Amazon.com essential video: Although it wasn't a box-office success when originally released in 1958, Vertigo has since taken its deserved place as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most spellbinding, most deeply personal achievement. In fact, it consistently ranks among the top 10 movies ever made in the once-a-decade Sight & Sound international critics poll, placing at number 4 in the most recent survey. (Universal Pictures' spectacularly gorgeous 1996 restoration and rerelease of this 1958 Paramount production was a tremendous success with the public, too.) James Stewart plays a retired police detective who is hired by an old friend to follow his wife (a superb Kim Novak, in what becomes a double role), whom he suspects of being possessed by the spirit of a dead madwoman. The detective and the disturbed woman fall ("fall" is indeed the operative word) in love and...well, to give away any more of the story would be criminal. Shot around San Francisco (the Golden Gate Bridge and the Palace of the Legion of Honor are significant locations) and elsewhere in Northern California (the redwoods, Mission San Juan Batista) in rapturous Technicolor, Vertigo is as lovely as it is haunting. --Jim Emerson
Customer Reviews
Average Rating:
Rating: - 4 stars out of 4
The Bottom Line:
Vertigo begins as a typical Hitchcock movie, with a typical "aww-shucks" performance from James Stewart, before turning everything on its head and emerging as a great film about obsession that stands as one of the best films "The Master" ever made and perhaps one of the best of all time.
Rating: - The Strange Mrs. Allister
The film begins with a woman's face - her eyes look bloodshot. Then the credits roll. There is a chase on the rooftops. One man slips and falls to his death. The other survives with a foot injury. [Does he look out his Rear Window?] Acrophobic? Can a cantilevered brassiere be revolutionary? John Ferguson is "available", like other Frisco bachelors. Is his problem curable? [Is there subtle humor here?] San Francisco is changing since the war. [Shipping was moving across the bay.] John is hired to ... Read More
Rating: - The vertigo comes from trying to make sense of the plot
Overrated. And here's why (spoilers ahead):
The main character is a detective who lets both criminals we see him encounter escape and who manages to stand around while two women and a policeman are killed. While the murderer in the main part of the story has the good sense to leave town, the accomplice hangs around like nothing has happened and then proceeds to enter a seriously twisted affair with the detective. Now if you were a murderer with a carefully thought out master plan to ... Read More
Rating: - Classic Hitchcock! Beautifully restored!
What's not to love about this restored version of Hitchcock's most arty, if not most entertaining work? The visual impact of this movie is enhanced by the restoration. Repeat viewing reveals the importance of color as symbol, and the incredible use of San Francisco's sweeping scenery as a character in the drama. This is Hitchcock at his most thoughtful and introspective, though, so viewers new to this film should be forewarned that the pacing may be a bit slow for modern tastes, but well worth ... Read More
Rating: - AN EXQUISITE NIGHTMARE
VERTIGO is the most beautiful movie Hitchcock created, with stunningly brilliant cinematography, the magnificent costumes of Edith Head, and an unforgettable score by Bernard Hermann. It is also perhaps the greatest romantic psycho-thriller of all time.
Jimmy Stewart as a retired acrophobic cop was never more compelling, or complicated, and Kim Novak as the breathtaking, and coldly sensual Madeleine, and the much less, refined Judy, was positively mesmerizing.
About.com Freebies Get the latest headlines from the About.com Freebies GuideSite. http://freebies.about.com/
Cream of Wheat Sample: When I was a kid (late Cretaceous period) I loved oatmeal. Well -- actually I loved the half pound of brown sugar I put in it. The oatmeal was just...
Another Pad Sample Offer From Walmart: There must be a lot of money in selling absorbent pads based on the number of free sample offers for that type of product verses other consumer products.
Kotex is offering...
Cute And Addicting Free Flash Game: Imagine a cute cuddly teddy bear with an umbrella that allows him to fly from car top to car top in rapidly moving traffic. I know the game sounds too...
A New Free Commercial Software Package Daily: I wanted to mention this free software giveaway again to alert new users, remind some that may have forgotten about it and especially to point out that they are back...
Dove Offers And Promotions: Dove almost always has at least one free sample offer and several coupon offers available. This is an entirely Flash based site so you will need a recent version of...
Free Book for Expectant Mothers: Update: They apparently had many more requests than the expected and they just deleted the offer page.
Expectant mothers and those expecting to be expecting and request a free book: What...
Gold Bond Lotion Walmart Offer: I don't know what the weather is like where you are, but it is down right cold and dry here at the old homestead. I'm not usually one for using...
Coupon For A Free Bottle of Suave: Mark your calendar for January 14th to visit the Suave site and register for a coupon for a free bottle of a Suave product. The products include: shampoo, conditioner, body...
Packing Peanuts Fun: I learned two things I would have never imagined while reading this article from my friend Erin. First of all I never thought there could be a way to have...
Free Online Toy- Acrobots: This time waster is good when you have a few minutes to kill, but don't have hours to waste.
Acrobots is a fairly simple interactive online toy. Give it a...
Thank you for visiting our store and shopping Vertigo (Widescreen Edition) VHS with us. Come back to buy VHS online.
Hosted by WebHosting Eye |
Partner Sites