Hitchcock’s Vertigo is one of the greatest narrative films ever made. Numerous topics, like murder, obsession, murder anguish, and deception, are highlighted throughout the movie. The movie’s main character is inspired by his past and attempts to replicate this “perfect past,” which is the most thrilling aspect of the plot. The filmmaker is attempting to concentrate on the narrative while bringing out the numerous facets of the picture. The film examines the intricate psychological and philosophical implications of how our memories may continue to shape and influence our present, accomplished through Scottie’s obsession with the past because our memories are powerful and influential forces in our lives.
Transitioning from his injury to his fixation on Madeleine and Judy, Scottie’s experiences with the past are a driving force in his present (Ebert). The trauma from his acrophobia, the knowledge of Madeleine’s attempted suicide, and the realization of his failed attempt to save Judy all contribute to his inner turmoil, emphasizing how memories and the past can be a powerful influence on our lives. As a result of his fear of heights, he cannot save Madeleine from falling from a church bell tower, even though he is getting more passionate about her. After that, Scottie has a mental ailment and starts looking for ways to recreate his experience with Judy. Even though he, too, is unable to save Judy when she is injured falling from the bell tower, he insists that she imitate Madeleine’s fashion. Since Madeleine needed to maintain her guise as Judy throughout the operation, he could get knowledge of the scheme. When he looks down at Judy’s dead body from the bell tower, he becomes aware of his acrophobia condition for the first time.
Taking in the whole movie might be a very enjoyable experience, but how one comprehends the happenings shown on the screen will directly affect the degree to which they are believed. According to Barnett (97), the storyline effectively ignites Scottie’s yearning for real-life experiences that began in the past by having the characters continue to develop connections but eventually move in the wrong way. To do this, the characters will be seen moving in the opposite direction of what they should be. Most people in the novel yearn for the flawless experiences they had in the past due to the myriad ways in which actual life confounds them. Madelaine has the tendency, whenever she sees an image of Carlota, to feel that the events of her life and Carlota’s life are related in some manner. This occurs every time she is confronted with a memory of Carlota.
In addition, a wide range of subjects is highlighted in the movie. For Example, the concept of fixation is studied in the middle of the second segment of the movie. In the first part of the movie, Scottie begins to have sentiments of admiration and fondness for Madeleine. Following the unexplained demise of her loved one, Scottie’s thoughts have been consumed by rekindling their “previous” connection (Barnett 86). Toward the end of the movie, he makes an effort to get to know Judy, but his fixation on the past causes him to wish that Judy had hair like Madeleine had. Despite this, it ought to be quite clear that this worry can never be satisfactorily addressed. For instance, whenever Scottie’s girlfriend comes to see him at his residence, he cannot wait to gaze at her beautiful blonde hair for the first time (Barnett 90). Even much later, when he is aware that Judy is Madeleine, he continues to reject that reality since the idea does not seem to him to be plausible enough.
As shown by Scottie’s preoccupation with the past, the movie deeply explores the psychological and philosophical ramifications of how our memories may continue to form and impact our present. The film conveys the concept that our memories are powerful and significant factors in our lives by examining the possibility that a person from the past, namely Carlotta Valdes, may return to the present and assume control of a person who is still living in the present time. In addition, the movie allows us to contemplate the degree to which the past may impact the present and how a person’s dependency on the past can impact their mental state.
In conclusion, Hitchcock’s Vertigo is a masterful film that explores the complex psychological and philosophical implications of how our memories may continue to shape and influence our present. Through Scottie’s obsession with the past, the film conveys that our memories are powerful and significant forces in our lives. Furthermore, the movie allows us to contemplate the degree to which the past may impact the present and how a person’s dependency on the past can affect their mental state. The film’s exploration of the topics of obsession, murder, anguish, and deception make it an unforgettable cinematic experience that will remain relevant for many years.
Works Cited
Barnett, Vincent L. “Dualling for Judy: The Concept of the Double in the Films of Kim Novak.” Film History, vol. 19, no. 1, 2007, pp. 86-101. EBSCOhost, Web.
Ebert, Roger. “Vertigo Movie Review and Film Summary (1958) | Roger Ebert.” © Copyright 2022, Web.
Vertigo. Internet Archive, 1958, Web.