Analyzing the Narrative Structure of Vertigo
Vertigo:
Narrative Structure
The narrative structure of many films can be
divided into the three-act structure: setup,
conflict, resolution.
Vertigo seems to follow this structure…
1.
I
n
t
r
o
d
u
c
t
i
o
n
A
n
d
B
a
c
k
g
r
o
u
n
d
(
1
4
m
i
n
s
)
2.
The Madeleine Elster Narrative (
65 mins
)
- 1
st
encounter (
23 mins
)
- 2
nd
encounter (
14 mins
)
- 3
rd
encounter (
16 mins
)
- 4
th
encounter (
10 mins
)
3.
The Judy Barton Narrative (
49 mins
)
- The Background (
10 mins
)
- Scottie meets Judy (
13 mins
)
- The Makeover (
15 mins
)
- The Final Fall (
11 mins
)
Three Act Structure
1
Introduction and
Background
-
Setup
Setup
The event that led to
Scottie’s disabling fear of
heights is covered. We are
also introduced to Scottie’s
loyal companion, Midge
Wood. Scottie is then hired
to follow the wife of an old
college friend of his, Gavin
Elster.
2
The Madeleine Elster
Narrative
–
Conflict
Conflict
The 1st Encounter
-
Scottie tracks Madeleine
as she visits sites around San Francisco
associated with her great-grandmother,
Carlotta Valdez.
The 2nd Encounter
- Madeleine attempts
suicide by jumping into San Francisco Bay,
Scottie leaps in after her to pull her out. He
takes her to his place and they become
friends.
The 3rd Encounter
- Scottie wants to help
Madeleine recover her sanity, and the two of
them discuss her psychological affliction. In
the process they become more intimate, and
eventually they embrace passionately. Scottie
has surrendered and plunged into the
irrationality of love and passion.
The 4th Encounter
- Madeleine tells Scottie of
her nightmare, he recognises that she is
dreaming of a historic monument. Scottie
insists on taking her there. When they arrive,
Madeleine rushes up the steep bell tower
steps, with Scottie unable to pursue her
quickly because of his acrophobia. Halfway up
the steps, he sees her fall to her death.
And finally…
3
The Judy Barton
Narrative
–
Resolution
Resolution
Background of Judy
Scottie and Judy meet
Scottie makeover Judy to look like
Madeleine
Judy falls to her death, mirroring
Madeleine’s death.
•
The narrative form in Vertigo is mostly linear -
The scenes run in chronological order with a
brief flashback
But, like the spiral motif that runs through the film, there is another structure based
around repetition and being haunted by the past that gives the film sense of dizzying
circularity
The film ends as it begins, with the
same question: how does Scottie get
down?
This links to the cyclical pattern of
the past haunting the present that
informs the whole film
The film is also structured around
repetition with variation that
gradually reveals the truth
Narrative structure repeats itself matching up with
past/present
•
Elster returns from Scottie’s past
•
Midge is haunted by her past with Scottie
•
Carlotta ‘returns’ from the past
•
Madeleine returns from Scottie’s past
•
Judy’s past catches up with her
•
Scottie takes Judy up the tower to resolve the story, “then I’ll be free of the
past.”
Resolution?
•
At the end of the film, Scotty gets to the top of
the tower. Does this mean he has conquered
his Vertigo?
•
Or has he just gone round in a circle?
Francois Truffaut called
Vertigo,
“a filmed dream”
Certainly, there are several dreamlike elements that inform the film’s structure
and tone
1.
Equilibrium
2.
A disruption of this Equilibrium
by an event
3.
A realization that a disruption
has occurred
4.
An attempt to repair the damage
of the equilibrium
5.
Restoration of equilibrium –
which may result in a new
equilibrium.
“
a story belongs to the genre of the
fantastic if the story manages to raise
doubt in both characters and the reader,
or in the mind of the reader alone
”.
The reader had to be challenged to
doubt the true nature of the events.
Is what is happening real or just an
illusion?
The film Vertigo follows a three-act structure - setup, conflict, resolution. It delves into the narratives of Madeleine Elster and Judy Barton, leading to a tragic resolution. The linear narrative is punctuated by a spiral motif, adding a sense of circularity and repetition, mirroring the characters' haunting pasts.
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Presentation Transcript
Vertigo: Narrative Structure
The narrative structure of many films can be divided into the three-act structure: setup, conflict, resolution. Vertigo seems to follow this structure
1. 1. Introduction And Background Introduction And Background (14 mins) 2. The Madeleine Elster Narrative (65 mins) - 1st encounter (23 mins) - 2nd encounter (14 mins) - 3rd encounter (16 mins) - 4th encounter (10 mins) 3. The Judy Barton Narrative (49 mins) - The Background (10 mins) - Scottie meets Judy (13 mins) - The Makeover (15 mins) - The Final Fall (11 mins) http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zGreRPcsAtg/Syiz_j3fr7I/AAAAAAAABT4/EP1krUJVw1E/s400/Vertigo15.jpg
Three Act Structure 1 Introduction and Background - Setup The event that led to Scottie s disabling fear of heights is covered. We are also introduced to Scottie s loyal companion, Midge Wood. Scottie is then hired to follow the wife of an old college friend of his, Gavin Elster.
2 The Narrative Conflict The 1st Encounter - Scottie tracks Madeleine as she visits sites around San Francisco associated with her Carlotta Valdez. The 2nd Encounter - Madeleine attempts suicide by jumping into San Francisco Bay, Scottie leaps in after her to pull her out. He takes her to his place and they become friends. The 3rd Encounter- Scottie wants to help Madeleine recover her sanity, and the two of them discuss her psychological affliction. In the process they become more intimate, and eventually they embrace passionately. Scottie has surrendered and plunged into the irrationality of love and passion. The 4th Encounter- Madeleine tells Scottie of her nightmare, he recognises that she is dreaming of a historic monument. Scottie insists on taking her there. When they arrive, Madeleine rushes up the steep bell tower steps, with Scottie unable to pursue her quickly because of his acrophobia. Halfway up the steps, he sees her fall to her death. Madeleine Elster great-grandmother,
And finally 3 The Judy Barton Narrative Resolution Background of Judy Scottie and Judy meet Scottie makeover Judy to look like Madeleine Judy falls to her death, mirroring Madeleine s death.
The narrative form in Vertigo is mostly linear - The scenes run in chronological order with a brief flashback But, like the spiral motif that runs through the film, there is another structure based around repetition and being haunted by the past that gives the film sense of dizzying circularity
The film ends as it begins, with the same question: how does Scottie get down? This links to the cyclical pattern of the past haunting the present that informs the whole film The film is also structured around repetition with variation that gradually reveals the truth
Narrative structure repeats itself matching up with past/present Elster returns from Scottie s past Midge is haunted by her past with Scottie Carlotta returns from the past Madeleine returns from Scottie s past Judy s past catches up with her Scottie takes Judy up the tower to resolve the story, then I ll be free of the past.
Resolution? At the end of the film, Scotty gets to the top of the tower. Does this mean he has conquered his Vertigo? Or has he just gone round in a circle?
Francois Truffaut called Vertigo, a filmed dream Certainly, there are several dreamlike elements that inform the film s structure and tone
1. Equilibrium 2. A disruption of this Equilibrium by an event 3. A realization that a disruption has occurred 4. An attempt to repair the damage of the equilibrium 5. Restoration of equilibrium which may result in a new equilibrium. a story belongs to the genre of the fantastic if the story manages to raise doubt in both characters and the reader, or in the mind of the reader alone . Is what is happening real or just an illusion? The reader had to be challenged to doubt the true nature of the events.
