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Vertigo - Collector's Edition

Vertigo - Collector's Edition

List Price: $19.98
Your Price: $14.99
Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Vertigo easily Hitchcock's Best
Review: In my life there have been a very few films that leave me awe struck, this is one. Jimmy Stewart plays a man plauged with vertigo after a traumatic experience involving the death of a fellow officer. With this new development Stewart is left with little to do and accepts an offer from an old friend to follow his wife. The rest would be unthinkable to spoil. With acting, cinematography,directing,the greatest film ending in history,and beauty to boot this a film that should be studied(and worshipped) for decades to come.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: More than a great mystery--a great tragic love poem.
Review: All true movie fans have a scene from a movie that, for them, represents the pinnacle of cinematic art; for me, it's the scene where Scotty Ferguson, having remade Judy Barton into the image of the lost Madeline Elster, sees Judy dressed and coiffed as Madeline for the first time. The spectral apparition of the lost love reclaimed, like a ghost from the mists of eternity, has an emotional impact like no other scene in the cinema. Tragic, obsessive love is a staple of literature, but not so much one of movies, which after all must have happy endings to keep people buying tickets. Alfred Hitchcock gambled on tragedy with Vertigo, and lost the original bet insofar as ticket sales and critical comment ran in 1958; but he won the ultimate battle with posterity. Like a great novel or epic poem, Vertigo has layer upon layer of meaning and nuance that can be unveiled only by successive viewings. It's redundant now--but still vitally necessary--to praise the powerful performances of James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes; the swirling, hypnotic photography of Robert Burks; the haunting music of Bernard Herrmann, in what must surely be the greatest film score ever composed; and, of course, the genius who brought them all together to make "Vertigo," my nomination for the greatest film of all time.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Unique
Review: For those who connect with this film, there is a bevy of pleasure to be taken from it. The DVD is loaded with extras...and not just cheesy filler stuff. Literally HOURS of viewing and exploring.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Both haunting and shocking!
Review: Vertigo is one of Hitchcock's best movies ever. The story, both haunting and shocking is about a woman (played by Kim Novak) who seems to be possessed by her great grandmother. Her husband hires a detective (played by Jimmy Stewart) to follow her because he's worried that she will try to kill herself. Then the story develops into a murder mystery with a very shocking ending. This DVD is an absolute must for any Hitchcock collection. The video transfer and audio has been painstakingly restored by Universal at a cost of over a million dollars and took over two years to complete. There is a wonderful documentary called "Obsessed with Vertigo" that explains the restoration process and also gives some behind the scenes info. I can't recommend this disk enough. Buy it!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: Wonderful fim about a detective who falls for his friend's wife and then falls for her double! Mindblowing and haunting, with a great score by Bernard Hermann. Jimmy stewart gives the performance of his career. Kim Novak is in her best self, a mysterious, cool blonde hiding a big secret. The dream sequence of this film is priceless.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Perhaps the most overpraised of the Hitchcock canon.
Review: Oh, how cineastes love this one! Unfortunately, it's almost as if Hitch read all those 50's "Cahiers du Cinema" articles and started taking himself too seriously. The film is self-conscious and artificial, and unlike the director at his best, has absolutely no sense of humor. The fact is that Hitchcock played with "Big Themes" and his own obsessions in many, many of his films, without laying it on with a trowel. Here, there's not only a trowel, but a steamroller. Of course, even 2nd rate Hitchcock has its joys. But there's definitely "less here than meets the eye". If you like your Hitchcock with Freudian overtones, go for "Spellbound" (at least it's campy).

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: An Achievement Like No Other
Review: This is a truly great film. The visual effects, the acting, Bernard Hermann's score, and the storyline are all great in this film. The only problem with the film: it's kinda slow (not as slow as "Psycho"). Other than this, I recommend this film to everyone. It is a piece of film history not to be missed.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: A haunting and beautiful classic.
Review: Vertigo is a true classic from the Master, Alfred Hitchcock. Upon its release, Vertigo was not well received by the public or the critics. Since that time it has rightfully started to garner the attention and respect it deserves.

The story is good, incorporating drama, suspense, and romance. Vertigo has one of the finest, most gripping, finales I have come across in any motion picture. Even after repeated viewings, the ending still manages to send shivers up my spine.

The acting is good all the way around. Jimmy Stewart delivers an absolutely wonderful performance as the slightly disturbed John 'Scottie' Ferguson, a man with a strong fear of heights and an obsession with the mysterious Mrs. Madeleine Elster. Madeleine is played to a cool, smooth perfection by the talented Kim Novak.

Robert Burks brings a lot of atmosphere to Vertigo through his cinematography. The colors are vibrant and glowing, giving the film a haunting aura.

Bernard Herrmann is at his best, delivering an absolutely riveting and disorienting musical score. The effects for the opening title sequence combined with Herrmann's score really set the tone of the film.

Hitchcock's direction is fantastic as always. For this film, he created the infamous "dizzy effect" shot by simultaneously zooming forward and reverse tracking with the camera. This shot has been imitated by many but rarely has it been as effective as it is here.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: vertigo...the greatest(yet the most misunderstood)movie ever
Review: for anyone with a brain it should be understood why vertigo has always and always will recieve so much praise. its a great film first for the obvious reasons: great acting (kim novak was nominated for an academy award), a great musical score (check out the sdtk by bernard herrmann), beautiful scenery, and last but not least its a HITCHCOCK film. if that doesnt do it for you well you should have your head examined(immediately). this movie also is a very personal film for the master of suspense. it mirrors his relationship with his most admired leading lady, GRACE KELLY. it is known that he wanted her to star in all of his films, but when she married prince rainer of monaco and became PRINCESS GRACE she turned her back on hollywood and on hitchcock. he tried desparately to replace her. vera miles(the wrong man) was to be his new grace kelly and vertigo was going to launch her career but she became pregnant and turned down the role. doris day was even said to have feelings that while filming 'the man who knew too much' hitchcock obviously wished she was grace kelly. vertigo mirrors that relationship exactly which explains the tragic ending. he loses his love and tries to replace her with a look alike and end the end he still loses her after everything (just like hitch lost grace). knowing that elelment of his life makes watching vertigo better and better each time, not including how great the movie is in general. so in conclusion maybe those who cant grasp the greatness of vertigo should do a little research or follow in madelines footsteps and jump of a building or tower(whatever you prefer)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: No words can truly describe...
Review: The most indelible imagery ever created exists in these two hours. It is best not to try to place this movie into words, just to say it must be experienced. Why?

The opening credits are mesmerizing. The Bernard Herrmann score lingers on. The special effects were groundbreaking. Edith Head's wardrobe lingers in the mind.

And this is a great transfer. I first rented the old CBS/FOX release at a video store and was not impressed. I then later purchased the restored widescreen VHS because somehow I knew I wanted to. And the movie's restoration just makes the whole experience come full circle.

The new surround tracks are phenomenal, especially when they are mainly used to enhance the scoring. The colors just scream brilliance. When compared to the faded, muddy transfer of the 80's there truly is no comparison.

It might be that you can't understand Vertigo until you give it more than one try. It may be that a facelift is just what this picture needed. Or it may be that sometimes magic costs less than $20 to experience for a lifetime.


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