A Filmmaker's Guide to 45 Things You Should Know About "Vertigo" (1958)

One of my favourite films of all time and possibly one of my favourite films by Hitchcock next to Strangers on a Train (1951) - Vertigo (1958) has constantly been referred to as one of the greatest films ever made due to its deceptive and dark nature. Its ability to keep you guessing and keep you invested in the entire story is something you hardly see anymore in film. The great performance of Jimmy Stewart and the magnum opus of Kim Novak are included in this classic psychodrama in which you will constantly feel as if you've missed something important. It is a brilliant movie that plays with fear and toys with trust. I absolutely love it and watch it whenever it appears on TV or whenever I need a thrill.

So, let us carry on and go through some things you may or may not know about this amazing classic, Vertigo (1958):

SPOILER ALERT: this article may contain spoilers, if you have not seen the movie and do not want spoilers then do not read on from this point

All the things you should know about Vertigo (1958)

1. The film contains a number of echoes to Hitchcock's later film "Psycho" (1960) - a woman driving a car solitary through a countryside, close-ups of a woman's eyes, a woman writing something on a piece of paper only to rip it up, keys jangling on a key rack to symbolise empty rooms etc.

2. The condition Scottie has isn't actually vertigo, it's acrophobia

3. In the novel, it is known that Judy and Madeline are the same person but Hitchcock decided to save it until the end, making the atmosphere far more tense

4. The main themes of the female identity in film "power" and "freedom" are words repeated over and over in the film

5. There are numerous clues to the deception of Judy/Madeline through repetition in the film and reflections

6. Judy shows Scottie her license which is from Salinas, and at the same time as this film, Kim Novak was filming "Picnic" in Salinas, California.

7. Audrey Hepburn expressed interest in playing the leading lady role of Judy/Madeline

8. It is only one of Hitchcock's films where the killer is not punished

9. Judy shows Scottie a picture of her father. He is holding a pitchfork and this echoes the painting "American Gothic"

10. It is written in Alfred Hitchcock's screen notes that the final line of Kim Novak is said by a nun and dubbed into the film

11. Included on the 1001 Films You Must See Before You Die

12. On the re-release of the DVD, it is rated PG-13

13. Entertainment Weekly's 19th greatest film of all time

14. Scottie wants Judy to buy a shoe from a company called Delman

15. The movie is included on Roger Ebert's Great Movies List

16. A 1955 DeSoto Fireflite is driven by Jimmy Stewart in the movie

17. AFI's 9th Greatest Film of All Time

18. Kim Novak didn't have a screen-test for this movie

19. Joseph Cotton was considered for Scottie

20. "Last Cup of Sorrows" by Faith No More is a music video based on the movie

21. The 2nd greatest film of all time according to Total Film Magazine

22. The location for Madeline's apartment is across the street from the Fairmont Hotel

23. The average shot length is 6.7 seconds

24. Kim Novak hated the grey suit worn by Madeline

25. In 1989, this film was entered into the Library of Congress's National Film Registry for being culturally significant

26. Hitchcock wanted to cast Lana Turner as Judy/Madeline but she was asking for too much money

27. Saul Bass, the poster designer, designed the poster for this film and "Anatomy of a Murder" in a similar way

28. The suits Scottie wear throughout the movie are of four different colours, this is a colour collection for a rich bachelor of the era

29. Scottie's house was in the same place until 2013

30. On-location filming lasted 16 days

31. The word 'vertigo' is only said once in the movie

32. In 2012, Sight and Sound Magazine replaced Citizen Kane (1941) with Vertigo (1958) as its greatest film of all time

33. The only negative reports came from people who thought Jimmy Stewart was too old to play a romantic lead

34. Kim Novak went on strike in the middle of filming, demanding more pay and she got a raise

35. Vera Miles was originally chosen to play Judy/Madeline but she became pregnant shortly before filming started

36. Scottie's tailing of Madeline is geographically correct and the route can be followed

37. It was initially considered a flop by critics

38. When Hitchcock described the movie to Truffaut he stated: "To put it plainly, the man wants to go to bed with a woman who is dead."

39. Kim Novak doesn't speak until a third of a way through the movie

40. Hitchcock believed Novak was miscast for the part

41. When the film was shot, there was a 25 year age difference between Novak and Stewart

42. Hitchcock spent a week filming the scene when Novak stares at a painting in order to get it just right

43. The Empire Hotel featured in the film is now called the Vertigo Hotel

44. It was unavailable for three decades because of a rights dispute

45. The opening title sequence makes use of computer graphics