Sueurs froides

Scottie Ferguson is a police officer, retired because of fear of heights. His life changes when he accepts to watch a woman at the request of her husband, who suspects that his wife has been visited by a ghost. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, has script Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor, with the participation of James Stewart and Kim Novak.

This film is considered by experts one of the best films ever made. I never understood why but, nevertheless, is one of Hitchcock's films that I most like to see. The script is very good, mixing love, obsession, loyalty, madness and mystery in an irresistible recipe that takes the seal of quality of one of the most brilliant masters of suspense in cinema. The ending is baffling. Technically impeccable, this film has an excellent picture, sound effects and a soundtrack where the emphasis is given to the opening theme that, in all fairness, became one of the most famous of Bernard Herrmann. The performance of the actors also deserves congratulations. Stewart shows why Hitchcock was so fond of working with him and Novak can perfectly be, at the same time, the damsel in distress and the femme fatale, who leads men to act without thinking.

Essential for all Hitchcock fans, this film is a must-see for any lover of suspense and mystery. It's a film that can be seen by teenage audiences, despite having some more dramatic scenes, and probably will please the majority of audiences.

There are no accidents here. Next year, in a few weeks, Vertigo will be 60 years old and it will celebrate it on top of the list of The Greatest Films Ever Made overtaking Citizen Kane and many other masterpieces. Why? Maybe when a filmmaker of Hitchcock's greatness taps into his own unconscious and reveals himself. By now we know enough about Hitchcock the man to know he was obsessed in finding that woman who'll look and behave just the way he wants and once he find them, they are destroyed to then embark on a quest to replace or duplicate her. Vera Miles was suppose to be the object of James Stewart's obsession and she opted for motherhood instead. Kim Novak replaced her and her coldness and detachment worked beautifully here. Barbara Bel Geddes the real woman who loves him he doesn't even notice, his focus is in the impossible.The magic touch in Vertigo is truly Bernard Herrmann. Try to see Vertigo without the score. No, don't. This classic is a marriage of images and music. A thriller with an uncomfortable truth at its very center. A personal truth from its filmmaker. I don't know if Vertigo will still be the number 1 in the list a hundred years from now, I will never know but I suspect that it will always be among the top.

Two years before Hitchcock's legendary horror movie "Psycho" (1960) hit the theaters, our Alfred stunned audiences with another masterpiece. Perhaps not as dark, cruel and shoking as "Psycho" (1960) or "The Birds" (1963), "Vertigo" (1958) still manages to be called a timeless classic.

First of all, Scottie's condition allowed the use of an entirely new camera technique. "The Dolly Zoom" is one of cinematography's most impressive camera tricks. Years before Steven Spielberg used it in "Jaws" (1975), Irmin Roberts was the first cameraman to ever use this technique, in a Hitchcock film.

This movie tells the story of Scottie, a retired cop who's asked to investigate the case of his friend's wife, which seems to be possesed by the spirit of a dead young woman who committed suicide.

As the chilling story goes on, several moments of suspense accompanied by chilling musical scores are happening. If you're not a fan of it, you can still enjoy the superb settings throughout the movie, and as well the beautifuly filmed shots. These elements alone are a pure work of art in my opinion.

Because it's a 50's film, you will encounter extravagant dialogue between the characters, that still manages to look natural. It's not over the top forced as you may see in other films of the era.

Toward the end of the movie, I appreciated the interesting depiction of madness that Alfred creates throughout dreams and illusions that our leading man deals with. The beautiful lighting used in the last half an hour of the movie is also outstanding enough to be mentioned. And, without spoiling anything, I'd like to mention how from my perspective, the leading man portrayed throughout the movie as a tragic hero, becomes an antagonist.

Definetly an unpredictable and stylish classic you don't want to miss.

It's rather strange that this film was a box office flop, as it's one of Alfred Hitchcock's better movies. The only problem with "Vertigo" is that in order to really enjoy it, you need to turn off your brain and just accept the movie. If you think the plot out TOO MUCH, you'll find yourself asking too many questions and not just enjoying the film...like my oldest daughter did.

The film is the story of a somewhat creepy ex-cop (James Stewart). When the film begins, he's emotionally scarred in an accident-an accident that leaves him with a HUGE case of psychologically-based vertigo. He decides to quit the job and is soon approached by an old friend--who wants to hire him to follow his emotionally disturbed wife. What happens next is very weird--and later becomes really creepy. I could say A LOT more but think it's best you just see the film--it has quite a few twists and turns that are bound to catch you by surprise.

Overall, a wonderfully original film. The only deficit, for some, is that although Stewart was a wonderful actor, he was too old for this role. Still, I could look past this and enjoyed it immensely.

Not very popular with critics or audiences when it first came out, probably not what they were expecting form the master director. Certainly a very different movie not in the usual Hitchcock formula. The movie probably needs more than one viewing. I can understand why some people don't like it much, but if you can get into the mood and atmosphere it's a surreal masterpiece. The movie is really about creating a surreal dreamlike world to enter. Set in San Francisco in 1958 it is like nothing before or since. Unforgettable and mesmerizing it is full of great locations, strange characters and stories. We go on a strange uneasy journey with Jimmy Stewart where there is no return and end up somewhere between sanity and insanity. Everything about this movie goes together to create another world which you feel like you have entered, the music, the 1950s grainy film, the dull colours, the incredibly shot locations, the changing light. It is certainly a strange movie hard to put into a box. It is from another time. Amazing. Like a dream... A classic film from the golden age of Hollywood. A Hollywood which doesn't exist anymore. There is just something about this movie, which you can't put your finger on. It's full of secrets.