Sueurs froides

Alfred Hitchcock directed this mesmerizing film that stars Jimmy Stewart as John 'Scottie' Ferguson, a retired San Francisco policeman who is approached by old college friend Gavin Elster(played by Tom Helmore) who wants him to follow his wife Madeline(played by Kim Novak) who has been acting strangely. Scottie does follow her, and becomes obsessed by her beauty and behavior, eventually falling in love with her, with devastating consequences. Though that is only the start of the mystery... Barbara Bel Geddes costars as Scottie's friend Midge, still in love with him, despite jilting him years before. Superbly directed and acted film has an ingenious story and stunning imagery, making this an unforgettable romantic mystery, with a stunning ending...though if you have the DVD, watch the extra feature on the lost extended ending, which is fascinating, and changes the tone of the film as a result!

Starting in 1958, Alfred Hitchcock directed a remarkable sequence of films in a row, each of them a classic; Vertigo (1958), North by Northwest (1959), Psycho (1960) and The Birds (1963). Never has a director made four such genuinely great movies in such a short space of time, either before or since.

The pick of this high standard bunch is undoubtedly Vertigo. From the opening titles, with their circling spiral imagery, to the dramatic final scene this is a movie that takes you to a different time and place. Specifically, to a San Francisco of the past; full of deserted parks, discrete rooming houses, oddly menacing art galleries and florists where the customers enter and exit through the back door. Through this landscape wanders Jimmy Stewart, towering in the lead roll as a former detective recently retired after a bungled arrest leaves him with chronic vertigo. Plot machinations lead him to the alluring Kim Novak (one of Hitchcock's famous "blondes"), the young wife of a friend who has started behaving rather oddly.

"To reveal more," as Leonard Maltin wrote, "would be unthinkable."

While the performances of Novak and Stewart are memorable, the movie is really set apart by the intelligent script and the stylistic touches provided by the director. Hitchcock is in his very best form creating hypnotic scenes and a general sense of unease and dread in even the most banal of situations. He is aided in this by the wonderful score of Bernard Herrman. A particular favourite of mine is the extended (largely silent) segment where Stewart follows Novak for the first time. Nothing much happens, but the atmosphere of these scenes is enough to keep you on the edge of your seat!

One of the all-time greats. They definitely don't make them like this anymore.

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.

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.

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.