Vertigo (1958) Alfred Hitchcock

In the opening sequence of Vertigo, we get the impression this is a thriller by the dramatic music that is played. The loud brass instuments that are playing creates a exciting and scarey opening scene. The first thing that is scene whilst the music is playing, is a white/grey face standing still. The camera is focused on the bottom right side, showing us most of her lip, her cheek and the bottom bit of her nose. We prosume it is a women from the shape an femininity of there face.
it then gradually moves to the left and focuses into to her lips. this creates a sense of hidden identityas the camera doesn't want to give anything away about who this person is. Its almost as if its a secret and if they told you it would spoil the film. The way the camera zooms in and out of direction its tricking the mind in thinking that your going to find out soon but then it zooms in again. We find out that the face is irrelavant and Hitchcock was just using it to create suspense and get your mind wondering. I definitely think this movie is suited for the thriller genre as it includes everything a thriller must have.
The music plays a big part in the film, almost every scene has atleast one piece of music that creates drama and suspense; by using deep and high pitched instruements; mainly brass.
The high pitch notes that are used creates a more instant attack on the audience, it makes them jump and gives a more thriller/horror attack. Then there is the low pitch notes, these create a sense of suspition, the audience know that something is going to happen but they dont know what is going to happen. Then suddenly the high pitched notes take over and change the whole perspective.
As Johno/Scotty staggers up the stairs, following the undercover wife, the music plays a series of notes, some more defined than others. The more defined notes go up an octave each time they appear in the music, which symbolises him getting further up the stairs. John/Scotty has these moments when he is staggering up the stairs, where he looks down and gets a vertigo moment. The music at that point reaches the highest note, which i think is surposed to resemble the fact he thinks he is very high up.
When he is struggling up the stairs the notes seem to get lower as if to show the audience that he wants to get lower down on the stair case, but he still wants to try and save his love of his life, so he carries on.
Johno/ Scotty then stops at a point in the stair case, where maderline goes out of the picture. The next thing we here is a scream, and the camera focuses on the window he is closes too, where he sees the lifeless body fall down. The camera uses a birds eye view shot to resemble the height and to focus on the body that is laying on the roof below, it is showing the audience that she is dead. The way the camera cuts from his facial experession and the body shows us the different points of view. the one that people out side see and the one he sees. After she falls the music turns from a chase scene piece to a more symperthetic and calm piece. The volume is lowered so its in the background and the pitch has changed from high squeeky and low sounds to more calmer notes.
The way the characters act plays a part in how this film is a thriller. There sinister looks when something is going to happen, help create the sense of suspense. The emphasis of the characters eyes create a devil style look that focuses on one body part.
The way they speak also gives the sense this is a thriller because they talk in a more softly but bold way.