“Vertigo” by Alfred Hitchcock

The blog post I have decided to assess is about the movie Vertigo by Alfred Hitchcock. It seems that the Author chose to concentrate on the language of the film based on the scene in which Scottie meets Gavin and Madelaine at the restaurant. Accordingly, the main points I intend to assess are the blog, the post’s strengths, and any aspects needing clarification. The listed matters should be evaluated to understand better the Author’s perspective and reflect on my reaction to the initial reading of the text. Notably, my commentary may be affected by my experience of watching Vertigo, and my critique is likely to be informed by my background and previous assessment topics through my tendency to be attentive to details.

First, before fully engaging with the blog post’s content, I noticed the Author’s writing and presentation of the information. The style seems quite lively and engages the audience by using the word “we,” and the voice appears moderately rushed in addressing each point but passionate in reflecting the Author’s feelings. The Author takes the position of one of the observers but explains to viewers what is happening at every moment of the scene. I appreciate the framing of the blog post, which emphasizes both the text and shots from the movie. I believe the analysis contributes to the overall success of the submission by demonstrating the spirit of the post by expressing the Author’s opinion and having evidence from outside sources alongside visuals from the movie.

Second, the primary strengths of the post are providing details from the scene and explaining what they signify. The Author clarifies such details as stating the color of Madelaine’s dress compared to other shades in the shot. Such a description is an advantage because it enables imagining what is happening for those who have forgotten or not watched the film. Moreover, the Author clarifies the meaning behind different elements, which is a strength due to helping to understand the choice of a particular component. For instance, the Author suggests that the usage of a green gown for Madelaine to stand out among the crowd is meant to show how her beauty excels for Scottie. Accordingly, the Author efficiently raises the issues of what, how, and why was utilized in the scene to display Scottie’s feelings.

Third, there are some matters about the blog post that need clarification. Based on my engagement with unit content, readings and screenings, I feel that the Author has worked with and implemented course material. Nonetheless, I am not certain why the Author did not specify more about the usage of certain parts of the scene. For example, one can mention that the red color of the restaurant associates with passion, romance, and restlessness and is an important element within the shot alongside lighting (Abrams et al., 2001, p. 96). Moreover, the Author notes how Hitchcock’s choice of Kim Novac as Madelaine increases the film’s effectiveness. Consequently, I think it would have been helpful to explain how Novac’s performance may have affected Vertigo based on her roles in other movies (Abrams et al., 2001, p. 94). In addition, I would appreciate reading about the restaurant being selected as the setting, which is a crucial part of the film’s expressiveness (Speidel, 2011, p. 88). Although I believe that the Author has provided a detailed examination of the scene, I feel that more aspects could have been discussed.

My initial reaction to the blog post was rather positive, although I had some questions, such as why the Author examined the next scene when analyzing the restaurant stage. After rereading and reflecting on the text, I now better understand the content. For instance, I assume that the subsequent scene was described to show how Scottie felt after meeting Madelaine. Overall, I would like to ask the Author two questions to offer new insight for research.

• Are there any other distinctive features that Scottie could have noticed about Madelaine besides her dress?
• How would the scene change if it was not set at the restaurant?

References

Abrams, N., Bell, I., & Udris, J. (2001). The language of film. Studying Film, 92-116.

Speidel, S. (2011). Film form and narrative. In J. Nelmes (Ed.), Introduction to film studies (pp. 80-112). Taylor & Francis Group.