Comments on: A Few Small Thoughts on Vertigo http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/ Tue, 02 Dec 2008 20:27:17 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: mark’s awesome blog http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-97 mark’s awesome blog Fri, 27 Apr 2007 18:39:23 +0000 http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-97 [...] Mary-Carolyn’s blog raises a thought-provoking analysis of Midge. Earlier, I stated that Midge was easy to categorize because she is a simple character. After reading Mary-Carolyn’s post I’m not so sure. There can be a lot made up about Midge, because we are not given much about her. I feel like maybe during the original screenplay there may have been more of Midge, but her story was cut out due to various constraints (time, Hollywood, etc.) It just seems to me that is it very unnatural for her character to just somewhat disappear with no explanation. However, Mary-Carolyn offers a theory that she sacrifices herself for Scottie. She has an excellent explanation in her blog, which I will let you read instead of paraphrase it myself. [...] [...] Mary-Carolyn’s blog raises a thought-provoking analysis of Midge. Earlier, I stated that Midge was easy to categorize because she is a simple character. After reading Mary-Carolyn’s post I’m not so sure. There can be a lot made up about Midge, because we are not given much about her. I feel like maybe during the original screenplay there may have been more of Midge, but her story was cut out due to various constraints (time, Hollywood, etc.) It just seems to me that is it very unnatural for her character to just somewhat disappear with no explanation. However, Mary-Carolyn offers a theory that she sacrifices herself for Scottie. She has an excellent explanation in her blog, which I will let you read instead of paraphrase it myself. [...]

]]> By: Ben http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-80 Ben Wed, 25 Apr 2007 16:17:14 +0000 http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-80 I'm just interested in the fact that of all of the characters (well, very few characters) to talk about in Vertigo, it seems like Midge would be the last that everyone jumps on to talk about, and yet the largest conversations that I've been having on the blogs has been about her, and her role. Its like having a shot of the commonplace in your weird story set on a distant planet. Yet... still there's something not quite right about her. Maybe she could never commit to an adventure like Scottie's. Maybe, Midge is afraid to go look, because she's afraid she'll be hurt, and so she sticks by the boring Ferguson. Which is even more why she's so hurt when he get wrapped up with Madeline. I’m just interested in the fact that of all of the characters (well, very few characters) to talk about in Vertigo, it seems like Midge would be the last that everyone jumps on to talk about, and yet the largest conversations that I’ve been having on the blogs has been about her, and her role.

Its like having a shot of the commonplace in your weird story set on a distant planet. Yet… still there’s something not quite right about her. Maybe she could never commit to an adventure like Scottie’s. Maybe, Midge is afraid to go look, because she’s afraid she’ll be hurt, and so she sticks by the boring Ferguson. Which is even more why she’s so hurt when he get wrapped up with Madeline.

]]> By: gcampbel http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-77 gcampbel Tue, 24 Apr 2007 22:11:40 +0000 http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-77 Scottie tells Midge not to be so motherly. Midge teases Scottie about how he's a "big boy" who knows about brassieres. Midge teases Scottie about his obsession but is furious with herself when she drives him away. Midge calls herself "mother" when she's with Scottie in the hospital. Fascinating and complex stuff here. In some ways, Midge is an anti-Madeline. Yet her shallowness is all an act--she's the queen of chitchat, but wishes to be more, with Scottie. Or so it seems. Scottie tells Midge not to be so motherly. Midge teases Scottie about how he’s a “big boy” who knows about brassieres. Midge teases Scottie about his obsession but is furious with herself when she drives him away. Midge calls herself “mother” when she’s with Scottie in the hospital.

Fascinating and complex stuff here. In some ways, Midge is an anti-Madeline. Yet her shallowness is all an act–she’s the queen of chitchat, but wishes to be more, with Scottie. Or so it seems.

]]> By: Ben http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-76 Ben Tue, 24 Apr 2007 19:40:46 +0000 http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-76 I didn't even think about that with Midge. I talked on my blog a bit about how I think Midge is supposed to be the audience's focal reference point with Scottie's past. I think that Midge is extremely similar to a pre-Vertigo Scottie, both living in a fairly mundane existence. Yet, you're right. I think there's something else to her that I haven't quite figured out. I should watch it again. I didn’t even think about that with Midge. I talked on my blog a bit about how I think Midge is supposed to be the audience’s focal reference point with Scottie’s past. I think that Midge is extremely similar to a pre-Vertigo Scottie, both living in a fairly mundane existence.

Yet, you’re right. I think there’s something else to her that I haven’t quite figured out. I should watch it again.

]]> By: Robyn http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-72 Robyn Tue, 24 Apr 2007 04:27:52 +0000 http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-72 Oh my gosh, I totally have been crazy over where Midge went. I loved Midge! I feel like there is something to Midge that I can't grasp. Let me know if you come to anything. Oh my gosh, I totally have been crazy over where Midge went. I loved Midge! I feel like there is something to Midge that I can’t grasp. Let me know if you come to anything.

]]> By: gcampbel http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-62 gcampbel Sat, 21 Apr 2007 22:26:09 +0000 http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-62 Midge is a fascinating character. So, so much to say about her.... Midge is a fascinating character. So, so much to say about her….

]]> By: The PUNisher http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-61 The PUNisher Sat, 21 Apr 2007 15:44:20 +0000 http://blogs.elsweb.org/marycarolyn/2007/04/21/a-few-small-thoughts-on-vertigo/#comment-61 Yeah I was a little upset that Midge was forgotten after the mental hospital scene. That last thing we see her do is walk down the hallway after speaking to the doctor. Of course that hallway is filmed in a symmetric pattern with the end of it being directly in the middle of the frame. If you read my earlier blog post I talk about how that path is the path people travel to try to understand someone's soul. It's much like looking directly into the woman's eye in the early title sequence. Midge just realized that Scottie loved Madeleine and will always love her. Maybe that's why we don't see her anymore. She knows she can never capture the heart of Scottie like Madeleine did. Yeah I was a little upset that Midge was forgotten after the mental hospital scene. That last thing we see her do is walk down the hallway after speaking to the doctor. Of course that hallway is filmed in a symmetric pattern with the end of it being directly in the middle of the frame. If you read my earlier blog post I talk about how that path is the path people travel to try to understand someone’s soul. It’s much like looking directly into the woman’s eye in the early title sequence. Midge just realized that Scottie loved Madeleine and will always love her. Maybe that’s why we don’t see her anymore. She knows she can never capture the heart of Scottie like Madeleine did.

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