Vertigo (1958)

The critic calls it a dizzying cinematic experience that restores its status as a picture to be obsessed with, thanks to the new 4K restoration highlighting its lavish visuals and Bernard Herrmann's score. They single out the sheer colour, cinematography, and audiovisual allure for praise while noting the plot's holes and the reprehensible hero.

The critic calls it one of the truly great later Hitchcocks, praising the hallucinatory quality, dreamlike San Francisco locations, and standout dual performance by Kim Novak alongside James Stewart's complex characterisation.

The critic reflects on the film's enduring status as a Hitchcock masterpiece about obsession and identity. He highlights its perverse themes and quotes other directors' praise for its poetic qualities.

The critic describes it as a brilliant but despicably cynical view of human obsession and manipulation in love. They praise James Stewart's performance as the neurotic detective and note that Hitchcock is at the peak of his powers, with Kim Novak a revelation, though the bleakness is hard to swallow.

The critic calls Vertigo Hitchcock's most disturbing masterpiece and one of the finest American movies ever made. They single out the superb performances from Stewart and Novak along with the director's signature techniques and obsessions.

The film offers the most elegantly spooky vision of an American city ever captured on screen, particularly in its 70mm presentation of San Francisco. Hitchcock uses major stars to craft a dark and deeply personal story.

The critic calls Vertigo one of the most ravishing Technicolor films ever made and a masterpiece whose reputation has only grown. He singles out the film's masterful use of color, especially green, as central to its mystery, emotion, and psychology.

Calls it a rich and strange masterwork that positions Hitchcock as a grand experimental artist in genre cinema. Singles out its perverse poetry, emotional desolation, Bernard Herrmann's score, San Francisco locations, and Stewart's anguished performance as elements of its obsessive, dolorous view of longing and betrayal.

Praises Hitchcock for topping his suspense record with a tale of murder, madness, and mysticism. Highlights pioneering techniques, strong performances especially by Stewart as the obsessed detective, and effective nightmare sequences.

The critic hails the restored Vertigo as the deepest, darkest masterpiece of Hitchcock's career and a prescient spellbinder. She singles out its eerily perverse exploration of obsessive themes, the power of the past, and the near-fetishistic use of symbol and color.

Romney discusses Vertigo topping the Sight & Sound poll and analyzes its complex, multi-layered appeal as a thriller, love story and psychological study. He praises its influence and visual density while noting its strangeness.

The piece examines Vertigo's rise to critical acclaim as the greatest film ever in polls, contrasting its initial flop status with its later appreciation for its obsessive narrative and visual style.

It is prime though uneven Hitchcock, with strong performances from Stewart and Novak and masterful direction, but the first half is too slow and too long. Overall it should prove profitable at the box office.

The critic finds the film slow and deliberate in technique, with a plot that fails to sustain itself and elements that feel sexist, though it includes some good suspense diversions and moments of virtuosity.

The critic praises Hitchcock's mastery of suspense and sleight of hand in crafting atmosphere and uncertainty through slow, unostentatious camera work, despite the implausible story. However, the film is deemed not really worthwhile due to its essential dottiness and an unnecessary second hour that tests patience.

The critic finds the plot farfetched nonsense involving a detective shadowing a woman who believes she is possessed by a spirit from the past. The endless driving sequences prove tiresome and the story indulges in implausible twists.

The critic calls Vertigo a masterpiece and one of Hitchcock's finest works. They single out the new 4K restoration for allowing audiences to experience its dreamlike suspense and iconic status on the big screen once again.

The critic calls Vertigo the pinnacle of moviemaking and his pick for the greatest film ever made, praising its concise, clever story, Hitchcock's masterful direction and depth of character, and the stunning performances, especially James Stewart's against-type role.