Vertigo (1958)

In this article, we will be looking at 2019’s book “1001 Movies to See Before You Die” and going through each film in a random order that I have chosen. We will be looking at what constitutes this film to be on the list and whether I think this film deserves to be here at all. I want to make perfectly clear that I won’t be revealing details from this book such as analyses by film reporters who have written about the film in question, so if you want the book itself you’ll have to buy it. But I will be covering the book’s suggestions on which films should be your top priority. I wouldn’t doubt for a second that everyone reading this article has probably watched many of these movies anyway. But we are just here to have a bit of fun. We’re going to not just look at whether it should be on this list but we’re also going to look at why the film has such a legacy at all. Remember, this is the 2019 version of the book and so, films like “Joker” will not be featured in this book and any film that came out in 2020 (and if we get there, in 2021). So strap in and if you have your own suggestions then don’t hesitate to email me using the address in my bio. Let’s get on with it then.

Vertigo (1958) dir. by Sir Alfred Hitchcock

In San Francisco, on the 9th of May 1958 in the Stage Door Theatre at Mason and Geary, a legend was born. One of my personal all-time favourite movies “Vertigo” (1958) by Sir Alfred Hitchcock was premiered at that place and time and even though it is seen as one of the greatest films of all time, it is considered to be a box office downslope in Hitchcock’s career.

Universal Pictures would go on to acquire the rights to Hitchcock’s estate and in the early 80s, “Vertigo” (1958) would be one of the first films reissued alongside “Rear Window” (1954). In the year of 1996, a strange version of the film was released to the public in theatres. Restored by Robert Harris and James Katz, this restoration included higher-toned colour and modern audio, digital surround sound and much more. When it premiered at the Castro Theatre in San Francisco, both Kim Novak - the star of the film, and Patricia Hitchcock - Sir Alfred Hitchcock’s daughter, would be in attendance in person.

Harrison Engle made a documentary about the film called “Obsessed with Vertigo” (1996). Since being released, it has been included in some editions alongside the film “Vertigo” (1958) itself. As part of the “Alfred Hitchcock: The Essentials Collection”, the film was released on DVD in 2011 and then on Blu-Ray in 2012.

In many polls considering British Cinema, “Vertigo” (1958) takes the top spot as the greatest film ever made. In the poll for Sight and Sound however, “Citizen Kane” (1941) had ranked first since 1962, until 2012 when “Vertigo” knocked it off the top spot.

In AFI’s 100 Movies list published in 1998, “Vertigo” ranked at number 61 on the list, whereas on the “100 Thrillers” list published in 2001, it would rank at number 18. Also respected as a film of passion, it ranked again at number 18 on the “100 Passions” list in 2002. The film score too, was well received to the point that it would rank 12th on the list of “100 Years of Film Scores”. But it would be AFI’s 10 Top 10 of the classic genre films, where “Vertigo” was ranked as the greatest mystery film of all time. It would come in at 2nd to “Goodfellas” in Total Film’s 100 Greatest Films of All Time and in the more recent edition of the AFI 100 Greatest list, it would go from 61st place to 9th place.

“Vertigo” (1958) was interred into the National Film Registry at the Library of Congress in 1989 for being “culturally, historically and aesthetically significant”. The film has also been the component of many books and criticisms of the greatness in ability of cinema and the cinematic experience. With Roger Ebert’s 1996 Review of the film being one of the most famous critical works on the film, there are also many other works that have been written about it including many things that have been stated by director Martin Scorsese who went to see it when it first came out. He has named it as one of his favourite films on more than one occasion.