Vertigo Opening Sequence Analysis

From the beginning of the Vertigo clip, there is gentle piano playing as we are met with an image of a woman's lips. As the first name appears on screen, there is a dramatic cello added. This creates a feeling of the piano representing a 'victim' and the cello representing some sort of danger. The cello becomes more intense as the piano music stays the same. As the camera moves up her face, the cello music stops and the piano resumes on its own. The camera rests on a female's wet eyes and as they start to look from side to side, the next name comes onto the screen and the dramatic cello resumes. The moving of the eyes in each direction creates a sense of danger and suspicion. The pure piano seems to create an idea of an innocent victim when met with the harsh trombone as the danger.
    The camera then focuses on one of the woman's eyes while the piano music starts again and the cello stops. The starting and stopping of the two instruments cause the effect of disorientation and confusion. The eye is focused closely on and a red effect is added as eyes widen. The red effect suggests blood or impending danger and makes viewers wonder what is in store.
   The eyes seem to become wetter, which is an obvious sign of upset or distress. The eyes then widen in time to a dramatic few cello notes. The film title then appears small in the middle of her eye, coming to the centre of the screen while the cello fades and piano grows. As the word comes out of her eye, it gives the impression of an escaping thought. A small kaleidoscope shape then appears in the centre of her eye, which grows bigger and the image of the eye fades as the shape takes over the screen. The cello music becomes gradually more intense and creepy as the shape becomes bigger. As the swirling effect comes out of the eye, it gives the impression that as well as taking over the screen, it's taking over her mind. The idea of vertigo is disorientation, a whirling or spinning movement and the changing kaleidoscope shapes connotates the effects of vertigo. The music becomes faster paced at this point, creating panic and tension. The colours of the shapes change faster and the disorientation grows. The shapes fade out to be replaced by the image of the woman's eye again, as if we had just seen the inside of her head and thoughts. The music fades out slowly, remaining eerie til the end.