Vertigo Analysis

The opening sequence of the film "Vertigo" meets a lot of the conventions of a thriller film. These conventions include an antagonist and a protagonist, music to create suspense, a fast paced scene, the protagonist shown in peril, establishing shot to introduce setting, dark lighting, set around a crime and involves a dramatic death situation.

The antagonist is the man being chased by the policeman and detective, we can assume that he has done something wrong therefore is seen as the baddy. The protagonists are the policeman and detective as they are enforcers of law and the audience believe them to be the goodies.

The music during this scene is very fast, loud and dramatic which creates suspense throughout the chase scene. The audience will then feel involved within the action and will feel sympathy for the protagonists in peril. For instance the detective hanging from the tall building and the police officer that falls to his death.

The scene is set at night time so the lighting is very dark and an establishing shot is used showing the tall buildings of the city they are in. This introduces the time and place that the film is set in.