Assignment 1: Narrative report on Vertigo

Establishing the difference between the story and the plot allows one to determine the effect each element has on the understanding and interpretation of the piece. It also provides a way of tracking the continuation of events and the relationship between seemingly isolated moments in time. Film Art clearly defines both story and plot but acknowledges that there is a significant overlap between the two functions and allows a flow within the film. The plot is the presentation of the events, in chronological order and includes the events that are seen, inferred and assumed by the viewer as opposed to the story. The story refers to the way in which the plot is presented, the ‘personality’ imposed …show more content…

In the opening scene Scotty regurgitates a doctors prognosis that the very thing that caused his disease will be the thing to fix it, another equal or greater trauma that causes him to confront this issue. In the closing scene it appears that Scottie has come full circle in his character development. In the final scene it is Judy’s death that ends the film, as you discover in the middle of the film it was all a sham and a set-up one may suggest that the seeming continuum created by the spiral in the opening credits is a metaphor depicting the protagonists’ ‘full circle’ evolution throughout the film.

The range of the story as it develops is relatively restricted; we are only to see the sequence of events through one character until approximately two thirds of the way through, aside from the odd person who makes a face as if to say ‘are you crazy?’ cementing the story that Scotty is both seeing and telling. The narrative is told from Scotties perspective, so much so, that when Midge tries to help ‘shed some light’ on the peculiarities, Scotty implies she is merely interfering, that she wouldn’t understand, immediately persecutes her and in doing so, eliminates any additional information or perspective being cast. This single vision continues until after Madeline’s death, where Scotty is admitted to the psychiatric hospital and then begins to search for her. When Scotty first sees Madeline/Judy it is the first time we start to see the sequence