classical hollywood era

• Vertigo was made in the decline of the CHE - 1958
• Hollywood was dominated by an oligopoly - a market structure in which a few firms dominate
• The hollywood system included:

  The big five: MGM, RKO, Warner Brothers, 20th century fox and Paramount.

  Three mini studios: Universal, Columbia and United Artists.
• Vertigo's studio was Paramount, and it reflects this in many ways, including:


  Use of classical continuity editing

  Shot in VistaVision - used when KN is foregrounded infront of the golden gate bridge

  Kim Novak = star

  Film Noir
• Paramount head = Barney Balaban
• Columbia pictures head = Harry Cohen
• Restrictions of the Hollywood studio system

  Studio selected: scripts and cast
• Paramounts genre = Film Noir

  Vertigo genre = thriller and film noir
• Technicolour


  A filmmaking process that allowed films to be shot in colour.
• Hollywood classical style: 'invisible style and sense of realism' David Bordwell


  Objective camera work
• The Star System

  Actors would become a 'star' under a studio, and they could not work with other studios.
• Kim Novak and Harry Cohen


  Kim was a star under Columbia pictures, head Harry Cohen was incredibly controlling of her - breaking off her interracial relationship and changing her first name (attempting to change both) since he felt she was too ethnic, she refused (much like Judy)
• Kim Novak and Vertigo

  Paramount studios payed $250,000 to columbia to use Kim, who was being said to be the next Marilyn.

  Yet she was still paid her weekly salary of $1250

  Much of Kims relationship with Harry Cohen + Hitchcock is reflected in Judy and Scottie.
• James Stewert


  He used to be a star, playing the typical role of the family man which was much like his off-screen persona.

  Vertigo came as a shock to see James Stewert in a creepy, agressive and dominating role.
• Hitchcock = a free agent
• What makes Vertigo reflect the work of Hitchcock and not the classical Hollywood style?

  Use of colour - technicolour + enhanced colour imagery
• The Hays Code = a cencorship rule


  It said films should not lower moral standards

  They should not depict sex, violence or crime

  A crimanal can not get away unpunished
• Ways Vertigo breaks the Hays Code

  Criminal at the beginning gets away

  Elster gets away unpunished

  Scottie + Judy = immoral yet we are positioned to sympathise with them

  Kim Novak = hints at sexual act when naked in bed.

  Kiss scene = hints
• The narrative were structured with an unmistakeable beginning, middle and end.

  Generally, there is a distinct goal, resolution and agency.
• Classical Narrative Structure

  Beginning = narrative equilibrium

  Disruption

  Goals

  Obstructions

  Climax

  Resolution
• Classical Hollywood aesthetic - OBJECT PERMANENCE?

  The biggest rule is object permanence, the viewer must believe that the scene exits outside the shot of the cinematic frame to maintain the pictures realism.
• Treatment of space

  Centre = person or objects of significance occupy, never out of focus

  Balance = visual composition highlights even distribution throughout the frame.

  Frontality = the actions is adressed towards spectator

  Depth = set, lighting (three point) and costumed designed to seperate foreground from background.
• Restrictions of Studio system?

  Deadlines were tight due to the mass production of films
• Restrictions?


  Films rarely shot on the basis of the director, and the director was kept out of the promotion of the film (name written small on the poster compared to the film's studio + stars)
• Vertigo a Hitchcock work not Paramount?

  Dolly zoom
• Soviet montage .
• Excessive use of score - 74 minutes
• Subjective camera work
• Realistic elements, but overall poetic dreamlike tone
• 'I am never satisfied with the ordinary.' Hitchcock to Truffaut
• Cemetery + dream sequence = German expressionism
• Scottie = spiral goals

  Plot goals

  Linear fashion = but repeats over twice
• Hollywood classical style: 'invisible style and sense of realism' David Bordwell



  Objective camera work
• Master and establishing shots (Ernie)
• Continuity editing
• Score to heighten emotion (Bernard Herrmann score)
• Cinematography: SRS, establishing shots, studio shooting, frontality, balance and central framing, 180* rule,