A short nine-shot analysis on the opening of the film Vertigo, by Alfred Hitchcock

1. BY HAJRA MUBASHAR

2. This shot, epitomises common features of a thriller film; such as
poor lighting, shadows that conceal the face, the enigmatic
effect is achieved as not all of the face is revealed, it is an
extreme close-up, the audience is inclined to question who this
is, it is not explicit whether the face is of a female or male,
further leaving us in a mystery

3. In this shot the eyes of the person take the readers attention from
anything else in the shot. Half the face is in shadow, which creates a
chiaroscuro effect and looks mysterious. The eyes are suspicious
because they are watery and they look worried. The persons skin is a
very pale white as well which possibly makes you question them. There
is an enigma surrounding what we can see of the face.

4. This shot is quite bizarre as the eyes are looking in a
different direction, it looks like the eyes are unsure and
makes the face look suspicious

5. Here is a very extreme close up of an eye, the shot is sinister as it
is dark and the eye has dilated, looking menacing and the red
connotes anger, anarchy, war, passion, blood, fire, murder, and
danger, the androgyny is maintained as we still have little idea who
the face actually belongs to. The editing is clever as it shows the
text coming out of the eye, which gives an artistic effect.

6. The strange swirls and shapes that follow
connote the unknown and draws the audience
in as they look intriguing to the eye, they move
and we are almost hypnotized by this
movement

7. The shapes and swirls keep changing keeping the
audience interested