Hitchcock's Vertigo: Haikus

Vertigo Poster (1958)
designed by Saul Bass

Hitchcock's Vertigo: Haikus

50th Anniversary Celebration
(1958-2008)

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Preface: For the 50th anniversary celebration of Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo (1958), I went to the Stanford Theatre for my fifth viewing of this classic film. My friend Rudy came along for his first viewing. I took a few photos of the Stanford Theatre marquee with the crowd in line. Also a photo when the film began— Saul Bass's fantastic graphic design for the opening title sequence of Vertigo. I'm composing some haikus of my favorite photos from the book Footsteps in the Fog by Jeff Kraft and Aaron Leventhal as well as scenes from Hitchcock's Vertigo below.

Click on Photos for Enlarged Images

Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:00 pm
Stanford Theatre, University Ave., Palo Alto
Rudy & I arrived 40 minutes before film
showing & the line was around the block

Longest line I've seen
at Stanford Theatre—
here to see Vertigo!

Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:00 pm
Stanford Theatre, University Ave., Palo Alto
Used zoom feature in Canon A590 for this
shot of the Stanford Theatre marquee

50th anniversary
for the greatest mystery film—
Hitchcock's Vertigo!

Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:40 pm
Stanford Theatre, University Avenue, Palo Alto
Jeff Kraft, co-author of "Footsteps in the Fog"
makes slide presentation of scenes in "Vertigo"

Bay Area scenes used
by Hitchcock's films retraced
in this film buff's book.

Thursday, October 16, 2008, 7:50 pm
Scottie & Midge visit Pop Leibel at
Argosy Book Shop, San Franciso (film)—
Argonaut Book Shop, Kearny Street (p. 110)

Jason sought the Golden Fleece.
Scottie's sole desire
was for Madeleine.

Thursday, October 16, 2008, 8:00 pm
Avenue of the Tall Trees (eucalyptus) on
Highway 101 (Watsonville to Mission
San Juan Bautista) View looking south.
(p. 135) (Plato's 55 = Soul of the Universe)

"Hill 55" signs
to San Juan Bautista church—
journey to the Soul.

Thursday, October 16, 2008, 8:20 pm
Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto
Saul Bass did the logo for AT&T
as well as "Vertigo" title sequence

The eye is focus
for the downward spiral—
VERTIGO zooms in.

Thursday, October 16, 2008, 8:21 pm
Stanford Theatre, Palo Alto
Saul Bass & John Whitney
used Lissajous curves
for "Vertigo" title sequence

Is time an open ended
spiral or does it
circle back on itself?

— Peter Y. Chou, Stanford Theatre, October 16, 2008