Vertigo

Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo plays very well on the title itself. by definition Vertigo means, a dizzying sensation of tilting within stable surroundings or of being in tilting or spinning surroundings. You see this with the camera work and Hitchcock's editing when detective Ferguson at the end of the film is trying to climb the stairs and he looks down at every level and the room starts spinning. His fear of heights is setup in the beginning of the film when he is chasing a criminal and watches his fellow officer fall off a building and die while he dangled on the edge of the roof. Ferguson suffers from acrophobia and even when he was in Midge's apartment stepping on the ladder. He walked up up one level and was ok but as soon as he got to the top the room began spinning and you could see the worry in his eye and then he collapses into Midge's arms. He also plays on the sense of vertigo psychologically to keep the movie moving along showing the struggle the detective deals with everyday sending the audience into a dizzy spell as well. For example, going back and forth with Madeline being Midge after Midge dies and the painting Madeline did of herself with Midge's body. It just sends the audience into a sense of dizziness much like the term vertigo. The director does a very good job at playing with the characters. The film turned out to be psychological chaos for both the characters and the viewer.

Laura

"The story of a love that became the most fearful thing that ever happened to a woman". Film Noir is a movie characterized by low-key lighting, bleak urban setting, and corrupt, cynical characters. Defined by a femme-fatal and the "hero" usually played by a detective. This film takes on a new face of Film Noir. The detective while on persuit of a murderer falls in love with the victim which at the time her presumed to be dead. The main character which is also the detective is a loner, pessimistic. Film Noir does not present him as your typical film hero. Not only does he fall in love with the vicitim and eery type manner he turns into a stalker type figure as well. Hanging out at her apartment constantly, smelling her perfume, going through her underwear drawer, and reading all of her letters past the point of a normal detective would.
Film Noir uses lighting as a key part of film. Generally set in an urban setting in black and white. The set of the Laura's apartment is shadowy and and lit in low-key. When she finally comes back to her apartment to see the detective in her apartment she has this light above her as if giving her a dream like allure and angelic look.
The apartment is set with luxurious effects, primarily given by her benefactor or male escort but not boyfriend. He is in fact in love with her however, which sets up his ending role. The apartment is the main attraction. The way the apartment is lit is a strong contradiction. She lives in luxury but her apartment is lit like there is no real life in there. It is dark and gloomy even when she throws the party after her infamous return with ominous shadows and deep-focus. One item that seemed to be keyed in on a lot was the lamp that made it's way into nearly every shot. Generally, front and center this lamp was frilly with a woman painted on. Much like all of Laura's other belongings I believe this lamp came from her wealthy friend. I took from this lamp that Laura herself was merely an object. An object of voyeurism and exhibitionism. Laura was merely a pawn in the man's world. I saw Laura as being disposable much like the lamp but also being the center of attention at all times even when it's not supposed to be the main focus. For example, the detective is supposed to be finding her murderer, but, he is truly infatuated with her and focusing on falling in love with her when he should be focusing on the case itself.

Citizen Kane

Orson Welles once said, "I want to give the audience a hint of a scene. No more than that. Give them too much and they won't contribute anything themselves. Give them just a suggestion and you get them working with you. That's what gives the theater meaning: when it becomes a social act." The film Citizen Kane directed by Welles is a story of life after death for Charles Foster Kane. The entire film is searching for the meaning behind Kane's final word, "rosebud". Though you never truly learn the meaning behind this hidden phrase the film leaves you with an unsettling and incomplete feeling with a final shot of a sled with the word "rosebud" enscripted on it being thrown into the fire with the rest of the burnables.

My question is...why does Welles leave you with the questions at the end of the film in such an unsettling way? As seen in his quotation he likes leave an audience guessing through out the film. Doing so allows the audience to take part in the making of the film, giving the viewer the power to interpret the film as they see it. This method of film directing is powerful and effective. Only, Welles leaves you with that same unsettling feeling at the end. What were we supposed to grasp from the film? Now-a-days you see film-makers leave a desolate ending in order to lead you into the next film a sequel if you will. But there is no progression, no new film. The film only leaves you guessing. What did Kane mean by "rosebud". Society as a whole desires the full circle effect, beginning, middle, and end. We like the see the result. Welles definately stepped ahead of his time with the film Citizen Kane. He is not a man to be in step with Hollywood. And by not truly giving a full circle ending he began a whole new genre of film. He uses suspense, displacement, flashbacks, and mystery to decipher Kane's life on the way up and back down leading to his eventual demise. Even more so unnerving we do not even know if the flashbacks we see are the real truth or just the truth as others saw it. Memory is subjective and you never really get everything your looking for. The people in Kane's life may only be depicting their memories as they saw it, not as Kane saw it.

Welles for sure created a movie that is everlasting. Kane had the American dream, money, "love", and power. Was it his loss of innocence on his rise to the top that drove him to early death? Was it loss of heart and mercy? The film drives you to think and continue thinking long after the credits have rolled. That makes Orson Welles, Citizen Kane, a true classic.