anyone. With every twist and turn and shocking revelation, `Vertigo' remains suspenseful throughout, and the end result is beyond satisfying. It's those twists and turns that make it so hard to review or even talk about without giving something vital away.
So, I'll attempt this.
John Ferguson is a former police detective suffering from acrophobia (fear of heights) who is hired by an old friend, Gavin Elster, to follow his wife Madeleine. Gavin feels that Madeleine is possessed by the spirit of a madwoman, and after John watches her closely for a time he begins to think the same way.
Then the unthinkable happens.
I don't want to say anything more, for the second half of the film is just brilliant. All you think you know vanishes before your eyes and when the truth is revealed it will leave you breathless. It's less the actual revelation and more the way in which Hitchcock does the revealing. He is a master of suspense (as we are all already aware) and here he builds the tension masterfully, so when the final scene is upon us we are clenching our seats in anticipation.
A lot has been said about the lack of talent possessed by Kim Novak, but I personally find her performance here to be iconic. Maybe it is solely the character (that twofer she has going here is a whirlwind) but I like to think that she brings a lot of the films mystery with her connection to the role. The role may have only required her to be desirable, but she captures that desire with a hint of ambiguity that really intrigues us. James Stewart is also very, very good here as John. He manages to look and act confused without crossing over into recklessness. He is in complete control all the time. Personally, Barbara Bel Geddes steals the show for me with her small yet powerful portrayal of Midge, John's friend and confidant. She has so much spunk and fresh vitality that one cannot take their eyes off of her. She is a revelation.
The film is lauded as cinematic perfection, and for once I actually agree with the critics of the world. This truly is an iconic film; a masterpiece. I'm sure you've already seen and possibly own this film, but if you haven't I urge you to see it immediately.
Summary of Vertigo (Universal Legacy Series)
One of Alfred Hitchcock's greatest cinematic achievements, Vertigo, celebrates its 50th anniversary with an all-new 2-disc Special Edition DVD! Set in San Francisco, Vertigo creates a dizzying web of mistaken identity, passion and murder after an acrophobic detective (James Stewart) rescues a mysterious blonde (Kim Novak) from the bay. Recognized for excellence in AFI's 100 Years...100 Movies, this dreamlike thriller from the Master of Suspense is as entertaining today as it was 50 years ago. Featuring revealing bonus features and a digitally remastered picture, Vertigo is a "great motion picture that demands multiple viewings" (Leonard Maltin's Classic Movie Guide).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
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