Vertigo in 35mm

In Vertigo, the vibrant rendering of the Oscar-nominated art direction aids in the overwhelming impact of this vividly realized psychological thriller. In the picture’s most memorable scenes, Kim Novak’s mysterious Madeleine is associated with green through costuming and her surroundings, such as her car and apartment. Shooting on Eastman stock and printing in Technicolor, director Alfred Hitchcock used the color to symbolize the growing obsession of private investigator Scottie (James Stewart) with Madeleine. The original costume on display in Color in Motion, worn by Novak and created by renowned costume designer Edith Head, reflects a modern, relaxed character juxtaposed to the austere woman Scottie thought he knew.

DIRECTED BY: Alfred Hitchcock. WRITTEN BY: Alec Coppel, Samuel Taylor. WITH: James Stewart, Kim Novak, Barbara Bel Geddes, Tom Helmore. 1958. 126 min. USA. Technicolor. English. Rated PG. 35mm. New print courtesy of the Academy Film Archive.