Cinematography in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo - Essay Example

The Number 14 March Cinematography in Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) While Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigohas been recognized one of the most intensely debated films in the American movie history, it is the interpretations of its narrative that attracted most critical works (White 910). Respectively, the film’s cinematography has been a far less researched subject. At the same time, it seems that the cinematography along with music in this film plays a greater role in conveying the film’s message than the narrative itself. Just as the film’s title is Vertigo, i.e. a kind of a disabling sensation which describes people’s feeling that they (and the world around them) are in the state of constant movement, so is the cinematography of the film (“Vertigo”, A Dictionary of Nursing). Carefully sequenced and innovative shots, elaborate camera movement, effective use of light and color, as well as other cinematographic tools all contribute to the fact Vertigo’s cinematography ideally fits in the overall vision of the film and effectively serves to create the intended feeling in the audience, namely that of horror. At the same time, the cinematography in Vertigo helps to create hidden meanings and set the story’s tone and mood. My goal in this paper is to discuss how cinematography is used in Vertigo and how exactly it effect contributes to the story unfolding. In particular, I will focus on the film’s techniques of lightning, color, matte shooting, and camera movement used in order to manipulate the audience’s opinion and produce the scaring effect. First though, I will explore the meaning of cinematography and provide a necessary theoretical background to the research. Cinematography as an Art of Creating Films While cinematography is usually understood in terms of its technical, photographic value for the ‘big picture’ of the film, it is certainly an art. Specifically, the following definition by the American Society of Cinematographers seems appropriate: “Cinematography is the art and craft of the authorship of visual images for the cinema extending from conception and pre-production through post-production to the ultimate presentation of these images.” (“Cinematography”, Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers) Explaining the vision of cinematography, the author of this definition further states that cinematography is about the effective use of photography in a film subject to a variety of organizational, interpretive, physical, image manipulating, and managerial techniques (“Cinematography”, Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers). Hence, cinematography is a process both creative and interpretative which results in an authorship of a unique work contrary to mere recording of a given event. Similar understanding of cinematography is expressed by Brown in his recent book Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors. Brown links the concept to the literal meaning of the term “cinematography” based on the Greek root translated as “writing with motion” (Brown 2). For Brown, cinematography is about creating an original visual world through the use of a cinematic technique. In particular, he explains that at the heart of cinematography is shooting. Yet, cinematography is more than this. It should be seen as “a process of taking ideas, words, actions, emotional subtext, tone, and all other forms of nonverbal communication and rendering them in visual terms.” (Brown 2). Technically, cinematography is based on photography of moving images while the motion picture is being made. Konigsberg in The Complete Film Dictionary says it is about the use of camera angles, movement, and distance, lightning, color, etc (“Cinematography”, Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers). Brown, in his turn, identifies the following tools of cinematography: the frame, the lens, light and color, the texture, movement, establishing, and point of view (Brown 4-10). Respectively, a variety of film techniques are used to produce film shots and they are not used in isolation, as a rule (“Part 3: Cinematography”) Cinematography in Vertigo: Lightning In their book Noir Anxiety, Oliver & Triger relate the specifics of Hitchcock’s use of lighting in Vertigo to the noir genre of the film. They write, “Like other noir directors Hitchcock uses lighting and shadows to create the mood of the film” (Oliver & Triger 101). Indeed, one may find that Judy, who is Madeleine as well, is frequently shot in shadow. This is especially evident when she is shot in silhouette. This silhouette and profile-focused images may have been widely employed for the reason the director wanted the audience to feel Madeleine has been here before. This effect is achieved thanks to the images looking like flashbacks. Additionally, Madeleine is frequently shot both glowing and ghostly in the shots that are overexposed (Oliver & Kelly 101). However, the most striking application of the lightning technique is evident in the scene when Judy appears from the bathroom being dressed just in the same way as Madeleine. Here she is shot amidst the green light, which probably reflects her belonging to the other world. She, actually, resembles an apparition. Close look at the film’s lightning technique helps to see that the lighting alters as important events take place. To illustrate, when Scotty sees Madeleine for the first time in Ernie’s restaurant, Madeleine is shot surrounded by