VERTIGO CONTEXT FLASHCARDS
When was it released? – 1958
Who was the director? – Alfred Hitchcock
Link to Todorov’s theory? – Follows his 5-stage structure
Link to Propp’s theory? – Scottie is the hero, Judy (as Madeleine) is the princess, Gavin Elster
is the villain, Judy is the false hero, Midge is the helper, Gavin is the dispatcher
Link to Levi-Strauss’ theory? – Reality vs illusion, sanity vs madness, love vs obsession, male
control vs female manipulation/submission
Link to Neale’ theory? – Classic noir elements like mystery, femme fatale, tragic ending.
Difference as it adds psychological depth, explores obsession and identity in a more surreal,
symbolic way
Bazin’s theory? – Signatures include use of suspense and psychological tension, visual motifs,
themes of voyeurism and obsession, stylistic choices like long takes, tracking shots and colour
symbolism
Link to Tasker’s theory? – Judy is objectified, dressed up and controlled by male characters.
Her independence is stripped as she’s moulded into an ideal. She’s ultimately punished for
subverting - reinforcing traditional gender roles
Link to Mulvey’s theory? – The camera follows Madeleine/Judy with lingering shots, Scottie
objectifies Judy by reshaping her appearance. The audience sees Judy through Scottie’s
obsessive perspective – she becomes an object of fantasy, not agency
Link to Barthes’ proairetic codes? – Scottie following Madeleine and saving her when she
jumps leads to the final confrontation with Judy as he had the trauma from Madeleine
Link to Barthes’ hermeneutic codes? – Who Madeleine really is, why she behaves oddly
Link to Barthes’ semantic codes? – Spiral imagery – dizziness, the colour green – ghostly, the
return of Madeleine
Link to Barthes’ symbolic codes? – Madeleine vs Judy, sanity vs delusion
Link to Altman’s semantic approach? – Visuals like foggy streets, staircases, and classic
trench coats mark noir elements. Hitchcock’s camera work, colour, and dreamlike sequences
define its visual style
Link to Altman’s syntactic approach? – Themes of obsession, fatal love, identity, and
psychological trauma shape it as a noir-thriller hybrid. The structure is built around
unravelling truths and emotional collapse, rather than traditional action or mystery
resolutions
What was Hitchcock influenced by? – German Expressionism
How was Hitchcock revolutionary? – He made the first British talking film
What was the response to Vertigo? – It was thought to be too entertaining for the subject
matter it dealt with
What technique did Hitchcock use? – The Kuleshov effect
What is the Kuleshov effect? – An editing technique that shows the character’s POV
What sort of camera did Hitchcock use and why? – He used lighter film cameras to extend the
range of photographic movements
What were some of Hitchcock’s signatures? – Subjective camera, misogyny, blonde victims,
cinematic plot twist, innocent man as a victim, ordinary people thrust into dangerous
situations, use of staircases as a signal of impending danger
What were some of Hitchcock’s signature themes? – Voyeurism, identity, duality, descent,
taboo sexuality, obsession, transformation
When was it released? – 1958
Who was the director? – Alfred Hitchcock
Link to Todorov’s theory? – Follows his 5-stage structure
Link to Propp’s theory? – Scottie is the hero, Judy (as Madeleine) is the princess, Gavin Elster
is the villain, Judy is the false hero, Midge is the helper, Gavin is the dispatcher
Link to Levi-Strauss’ theory? – Reality vs illusion, sanity vs madness, love vs obsession, male
control vs female manipulation/submission
Link to Neale’ theory? – Classic noir elements like mystery, femme fatale, tragic ending.
Difference as it adds psychological depth, explores obsession and identity in a more surreal,
symbolic way
Bazin’s theory? – Signatures include use of suspense and psychological tension, visual motifs,
themes of voyeurism and obsession, stylistic choices like long takes, tracking shots and colour
symbolism
Link to Tasker’s theory? – Judy is objectified, dressed up and controlled by male characters.
Her independence is stripped as she’s moulded into an ideal. She’s ultimately punished for
subverting - reinforcing traditional gender roles
Link to Mulvey’s theory? – The camera follows Madeleine/Judy with lingering shots, Scottie
objectifies Judy by reshaping her appearance. The audience sees Judy through Scottie’s
obsessive perspective – she becomes an object of fantasy, not agency
Link to Barthes’ proairetic codes? – Scottie following Madeleine and saving her when she
jumps leads to the final confrontation with Judy as he had the trauma from Madeleine
Link to Barthes’ hermeneutic codes? – Who Madeleine really is, why she behaves oddly
Link to Barthes’ semantic codes? – Spiral imagery – dizziness, the colour green – ghostly, the
return of Madeleine
Link to Barthes’ symbolic codes? – Madeleine vs Judy, sanity vs delusion
Link to Altman’s semantic approach? – Visuals like foggy streets, staircases, and classic
trench coats mark noir elements. Hitchcock’s camera work, colour, and dreamlike sequences
define its visual style
Link to Altman’s syntactic approach? – Themes of obsession, fatal love, identity, and
psychological trauma shape it as a noir-thriller hybrid. The structure is built around
unravelling truths and emotional collapse, rather than traditional action or mystery
resolutions
What was Hitchcock influenced by? – German Expressionism
How was Hitchcock revolutionary? – He made the first British talking film
What was the response to Vertigo? – It was thought to be too entertaining for the subject
matter it dealt with
What technique did Hitchcock use? – The Kuleshov effect
What is the Kuleshov effect? – An editing technique that shows the character’s POV
What sort of camera did Hitchcock use and why? – He used lighter film cameras to extend the
range of photographic movements
What were some of Hitchcock’s signatures? – Subjective camera, misogyny, blonde victims,
cinematic plot twist, innocent man as a victim, ordinary people thrust into dangerous
situations, use of staircases as a signal of impending danger
What were some of Hitchcock’s signature themes? – Voyeurism, identity, duality, descent,
taboo sexuality, obsession, transformation
