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- DVD: Vertigo (Universal Legacy Series)
- Rating: PG
- Starring: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore
- Written By: Alec Coppel, Samuel Taylor (Screenplay); Pierre Boileau, Thomas Narcejac
(Novel)
- Directed By: Alfred Hitchcock
- Distributor: Universal Studios
- Original Year of Release: Theatrical (1958)
- Extras: Two different commentary tracks, “Obsessed with Vertigo” documentary, Episode of Alfred Hitchcock presents “The Case of Mr. Pehlam”, Production Notes and Galleries, Trailers, Foreign Censorship Ending, The Vertigo Archives, Interviews, Restoration Documentaries
- Series:
DVD Review of Vertigo (Universal Legacy Series)
Hitchcock's classic joins the Legacy Series By
Robert T. Trate
October 20, 2008
Vertigo (Universal Legacy Series)
© Universal Studios
Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo was beautifully restored and re-released in 1996. The problem was that it played only in major metropolitan areas. For those of you that didn’t know about it or didn’t have the chance to see it, Hitchcock’s masterpiece, Vertigo has been re-released with a special edition two disc DVD that joins Universal’s Legacy Series. Unfortunately there is not a Blu-ray edition but with all the time and effort that went into restoring this classic (as seen in “Obsessed with Vertigo”) it is only a matter of time.
Jimmy Stewart plays former police detective, John 'Scottie' Ferguson who is hired by an old classmate, Gavin Elster (Tom Helmore) to follow his wife. Elster believes that his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak) may have become possessed by the spirit of a woman who went in insane and took her own life a century before. There is a connection to these two women and Scottie has to uncover it and protect Madeleine from her own inner demons.
Outside from this classic Hitchcockian story with its twists and turns Vertigo is also years ahead when it comes to Hitchcock’s use of the camera and special effects. There are numerous lighting cues and camera set ups that not only shape the emotion of the movie but take the audience inside the minds of Scottie and his damsel in distress. Stewart shines, as he always does, but it is in casting Stewart that really pushes the audience to believe and question all that Scottie is going through. This is far from a one man show and Kim Novak steals the film from Stewart as the delusional Madeleine. This maybe the defining role in her career and the one all film aficionados remember her for.
Vertigo the Universal Legacy Series DVD captures the experience of the film perfectly. After watching it, one cannot help but see that it really does belong on the big screen and in full 70 mm. The transfer is breathtaking but to see it larger than life must be the real experience. The special features are a great companion and make picking it up worth while.
Though not new to DVD but still worth watching is “Obsessed with Vertigo”. Restoration producers Robert A. Harris and James C. Katz go into painstaking details about all that went into preserving the film. It is when the two discover Hitchcock’s music cue notes and the original score recording that the restoration becomes complete. Included on the DVD is their own commentary track revealing almost a moment by moment account of their work.
Included in the special features is also the foreign censorship ending. Filmed completely for the overseas market it ties up a few loose ends. It doesn’t seem out of place for a film distributed in the United States in juxtaposition to the original ending. The overseas ending seems more appropriate for an American audience at that time.
“Partners In Crime: Hitchcock's Collaborators” is new documentary about all those that worked with Hitchcock repeatedly over his career. Saul Bass’s contribution to Hitchcock’s work (particularly Vertigo and Psycho) is examined as is his influence on cinema. The ultimate film aficionado Martin Scorsese chimes in and really shines a light on how Bass forever changed cinema and the art of opening credits.
The hardest part of reviewing a Hitchcock film is not to spoil anything. Fear not, nothing is ruined if you haven’t seen Vertigo yet. The film is forever a classic and way ahead of it’s time in both look and story. This special edition DVD will make you dizzy trying to unravel all that went into the film and its place in cinema history.
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ok, I'm a huge film maniac. and Vertigo is undeniably Hitch's most perfect work. I already own the previous special edition release of this film on DVD...Bottom line...Is it worth purchasing this again?