unnaturally bright light. Then, the change of light is evident just as we see Scotty exiting the book shop. While the detective is inside and listening to what the store owner tells him about Madeleine’s ancestor it is very dark. When Scotty leaves the store, it is again bright. Finally, the light reflected by the neon-lit sign in the street surrounds Judy as she emerges from the bathroom made up according to Scotty’s wish. The light is intentionally green with blue. All in all, the use of lightning enhances the story so that its visual impact is truly dramatic. Lightning helps convey the noir mood of the film and marks the events’ importance. Cinematography: Camera Techniques Camera techniques have been recognized as one of the biggest achievements of Hitchcock and his crew. Especially stunning and truly ground-breaking was the use of camera that simulated the vertigo sensation (famous “vertigo shot”) and 360-degree pan which encircles the protagonist’s embrace of Judy, retransformed into the personality of Madeleine (Allen 157). In particular, the vertigo feeling is achieved thanks to a combination of camera techniques of “zooming in and dollying back”: the movement of the subject is being synchronized with the zoom, which results in the changes of background while the subject remains the same size (Krasner 143). Eagan writes that for the only “vertigo” shot, Hitchcock had two men work. The cinematographer Robert Burks in alliance with Irmin Roberts, the second-unit cameraman, employed a combination of a forward zoom with a distinctly reverse dolly, which aimed at achieving the effect of shifting and thus disorienting perspectives (Eagan 547). Edgar-Hunt, Marland, and Rawle describe the technique of the vertigo shot in the following way: tracking toward a hero while zooming out in a simultaneous way, changing focal length and letting the background “stretch into the distance” (Edgar-Hunt, Martland, and Rawle 134-135) The effect of the described technique in the overall context of the film was its emphasis on the viewers’ shock. But it is not just shock for the sake of the shock itself that Hitchcock wanted to achieve. Obviously, Allen is right saying that “in the vertigo shot, the beautiful illusion of the film is destroyed, for the contemplative experience of beauty is transformed into the sensation of shock and overt manipulation” (Allen 159). Another equally celebrated camera technique used in Vertigo is a 360-degree panning. In his Motion Graphics Design: Applied History and Aethetics, Krasner describes panning (from “panorama”) as one of the most common techniques that is based on camera moving horizontally in order to create the impression of a subject scanned. The 30-degree pan takes place after Scotty has succeeded in reconstructing Judy as the deceased Madeleine. As the ex-detective kisses Judy in close-up, the camera’s job is to track around them to the right, yet it pans left as though it is being drawn in the couple. Afterwards it goes on tracking right and is drawn in again. Out of a sudden, the shot’s background starts transforming into the premises of San Juan Batista, the place of Scotty’s last meeting with who he thought was Madeleine and also the place related to Madeleine’s unhappy ancestor Carlotta Valdes. A few moments later the camera is panning again to create an idealized image of an embrace, beautiful and romantic (Allen 160). Cinematography: Matte Shooting One more significant cinematic technique Hitchcock used to create his original visual style in Vertigo is matte shot. This is a process shot which involves a combination of tow photographic images (as a rule, background and foreground ones) into a single image through the use of an optical printer (“Part 2: Mise-en-scene”). Usually matte shooting is employed to add some elements to a perfectly realistic scene or to make fantasy spaces. In Vertigo, Hitchcock resorts to matte shooting in all combinations that are possible. Firstly, the white belfry in the mission is a model which was added on the foreground of a roof shot (Picture 1). In the next image (Picture 2) the sky is definitely a painting, used with the aim to convince the viewer that the scene occurs on the tower’s top floor but not on the Hitchcock’s studio ground. Picture 1 Picture 2 Two more matte shots are a part of the fantasy sequence of the detective’s scene. In Picture 3 the shot presents his head superimposed on rotating psychedelic colors, which signifies Scotty’s nightmarish experience. Finally, the last image is found to reverse the process with its mixture of both real and matted parts in the background (these are the roof and the belfry), plus in the foreground there is an added silhouette (Picture 4). Picture 3 Picture 4 The reason Hitchcock might have wanted to use matte shooting could be his intention to show the space that does not actually exist (as with the detective’s nightmare and with the bell tower). Other reasons were probably related to the fact that some scenes were impossible (or too dangerous) to shoot in reality (“Part 2: Mise-en-scene”).       