The Ultimate Vertigo Quiz

Vertigo: A Classic Psychological Thriller Film by Alfred Hitchcock

Vertigo is a 1958 American psychological thriller film directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock.
The story was based on the 1954 novel D'entre les morts by Boileau-Narcejac, and the screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor.
The film stars James Stewart as former police detective John "Scottie" Ferguson, who develops acrophobia (an extreme fear of heights) and vertigo, a false sense of rotational movement, after an incident in the line of duty.
Scottie is hired by an acquaintance, Gavin Elster, as a private investigator to follow Gavin's wife, Madeleine, who is behaving strangely.
The film was shot on location in San Francisco, California, and is the first film to use the dolly zoom, an in-camera effect that distorts perspective to create disorientation.
Vertigo received mixed reviews upon initial release but is now cited as a classic Hitchcock film and one of the greatest films ever made.
It was one of the first 25 films selected by the Library of Congress for preservation in the United States National Film Registry for being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".
The film appears repeatedly in polls of the best films by the American Film Institute, including a 2007 ranking as the ninth-greatest American movie ever.
The central theme of the film is psychological obsession, particularly Scottie's obsession with women.
Critics have interpreted Vertigo variously as "a tale of male aggression and visual control," "a map of female Oedipal trajectory," and "a stripping bare of the mechanisms of directorial, Hollywood studio and colonial oppression."
Vera Miles, who was under personal contract to Hitchcock, was originally scheduled to play Madeleine, but Kim Novak was cast after Miles became pregnant.
The scene in which Madeleine fell from the tower was filmed at Mission San Juan Bautista, and a bell tower was added using scale models, matte paintings, and trick photography at Paramount Studios in Los Angeles.Summary Title: The Making, Restoration, and Reception of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo
The tower shaft and dolly zoom in Vertigo were filmed horizontally, and the special sequence was designed by artist John Ferren.
The rotating patterns in the title sequence were created using a mechanical computer called the M5 gun director.
Costume designer Edith Head used color to heighten emotion, such as choosing grey for Madeleine's suit.
An alternative ending was shot but was later dropped due to director Alfred Hitchcock's efforts to fend off censorship demands.
The score was written by Bernard Herrmann and recorded in Europe due to a musicians' strike in the U.S.
Graphic designer Saul Bass used spiral motifs in both the title sequence and movie poster, emphasizing the psychological vortex of the film.
Vertigo broke even upon its initial release but earned less than other Hitchcock productions.
The film underwent a controversial restoration in 1996 by Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz, which included color correction and new sound effects.
The film has been re-evaluated by film critics over time and has moved higher in esteem, ranking first place in the Sight & Sound poll in 2012 and second place in 2022.
In 2012, Vertigo was ranked seventh in the Sight & Sound director's poll of the greatest films ever made.
The film has also been ranked highly in other polls and lists, such as Time Out's Top 100 Essential Films of All Time and Kinema Junpo's Top 10 Non-Japanese Films of All Time.
Critics have noted that the casting of James Stewart as the male lead has been a topic of criticism due to the significant age difference between him and Kim Novak.
Martin Scorsese viewed the film during its initial run and responded to it strongly, despite its mixed reviews at the time.The Legacy of Hitchcock's Vertigo: A Summary
Vertigo was initially not well-received by critics but has since become widely recognized as a masterpiece.
The film was removed from circulation in 1973 but was re-released in 1983 to commercial success and positive reviews.
Vertigo has been recognized as a significant film by various organizations and publications, including the United States Library of Congress and the American Film Institute.
The film has also been the subject of academic attention, with a conference dedicated to it held in 2018.
Critical opinion is divided on whether Vertigo should be considered a film noir.
The film's San Francisco locations have become celebrated among fans, with organized tours of the area available.
Director Martin Scorsese has listed Vertigo as one of his favorite films of all time.
A potential remake of the film has been announced, with Steven Knight set to write the script and Robert Downey Jr. set to star.
In 2021, Vertigo is one of only eight films with a perfect score on Metacritic.
Some critics have expressed dissenting opinions about the film's critical re-evaluation, arguing for a more measured response.
Vertigo has been ranked highly in various publications' lists of the greatest films of all time.
The film's renewed popularity has led to increased academic attention and critical works being published about it.