Obsession

Posted on April 19th, 2007 by shayden.
Categories: Uncategorized.

Wow, I really liked Vertigo, and although some things in the film were a little unclear, I definitely got the obsession theme. Scottie starts off as a normal guy, but he becomes obsessive over “Madeline,” or what he imagines her to be. Madeline’s husband makes it appear that she is fixated on Carlotta, and in the process of trying to help her Scottie becomes the one who is really obsessed. Scottie seemingly goes over the edge once he puts two and two together about Judy and Madeline. I don’t think it means he is crazy, but it does show that normal people can become over taken with their passions so much so that they lose a grip on what is really happening. There is a fine line between reality and an obsessed person’s made up world. His friend Midge tries to ground him and bring him back to reality but he is too far gone with his infatuation for “Madeline” to respond to her efforts.

6 comments.

gcampbel

Comment on April 19th, 2007.

Midge is a crucial character in this drama. Why do you think Scottie rejects her as a love interest?

shayden

Comment on April 19th, 2007.

I think he rejects her because there is no mystery with her. She is very ordinary and too willingly available to him. It would be too easy for him to give in to her. Also, Midge mentions early in the film that they were once engaged and she was the one who broke it off so I imagine there is some sense of pride for Scottie. Since she broke up with him, it would seem kind of pathetic for him to go back to her.

gcampbel

Comment on April 20th, 2007.

Actually, that’s a very strange moment (and in this film, that’s saying something): Scottie tells Midge to remember that she broke it off, but Midge’s expression suggests that she doesn’t remember it that way at all. Very odd closeup at that moment….

I’m Always Home. I’m Uncool. » Blog Archive

Pingback on April 26th, 2007.

[...]             Perhaps the blog that I most closely agree with, and a blog which helped to inspire some of the thoughts in this post, is Stephanie’s post about the theme of obsession. I felt as though that was the most important and prevalent theme in the film, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought so. I think Stephanie does a good job of succinctly putting into one sentence one of the most essential parts of Hitchcock’s film: “There is a fine line between reality and an obsessed person’s made up world.” There is also an interesting thread of comments in regards to Midge that I found very insightful, I would not have thought to talk about her in this post had I not read this blog.  [...]

My blog » Blog Archive

Pingback on April 29th, 2007.

[...] I feel that Stephanie H., though talking about Vertigo and Portrait of Jennie, describes the idea behind not only those two films but Mulholland Dr as well. She brings up this issue of obsession, which definitely is the entire setup of this entire movie. Without Diane’s obsession with Camilla, her alternate/dream world would not exist. Also, at the bottom of this page, there is a comment that so greatly says “There is a fine line between reality and an obsessed person’s made up world”, what better way to some up this movie. [...]

I’m Always Home. I’m Uncool. » Blog Archive » Scotty, Eben, and an Obsession With Women…no, Wait…the Past… no, Wait…

Pingback on May 9th, 2007.

[...] Perhaps the blog that I most closely agree with, and a blog which helped to inspire some of the thoughts in this post, is Stephanie’s post about the theme of obsession. I felt as though that was the most important and prevalent theme in the film, and I’m glad I’m not the only one who thought so. I think Stephanie does a good job of succinctly putting into one sentence one of the most essential parts of Hitchcock’s film: “There is a fine line between reality and an obsessed person’s made up world.” There is also an interesting thread of comments in regards to Midge that I found very insightful, I would not have thought to talk about her in this post had I not read this blog. [...]

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