Vertigo is a film that I have been wanting to see for many years now. So in that respect, I was satisfied to have that crossed off of my list. And I was also amused to notice many elements that have been referenced by the Simpsons- finally understanding parodies/jokes that I have seen through the years. However,the film left me confused and a little weirded out.
I couldn't really immerse myself into this film for some reason, when usually I love Hitchcock's work. But what is interesting here is we have a detective who falls in love with a girl that isn't who she really claims to be, somewhat
similar to Laura. But what is interesting is the way we the viewer are also drawn to this woman as well. Yes, we root for the detective, for he is the strong and dominant protagonist. While watching him though, we are also intrigued by the woman.
When discussing this subject in class it got my attention right away. I never thought about how we don't look to the woman for the narrative storytelling aspect (we got the male), but we are aware that she will be the catalyst for plot twists and the male character's wants/desires.
The reading discusses how the male gaze is caused by the woman's "to-be-looked-at-ness." This term is interesting when looking at almost every film noir
because it is true- the detective or lawyer is just trying to do his job until his day is disrupted by a beautiful woman who crosses his path. This woman
usually causes him to to things that he normally wouldn't do (Double Indemnity for example- a woman talked a man into committing murder). In film, woman have been
made to be understood as a very powerful and manipulative character, using beauty and sex to trick/convince/deceive other male characters.
Hitchcock's Vertigo is a very amusing film that shows how a woman can cause a man to do many things- from falling in love to falling into obsession and even curing a man's vertigo.
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In regards to the Simpsons comment, I love how much that show parodizes movies old and young. I can't recall the one dealing with Vertigo, but the one that always sticks in my mind is the Citizen Kane one, which the first like five minutes are almost a shot for shot remake of the movie, except revolving around Mr. Burns and his teddy bear. Any idea what episode made fun of Vertigo off the top of your head?
ReplyDeleteIs it really the woman who _causes_ the man to do things though? That's one of the questions that the film _Laura_ deliberately raises. It's interesting that you focus on the attractive qualities of the woman, but don't mention Scotty's spiral into obessiveness and stalking, or about what specific technical aspects of the film pull us, the audience, into the psychological strangeness of the movie.
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ReplyDelete"But what is interesting here is we have a detective who falls in love with a girl that isn't who she really claims to be, somewhat
ReplyDeletesimilar to Laura."
I definitely agree. It's neat that throughout the film, Scottie is so obsessed with Madeleine and so blinded by his desire for her, that he acts irrationally, but all the while, he is working out other details in his head. We don't see his realization that Judy is really the same girl as Madeleine, or any of his suspicions that Gavin used her to help kill his wife, until the very end. We have been distracted by his obsession - it seems to be the only thing going on with Jimmy Dean's character.
I think the theme you pointed out - that the woman causes the man to do things he wouldn't normally do - is almost forced in this film, intentionally. Scottie is clearly manipulated by Madeleine; Gavin pays her to do it. But it's a criminal activity, not a part of life as some filmmakers or Super Bowl commercials might have us believe. I like that this film isn't about a man helpless to an overly seductive woman. Even though he's being manipulated, so many things about Madeleine should convince Scotty to stear clear - that she's (thought to be) his friend's wife, that she's not well in the head, that she's an assignment - but he pursues her anyway.
One of the messages I took from Vertigo was this:
Once a detective - even after delusional lusting for a woman - always a detective.
to romantor --- one episode of simpsons doing vertigo is when homer and ned become best friends- there is a shot where it shows Ned running up a tower just like Stewart does in the film- it even shows him looking down and does the same camera movement-- they even change the colors to match the film as well--- classic episode----
ReplyDeleteps- love the episode with Bobo and Mr. Burns