Cinematography: Use of Color The colors have been carefully chosen and effectively applied by Hitchcock. The director has been cited explaining to Kim Novak, who played the female lead in Vertigo that “the story is of less importance than the overall visual impact on the screen” (“Hitch on the Hump: Vertigo”). Hence, it is no wonder that cinematography is extensively focused on color. The significance of color is determined by the fact that the film’s visual techniques were supposed to create a substitute for the film’s narrative. This aims at affecting above all the viewers’ unconscious since the latter is known to operate by images and associations (Oliver & Trigo 102). The colors in which Hitchcock dressed the female characters reveal much about their personalities. To illustrate, Madeleine is shot wearing white, black, and grey. These are so-called achromatic or, in other words, colors. While in the film Madeleine is a blonde, these colors seem to be quite weird for her, especially grey in her completely grey suit (Picture 6). In addition, wearing a white a coat in combination with a black scarf also seems weird and rather otherworldly (Picture 5 and Picture 7). These colors were, perhaps, chosen by Hitchcock to show that Madeleine is hardly related to our world, to show her unreality, just as the dead are. Similarly, Madeleine’s green dress that she is wearing in the restaurant the night Scottie first sees her relates to the world of ghosts (green is a typical color for the apparitions and ghosts in theater plays) (Picture 8). Picture 5 Picture 6 Picture 7 On the contrary, Midge is clad in sweaters and skirts of pastel colors, which symbolize earthly reality (Oliver & Trigo 102). Yellow is obviously a color of reality: Midge is wearing a yellow sweater as she for the first time appears in the movie. Similarly, her apartment is yellowish, which is a representation of reality for Scottie (Picture 9). Picture 8 Picture 9 As for the character of Judy, she is dressed in a yellow blouse, combined with a green skirt and sweater at the time she is being courted by Scotty. This way Hitchcock uses a mixture of the colors to show how reality is mixed with Madeleine (Picture 10) (“Vertigo: Color Symbolism”). Yet, it seems the green clothes that she wears the moment Scotty spots her foreshadows her imminent death and is used quite similar to how green has been used in previous scenes of the film, with Madeleine (Picture 11). Picture 10 Picture 11 Importantly, green and red are major colors in Vertigo. Green represents the belonging to other world and unreality, while red applies to madness and is predominantly associated with Carlotta and her necklace. It is also related to the world of feminine sexuality and Scotty’s romantic fantasies. It is worth mentioning that the use of red is quite aggressive and thus it also symbolizes danger. To begin with, in the beginning title sequence the close-up of a woman’s face is bathed in exactly red light. Here, Oliver and Trigo explain, this color symbolizes the threat of Carlotta’s inescapable madness (Oliver & Trigo 102) (Picture 12). Picture 12 The use of the color red in relation to Scotty’s romantic fantasies is well illustrated by the shot in Scottie’s apartment. Madeleine is wearing a red bathrobe that he has given her, which evokes the association with his fantasies. Similarly, in the establishing shot of Scottie’s apartment, his door is red (symbolizes his feelings) and Madeleine’s is green (Pictures 13 and 14). Picture 13 Picture 14 All in all, the use of colors in Vertigo helps to create a visually stunning picture thanks to their ability to captures the attention of the audience. The colors enhance the haunting quality of Vertigo. Importantly, the use of color (along with the unprecedented camera movement) by Hitchcock was a turning point in the late 1950s’ cinematography (“Hitchcock film analysis: Vertigo, Psycho, and the Birds”). Conclusion Considering the importance of the visual style for conveying the message, the mood and mystery of the movie Vertigo and its prevalence even over the plot, the cinematic techniques used by Hitchcock played the pivotal role in constructing a number of scenes, especially the most important ones. Thus, the effective use of lightning, matte shooting, camera movement, and color have helped to produce a movie that has become a favorite with thousands of Americans of different age. Works Cited White, S. “Allegory and referentiality: Vertigo and feminist criticism.” Modern Language Notes, 106:910-932. Print. Eagan, D. America's Film Legacy: The Authoritative Guide To The Landmark Movies In The National Film Registry. Continuum International Publishing Group, 2010. Print. Krasner, J. Motion Graphic Design: Applied History and Aesthetics. Focal Press, 2008. Print. SLL. “Hitchcock Film Analysis: Vertigo, Psycho, and the Birds”. Nov 12, 2005. Web. 15 March 2012. < http://voices.yahoo.com/hitchcock-film-analysis-vertigo-psycho-birds- 9897.html?cat=40>. Edgar-Hunt, R., Marland, J. and Steven Rawle. The Language of Film. AVA Publishing, 2010. Print. “Hitch on the Hump: Vertigo (1958)”. The Lightning Bug’s Lair. 8 July 2009. Web. 15 March 2012. < http://www.thelightningbugslair.com/2009/07/hitch-on-hump-vertigo-1958.html>. “Vertigo: Color Symbolism”. Faculty.Cua.Edu. N.d. Web. 15 March 2012. < http://faculty.cua.edu/johnsong/hitchcock/pages/stills-vertigo/colors.html> “Part 2: Mise-en-scene” Classes.Yale.Edu. 2002. Web. 15 March 2012. . Allen, R. Hitchcock’s Romantic Irony. Columbia University Press, 2010. Print. Oliver, K. and Trigo, B. Noir Anxiety. University of Minnesota Press, 2003. Print. "Vertigo." A Dictionary of Nursing. 2008. Web. March 14, 2012 “Cinematography.” Internet Encyclopedia of Cinematographers. N.d. Web. March 15, 2012. Brown, B. Cinematography: Theory and Practice: Image Making for Cinematographers and Directors. Focal Press, 2011. Print. “Part 3: Cinematography”. Classes.Yale.Edu. 2002. Web. 15 March 2012. . Vertigo. Dir. Alfred Hitchcock. Paramount Pictures, 1958. Online. Read More