A repertoire of filmmaking techniques is fundamental to the establishment of a film’s storyline by conveying explicit and implicit ideas and by taking the viewer through a heightened emotional journey. Alfred Hitchcock employs his unique film style to augment the patterns of narration in the monumental film, Vertigo. The narrative patterns follow the male protagonist, Scotty, who is inescapably drawn into the conflict of the story as he unceasingly follows Madeleine, the female protagonist. Overall, the film employs a restricted narrative in which the audience’s knowledge is equal to that of Jimmy Stewart’s character, Scotty. The Muir Woods sequence in Vertigo conveys patterns of narration through the combined elements of editing, …show more content…
For example, when Madeleine wonders into the forest, Scotty’s curiosity provokes him to start walking in that direction, as seen in shot 17. The action is immediately continued in shot 18, as Scotty continues his quest for Madeleine, keeping the viewer engaged in the situation. The arising suspense from these two shots results from the prior use of accelerated editing rhythm. There is a series of short shots, 12-17, which show Madeleine venturing away and Scotty’s bewildered reaction. The tension and suspense build as each shot captures Madeleine walking further away until she seems to disappear in between shots. In sum, the editing techniques serve to explicitly enhance the action and implicitly convey the narrative.
Vertigo’s patterns of narration are also illustrated by the elements of mise-en-scene presented during the Muir Woods sequence. All of the elements placed in front of the camera, such as setting, lighting, and figure behavior, contribute to the ultimate sense of realism conveyed by the sequence. The particular natural setting allows for important landmark events in the film to take place. In the presence of large Sequoia trees, Scotty confirms the color green motif and its symbolism of life. The cross section of the tree, a common exhibit in natural parks, allows for a critical point in the narrative to take place. In shot 11, “Carlotta” declares her birth and death in
Many film theorist have defined Vertigo (Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, 1958) as a film about the subjecting power of the male protagonist and their use of a configuration of looks to solidify their domineering agency. Yet this analysis of the film is limited in its predominant focus on Scottie (James Stewart) as an empowered male protagonist with mastery over his own looks. Instead the film disempowers the main protagonist and his gaze’s ability to control and subjugate, by focusing on a conflict between multiple competing gazes. It allows this by focusing on Scottie—the male protagonist—and his failure to see as well as his inability to control his own gaze. This allows for a returned gaze to be established, that unbeknown to him has agency. This is not to say that his gaze does not have power, which is clearly established in his relationship with Judy (Kim Novak). Rather that his gaze is unknowingly returned as predicated by Scottie’s inability to notice that his supposed power is for the majority of the film based on illusion. As a result of this the idea that Scottie is an empowered male protagonist who has a hegemonic control of the gaze can be complicated. Which in turn will reveal the more layered nature of the gaze in Vertigo.
This technique momentarily suspends the omniscient gaze of the camera, and evokes the spectator’s—as well as Hitchcock’s—desire to “capture” the female protagonist as she escapes off-screen. In this context, the seemingly objective tracking shot may in fact reveal itself as a violent, subjective
Alfred Hitchcock also used cinematography in a uniquely stylizing way. Hitchcock not only uses the camera to create dramatic irony, but he also uses the camera to lie to the audience and create anxious suspense. For example, in his film Psycho, when Marion is in the shower Hitchcock frames the scenes very tightly. Marion is in a confined and very personal space. This makes her incredibly vulnerable. Then Hitchcock heightens the suspense by creating dramatic irony with the reveal of a shadowy figure closing in on Marion, unbeknownst to her. This creates a lot of anxiety for the audience, knowing the protagonist is vulnerable and in danger with no way of altering the inevitable. Hitchcock then manipulates the audience by “revealing” a brief silhouette of an old lady as our shower killer. Hitchcock uses this “reveal” to lie to the audience, he makes the audience think they have more inside knowledge confirming their already growing suspicions, when in reality the audience is misled entirely and the murderer was Norman all along. The way Hitchcock uses the camera to reveal both inside information and misleading information truly keeps the viewer engaged and not knowing what to believe until the truth is finally revealed. By using this unique technique of controlling the audience by only showing what he wants you to see, Hitchcock masterfully defies expectations and creates suspense.
How auteur theory can be applied to the study of Hitchcock’s North by Northwest and Vertigo
In 1958 Alfred Hitchcock released what is considered the greatest film of all time, Vertigo. Vertigo is a film noir thriller that stars James Stewart and Kim Novak. Stewart's character, Scottie Ferguson, is sent to follow and investigate his old friend’s wife, Madeline. He spies on her strange actions and at the time falls deeply in love with her. The viewer is given a restricted narrative through the eyes of former detective, who suffers from vertigo, as he follows Madeline through San Francisco. The audience views the film from the same perspective as Scottie. Hitchcock pompously puts the viewer into Scottie’s eyes in scenes where he is following Madeline give Scottie a voyeuristic sense. The narrative is later switched to unrestricted as
Cinematic perception can be understood using the metaphor of cinema as a window and frame. Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window is an concrete example of this metaphor from both a critical viewpoint as an audience member, and from the perspective of the protagonist, L.B. Jefferies. Thomas Elsaesser believes that the cinema of the window offers a “special, ocular access to an event” and the screen is transformed from a two dimensional narrative into a three-dimensional environment within which the audience is absorbed (14). Because the plot contains an actual window and also involves L.B Jefferies looking through a window, Rear Window is an exemplary illustration of this metaphor. The two observation points are similar in that they are both ocular-specular,
The first half of this course focused on Alfred Hitchcock and how his techniques are now recognized as iconic. From class discussions and film screenings, it is clear that Hitchcock pays every attention to detail when he crafts a scene. Many Hitchcock films we have seen this semester highlight how he builds suspense through cinematic elements such as shadow, dialogue, and composition. While many of his suspenseful scenes stir feelings of intensity and uncertainty, Alfred Hitchcock builds a more romantic suspense in his 1955 film To Catch a Thief in the fireworks scene (1:06:35-1:11:00).
