Vertical
I watched Vertigo yesterday. I won’t deny it’s one of those classic movies that, although great to finally see, didn’t offer many surprises since it’s been parodied so many times. Heck, the Sledge Hammer! episode “Vertical” basically compresses the two hour-long movie into 22 minutes without too many omissions, if you don’t mind it being totally out-of-character and losing out on Hitchcock’s great visuals.
The visuals were the true treat for watching the film – it’s practically a glamour video for 1950s San Francisco! So many beautiful landscapes combined with terrific frame work – it’s a great story and all, but goddamn, those sights! And everyone had such terrific eyebrows. I’d dare say it’s a very sexy film for people who like landscapes and eyebrows. I can’t be the only one, can I?
I really can’t say much because it’s only had over fifty years for people with better opinions than mine to critique it. One thing I did find curious was how after the real wife is killed, the wife’s impersonator not only has a flashback showing the audience what really happened, but also writes a letter that gives further details on the shady shenanigans (before tearing it up so none of the other characters see it). It was fascinating to finally see what really happened, but it seemed oddly placed in the film – the audience knew what really happened, but it takes another forty five minutes for Scottie to catch on, and until then it’s just him in his awkward lonely creeper phase.
I won’t deny that during all the lovey-dovey scenes between him and the woman, it gets a bit tiresome, but I’m just unsentimental like that. I kept expecting it to fade out and say “THE END” every time they got all kissy-style, because I get the impression a man and a woman sucking face is good enough for an ending in the ’50s, no matter all the plots that are left unresolved.
I also watched Disturbia. Shia LaBeouf is put under house arrest, but in observing his neighbours, has suspicions that one of them is murdering people! If I’d actually seen it I’d say it’s like Rear Window with more teenage horniness, but until then I can’t make an official statement. I was a bit concerned over how engaging it would be, from the boring teenage social status angle to the fact that Shia LaBeouf needs a backing cast of space robots to make him slightly interesting, but it’s a fun little movie. It’s worth watching for Aaron Yoo being goofy, if horror ain’t your bag.
