I gave it an 8/10
Up to the point that he met her again it was a perfect (probably 10/10) movie in my opinion. Then when he didn't recognize her, even after he got close to her again, it lost 2 solid points. I even considered giving it a 7, but the beginning is just so good that I still love the movie.
I'm usually quite okay with some unbelievable aspects in a movie, as long as it serves the movie. Vertigo however, felt like a schizophrenic movie in that sense. The beginning is strange and mysterious, but then makes perfect sense when you get the explanation. Then something inexplicable happens anyway (him not recognizing her), which just feels totally out of tune with the rest of the movie.
It's like Usain Bolt having the best possible start to a 100m race, going for a world record, but then tripping over his untied shoelaces just before the finish and stumbling across the finish line in a still respectable 9.90 seconds.
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s007davis
11 years ago
I gave it an 8/10
Up to the point that he met her again it was a perfect (probably 10/10) movie in my opinion. Then when he didn't recognize her, even after he got close to her again, it lost 2 solid points. I even considered giving it a 7, but the beginning is just so good that I still love the movie.
I'm usually quite okay with some unbelievable aspects in a movie, as long as it serves the movie. Vertigo however, felt like a schizophrenic movie in that sense. The beginning is strange and mysterious, but then makes perfect sense when you get the explanation. Then something inexplicable happens anyway (him not recognizing her), which just feels totally out of tune with the rest of the movie.
It's like Usain Bolt having the best possible start to a 100m race, going for a world record, but then tripping over his untied shoelaces just before the finish and stumbling across the finish line in a still respectable 9.90 seconds.
Very good post. However, I think Scottie's subconscious mind completely recognizes that Judy is "Madeleine" but his conscious mind won't accept it. After all, he watched her "death" and spent a year in a mental hospital recovering from his guilt over it. His remaking her over into "Madeleine" via the clothes and making her dye her hair blond shows his detective mindset in trying to recreate the crime. And when Judy slips and puts on Carlotta's necklace, the last piece of the jigsaw puzzle goes into place and forces his conscious mind to deal with the reality of his being tricked.
BTW, I give the film a solid 10/10.
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grotemaarten
10 years ago
That's an interesting point you make. I didn't see it with that in mind, and I have only seen it once. Maybe I was approaching it too rationally, but I still think it was a bit of a stretch. This point of view might actually help me to enjoy the last part of the movie better next time I watch it, I'll be sure to keep that in mind.
It's happened before that I dislike some aspects/scenes of a movie the first time I watch it, and then the second time I suddenly "get it". Or maybe it won't happen, who knows.
Cheers.
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sra-7
9 years ago
In his relentless pursuit of perfection Scotty could only respond to the ideal, "the other," not "the counterfeit. "The color of your hair," etc. He could not initially recognize (accept, acknowledge) Judy as the harbinger of Madeleine. "Madeleine" was his internal construct., his ideal. Judy, something less. Much of the movie is metaphoric.
"You know, men could do that in those days.
They had the power and the freedom."
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