Vertigo and Classical Cinema

Martin Scorsese - Vertigo is cinema poetry


Classical Hollywood cinematic techniques


Martin Scorsese - Vertigo is cinema poetry


Classical Hollywood cinematic techniques:
The devices most inherent to classical Hollywood cinema are those of continuity editing.
Jump cuts are allowed in the form of the axial cut, which does not change the angle of shooting at all, but has the clear purpose of showing a perspective closer or farther from the subject, and therefore does not interfere with temporal continuity.
Classical narration progresses always through psychological motivation, i. e., by the will of a human character
This narrative is structured with an unmistakable beginning, middle and end, and generally there is a distinct resolution
Directors became more in charge of their films, as opposed to the studio controlled productions
Bazin - classical film is a photograph play, in which events existed objectively, and the camera is just getting the best angles
Little use of sound effects, and more so score and soundtrack


Martin Scorsese - Vertigo is cinema poetry


Classical Hollywood cinematic techniques


Martin Scorsese - Vertigo is cinema poetry
Vertigo has some new wave editing styles - the dream sequence, but still relies on the classical Hollywood day-to-day editing


Classical Hollywood cinematic techniques:
The devices most inherent to classical Hollywood cinema are those of continuity editing.
Jump cuts are allowed in the form of the axial cut, which does not change the angle of shooting at all, but has the clear purpose of showing a perspective closer or farther from the subject, and therefore does not interfere with temporal continuity.
Classical narration progresses always through psychological motivation, i. e., by the will of a human character
This narrative is structured with an unmistakable beginning, middle and end, and generally there is a distinct resolution
Directors became more in charge of their films, as opposed to the studio controlled productions
Bazin - classical film is a photograph play, in which events existed objectively, and the camera is just getting the best angles


Vertigo production context: Shift to new wave techniques


Blade Runner production context: Societal opinions - fear of Cold War, growing globalization, computers and rise of tech fear and tech revolution


Could end up with a question comparing classical Hollywood to new wave - editing and lighting are good ways in