Film Classics: Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo
In 2012, VERTIGO was named “the greatest film of all time,” by international film critics, unseating CITIZEN KANE from its 50-year reign as the pinnacle of cinematic achievement. Now widely considered to be Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece, VERTIGO’s reputation has undergone a remarkable turnaround since its inauspicious first run in 1958. What makes this film so special? This two-session program, curated and presented by Oliver Gaycken, a professor at the University of Maryland, will explore the history of the film’s production, reception, and critical re-evaluation.
Series Events
Full Series Pass
Purchase a ticket to all sessions and receive a discount.
Tickets: $40 / $32 Avalon members
Buy Series PassWed, May 13, 10:30 am – 12:45 pm
Session 1 will trace VERTIGO’s production history as well as its critical reception, both initially and over the ensuing half century. It also will include a detailed analysis of the film’s style—particularly how the use of recurring patterns, or motifs, interact with the film’s narrative themes. The final part of the lecture will explore the film’s “afterlives” as a cultural touchstone in the work of other filmmakers and artists, as well as in the film’s own 1996 restoration.
Tickets: $30 / $25 Avalon members
Session 2: Vertigo Screening and Discussion
Wed, May 20, 10:30 am – 1:30 pm
James Stewart stars as former police detective John “Scottie” Ferguson, who is forced into early retirement when an incident in the line of duty causes him to develop fear-of-heights-induced vertigo. Scottie is hired as a private investigator by an acquaintance, Gavin Elster, to follow his wife, Madeleine (Kim Novak), whom Elster claims is possessed by the spirit of her great-grandmother Carlotta Valdes. Scottie’s investigation leads into an intricate web of obsession and deceit. 1958, 122 min, in English
Tickets: $15 / $12 Avalon members
Series Curator
Oliver Gaycken is Assistant Professor of Comparative Literature and Film Studies at the University of Maryland College Park. He received his BA in English from Princeton University and his Ph.D. from the University of Chicago. He previously has taught at York University (Toronto) and Temple University.