Monday, March 13, 2006

#4: Vertigo (Alfred Hitchcock, 1958)


Because it's Hitchcock pushing us to the furthest limits of his artistry.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

So I was wrong..curses! I'm still waiting for Malick, though.

Javier Aldabalde said...

Good God I think I'm pretty sure about The Top 3 here, though I have no idea about the order. This is super exciting. What will take the bronze?

NicksFlickPicks said...

I swoon.

(Still, this Kubrick situation is keeping me up nights. Drop the bomb! Especially if it's the one about dropping bombs!)

Y Kant Goran Rite said...

Hitchcock! Of course! (I still say Kane belongs here more than Vertigo, but I'm not offended by this choice.)

And what's this about a Kubrick bombshell? I hope it's something about his best film, Paths of Glory. Or at least, his second best, the one Nick is talking about.

tim r said...

I recently rewatched Paths of Glory, which used to be one of my favourites, and I have to say it seemed a cruder film than I remembered. Powerful but a little hectoring. Dr Strangelove is some way down the list, for me, for similar reasons.

So glad to have you all on the edge of your seats! #3, however, should surprise no one.

Javier Aldabalde said...

I adore "Dr. Strangelove", but "Paths of Glory" really is somewhat crude. Best Kubrick pic of the period would be "Lolita" in my opinion - I've rarely had more fun than that.

NicksFlickPicks said...

Huzzah! I've been convinced all this time that Paths of Glory was to be our top-flight appointment with Kubrick, and I really don't care for that film. It's the only one that would have truly flummoxed me at so high a ranking.

tim r said...

These games really make blogging fun, don't they? What shall I do next? It might have to be something Oscar-related, to stop me spending all my time over at Nick's blog...

Anonymous said...

Fine. So the only other Kubrick options are A Clockwork Orange, 2001, Spartacus, Fear and Desire, Killer's Kiss, The Killing, Lolita, and The Shining. There are so many options! I bet it will be something more surprising, but I'm going to say it's 2001: A Space Odyssey.

tim r said...

Say no more, guys. You'll find out shortly...

NicksFlickPicks said...

What you don't know is that I already know. Actually, you know that I know, and I know that you know that I know.

tim r said...

Do I? But how? I'm going to postpone discussion by sticking up #3 right now...

FilmFan said...

Marvellous. Vertigo is my all-time favourite film so I'm glad to see it placed so high.

Javier Aldabalde said...

I know too ;)

Dr. S said...

I find myself wanting to add "with Kim Novak's eyebrows" to your tagline for this film.

NATHANIEL R said...

vertigo isn't anywhere close to my favorite Hitchcock.

but i think this must be because I saw it when i was 14. I don't think I got it at all. and i haven't seen it since. tsk tsk

tim r said...

The remedy isn't hard to come by. Watch it! Watch it again!

Anonymous said...

I just rewatched it. Still his best. For me it's right up there with Rear Window and Psycho.

FilmFan said...

Nathaniel > Definitely watch it again. I didn't get it at 14 either. I remember going around telling everyone that it had "a terrible ending". What a fool I was.

When anyone asks what my favourite Hitchcock films are, I always say: "The four O's - Vertigo, Psycho, Rear Window and North By Northwest-o".

ParChaser said...

I love these lists! Can't wait to see what the top 3 are.

Vertigo is probably Hitchcock's "deepest" film, but is it his best? What about Dial M for Murder, The Birds, or Strangers on a Train? You guys have some great Hitchcock opinions. You should post some of your thoughts on Alfred Hitchcock Films.