Alfred Hitchcock Vertigo Related To Psychology

Vertigo, produced by Alfred Hitchcock, examines the disconcerting and horrific nature of human desires and wants, demonstrating that they are ultimately unobtainable. Hitchcock deals predominantly with male desires for freedom and power and thus constructs a story in which such desires are achieved through the cruel control and manipulation of women. This is particularly clear in the scene where Judy, Scottie’s ‘second love’, is made over into Madeline by Scottie, therefore killing Judy.

Scottie’s loss of masculinity due to his paralyzing vertigo provides the base of the series of actions that film goes on to show. Scottie suffers from the feeling of weakness that he desperately wants to dissipate by obtaining freedom, power and control. Midge, his longtime friend as well ex-fiancé, is too overtly independent for him to control and hence, Scottie has no interest in her. Thus, when Gavin Elster asks him to follow his seemingly possessed wife Madeline, Scottie, though at first reluctant, agrees due to his immediate attraction toward the sensual Madeline.
The first image of Madeline is of her dressed in striking green, which stands out from both the red, almost womb-like nature of the restaurant surrounding them, and the darker colours of the customers around them. The interplay of the red and green colour scheme throughout the film forms an integral part of the film, particularly of the scene whereby Judy is transformed into