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News & ArtsThursday, January 29, 2009
Film "Your beautiful phony trances!"
Posted by David Schmader on Thu, Jan 29, 2009 at 12:16 PM
Tonight at 8pm is your last chance to catch the newly restored 70mm version of the Alfred Hitchcock/James Stewart classic Vertigo at the Cinerama.
If you've never seen Vertigo, for God's sake, go.
If you've seen Vertigo a hundred times, you understand why watching a newly restored 70mm version of Vertigo at the Cinerama is a perfectly lovely way to spend a Thursday evening.
P.S. If you go, make sure to pee on your way in. The past two times I've seen Vertigo on the big screen, I've needed to whizz during the Dali John Ferren dream sequence. It's like Hitchcock wanted it that way.
6
The dream sequence in Vertigo was done by Disney, and I'm eternally grateful that it wasn't a panic-stricken Goofy falling into Carlotta's grave...
7
@ 5 - It's not one of Hitch's "fun" films, like North by Northwest or Strangers on a Train or The Lady Vanishes (and not to put down those films at all, they're great). It's considered his most personal film, it's about a somewhat necrophiliac obsession; there's a lot of "dark night of the soul" kind of stuff in it.
8
Vertigo is a gorgeous (and flawed) gem. It's not as fun as North by Northwest or Rear Window, but certainly the most personal film Hitch made (and the kinkiest--especially for the 50s).
Thank god Grace Kelly got married and Vera Miles got pregnant so we got Kim Novak.
Thank god Grace Kelly got married and Vera Miles got pregnant so we got Kim Novak.
10
Kind of ironic, David, given that Hitchcock said that the length of a movie should never test the endurance of the human bladder...
11
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(1) The dream sequence in "Spellbound" was designed by Dali. Dali's collaboration with Disney for a proposed film titled "Destino" came to nothing, but left some divinely weird sketches and at least two trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO1ghQFSX… and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr6bKNtp8….
(2) I've learned a lot about myself, movies, and other people by watching and discussing "Vertigo" (which I consider the greatest film ever made). At first I just couldn't believe anyone didn't adore it. Now I believe that to appreciate it fully (to quote Vladimir Nabokov), "You have to be an artist and a madman, a creature of infinite melancholy, with a bubble of poison in your loins and a super-voluptuous flame permanently aglow in your subtle spine..."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(1) The dream sequence in "Spellbound" was designed by Dali. Dali's collaboration with Disney for a proposed film titled "Destino" came to nothing, but left some divinely weird sketches and at least two trailers: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iO1ghQFSX… and http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hr6bKNtp8….
(2) I've learned a lot about myself, movies, and other people by watching and discussing "Vertigo" (which I consider the greatest film ever made). At first I just couldn't believe anyone didn't adore it. Now I believe that to appreciate it fully (to quote Vladimir Nabokov), "You have to be an artist and a madman, a creature of infinite melancholy, with a bubble of poison in your loins and a super-voluptuous flame permanently aglow in your subtle spine..."
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
12
Ok. Now that you have hooked me into wanting to go - Seeing that I am still somewhat of a Seattle newbie, I have a dumb question - what is parking like around the Cinerama?
13
@11 Destino came out and was placed in front of some movies in the spring/summer of 2004. I saw it in theaters in Europe. It was interesting, though slow.
14
@12,
There's a paid parking lot right behind the Cinerama. It also seems like street parking is pretty light in the evening around there, but, as I don't own a car, I could be wrong.
There's a paid parking lot right behind the Cinerama. It also seems like street parking is pretty light in the evening around there, but, as I don't own a car, I could be wrong.
16
The problem with Vertigo is that I'm moony/moody for days after seeing it and I always want to immediately go to San Francisco...
and, I'm always amused by the fact that there's no other people around at all the touristy places they visit...the two missions, Fort Point, the redwoods, etc. San Francisco has always been full of tourists so the lack of them in the location shots, only adds to the dream like atmosphere.
and, I'm always amused by the fact that there's no other people around at all the touristy places they visit...the two missions, Fort Point, the redwoods, etc. San Francisco has always been full of tourists so the lack of them in the location shots, only adds to the dream like atmosphere.
17
@14
Hey, thanks! Always good to check when trying to drive downtown. I usually take the bus but when the movie lets out it is only running twice an hour. So, I think I'll wimping out and drive. Thanks again.
Hey, thanks! Always good to check when trying to drive downtown. I usually take the bus but when the movie lets out it is only running twice an hour. So, I think I'll wimping out and drive. Thanks again.
18
Vertigo kicks ass, but as far as I know it was restored/reconstructed (sound elements) in around '98, not recently. So not quite "newly". Still, though, you should go.
19
Sad Comment, yeah, you should have no problem finding street parking. I would allow a little extra time, as you may end up circling a little on one-way streets. 5th Ave has parking all along under the monorail...as well as on most side streets near 5th & Lenora.
You're in for a treat...not just the film, which is tremendous -- incl. Bernard Herrmann's brilliant score & the wonderful San Francisco cinematography -- but also the Cinerama itself. The theater is a Seattle gem, rescued from the wrecking ball by Paul Allen & restored even beyond its former glory. Cinerama has a giant screen & they just replaced all the seats as well.
You're in for a treat...not just the film, which is tremendous -- incl. Bernard Herrmann's brilliant score & the wonderful San Francisco cinematography -- but also the Cinerama itself. The theater is a Seattle gem, rescued from the wrecking ball by Paul Allen & restored even beyond its former glory. Cinerama has a giant screen & they just replaced all the seats as well.
20
@19
I am looking forward to it. I love huge old movie theaters and it will be great to see Vertigo on a big screen. Thanks blackhook.
I am looking forward to it. I love huge old movie theaters and it will be great to see Vertigo on a big screen. Thanks blackhook.
21
@ 16 - Michael, if you think about it, SF is actually a character in the film.
@ 11 - yep, the Nabokov quote is me, right down to the bubble of poison in my loins...
@ 11 - yep, the Nabokov quote is me, right down to the bubble of poison in my loins...
23
I remember seeing Rear Window in a theater after an earlier restoration. That moment when Raymond Burr realizes that he's been watched the whole time and looks out and sees James Stewart across the way, and he's actually looking at US, the audience, the whole audience screamed. Hitch would have been proud.
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