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Explore the transformation of a manufactured romantic idol into a celestial goddess through a director's relationship with a star, set against beautiful landscapes in a travelogue for the mobile middle class. In a post-war nation still wealthy, find a new sense of purpose amidst matte backgrounds and loss of function. Follow Scottie, once a cop now a wanderer, navigating America's cold war aspirations in the opening credits' panorama of San Francisco and the iconic Vertigo shot. Delve into America's industrial supremacy, fetishization, voyeurism, and the spiral motif accompanied by themes of money, class, and aristocracy versus nouveau riche. Experience the hallucinatory effects of the narrative, culminating in an ambiguously foreign threat to America's dominance. "Stop trying to control me!"
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Vertigo The Critic as Consumer
Manufactured Romantic IdolRecreated into a celestial goddess by a man= director’s relationship with star
Consumerist beauty • Beautiful landscapes • Travelogue for increasingly mobile middle class • After war- nation still wealthy • Needs new sense of purpose
Loss of function • Scottie no longer a cop • Now a wanderer, gives up “surveillance” • America’s cold war aspirations- opening credits, panorama of SF • Track out, zoom in shots- the Vertigo shot • America’s industrial supremacy
The spiral motif • Hair- seduction • Camera panning around embracing couple • Staircase • Hallucinatory effect
Aristocracy and the nouveau riche • America vs. Europe • Scottie’s nightmare- Elster with Carlotta • Ambiguously foreign threat…….to America’s dominance