The Alfred Hitchcock film; Vertigo is a narrative film that is a perfect example of a Hollywood Classical Film. I will be examining the following characteristics of the film Vertigo: 1)individual characters who act as casual agents, the main characters in Vertigo, 2)desire to reach to goals, 3)conflicts, 4)appointments, 5)deadlines, 6)James Stewart’s focus shifts and 7)Kim Novak’s characters drives the action in the film. Most of the film is viewed in the 3rd person, except for the reaction shots (point of view shot) which are seen through the eyes of the main character.(1st person) The film has a strong closure and uses continuity editing(180 degree rule). The stylistic (technical) film form of Vertigo makes the film much more
How are we made aware of the filmmaker's attitude towards change? Refer to three specific episodes from the film. (excl. concl. stages)In Pleasantville, the filmmaker, Gary Ross, conveys his attitude towards change through the characters of David and Jennifer who are transported into the 1950s sitcom "Pleasantville". He doesn't necessarily demonstrate change to bear a positive result; rather, he addresses that change is essential to the development of society and self and that it is important to understand and accept change. Ross contrasts the ignorance and mindlessness of the unchanged people of Pleasantville with the hunger for knowledge that the changed (or coloured) people possess, communicating to the viewer that change and knowledge
Alfred Hitchcock is arguably the greatest director of all time. Many of his films are considered standards of American cinema and inspired many of today’s directors. Even though Hitchcock is known as timeless director, he had an understanding of philosophy that was beyond his time. Hitchcock had a brilliant perception as to how the mind works and human reaction. Hitchcock’s understanding of philosophy can be seen in his film Vertigo and illustrates how many theories can be debilitating in everyday life.
The extraordinary film The 400 Blows (Francois Truffaut, 1959) skillfully uses cinematic devices appropriately within the context of the theme. Part of the underlying theme of this movie as explained by Truffaut himself is, “... to portray a child as honestly as possible...”(Writing About Film, 1982). It is the scenes in this movie that are most helpful in disclosing the overall theme of the film. Within the scenes, the camera angles in this film play an important role in accentuating the emotions behind the scene. The camera angles used in this film will be the primary focus of this paper. The high angle shots utilized in The 400 Blows are effective in helping to develop the overall feel of a scene. This movie
The cinematic language that we know of today would not be as it is today if we had synchronous sound recording from the beginning of film. Cinematic Language is the systems, methods or conventions by which movies communicate with the viewer. A few examples of cinematic language are; montage; mise en scene, the use of long takes, depth of field shooting in order associate people or objects; Expressionism, the use of lighting techniques, severe camera angles, and elaborate props, to name a few aspects; and realism, a technique to make the action seem as true to life as possible. The list of techniques and styles of cinematic language go on, and can only be limited by the imagination. Early films, and early sound films both had something in common; they lacked many elements of the cinematic language. The reason sound films reverted back to the same pre-cinematic style of early films, was due to the fact that they had technical difficulties, that required them to fall into the style of the old ways. I do believe that if filmmakers would have had sound from the beginning, with the same sense of movie direction they worked with, they would have used sound as a crutch rather than an enhancing element.
Establishing the difference between the story and the plot allows one to determine the effect each element has on the understanding and interpretation of the piece. It also provides a way of tracking the continuation of events and the relationship between seemingly isolated moments in time. Film Art clearly defines both story and plot but acknowledges that there is a significant overlap between the two functions and allows a flow within the film. The plot is the presentation of the events, in chronological order and includes the events that are seen, inferred and assumed by the viewer as opposed to the story. The story refers to the way in which the plot is presented, the ‘personality’ imposed
Alfred Hitchcock (1899 – 1980), the “Master of Suspense”, was a English film director, who was well known for his use of suspense and psychological elements to shock and surprise his audience. Hitchcock was known for his use of recurring themes, motifs and plot devices, such as the use of birds, hand motifs, the audience as a voyeur, mothers, blonde women, and sexuality. He was also very technical in his editing, using filming techniques such as deep focus, point of view, close up and wide, tracking shots. Montage was also a technique he used frequently in his films. He believed that by using visuals, he could convey thoughts and emotions just as well as dialogue could.
Famously known as “The Master of Suspense”, Alfred Hitchcock knew how to keep an audience on the edge of their chair, just waiting to see what happens next. Hitchcock’s career started in the silent era of films, gained increased success through talking pictures, and soared into infamy when color film became common. Hitchcock’s famous cinematography, editing, directing of his thoughtfully selected actors, and extraordinary attention to detail, are obvious reasons why there is no denying that he is one of the greatest directors the film industry has ever seen. OSU Media student, Joseph Ford, confirms why Hitchcock is his favorite directors, “Hitchcock’s lighting and shot sequences are unmatched, he was the ultimate perfectionist and, in my opinion, there is hardly a flaw in any of his films” (Ford). There are endless lists and debates about which Alfred Hitchcock film is the greatest, and each one of his movies deserves serious consideration. It could be contested that with the unique story, intriguing characters portrayed by great actors, and the extraordinary cinematography, that Alfred Hitchcock’s Rope is potentially his greatest film.