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Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo explores themes of lust, caution and envy. These themes are explicitly conveyed throughout the film through repetition of symbols and Hitchcock's innovative use of the camera. The following essay aims to analyse these aspects in the scene of Madeline's first encounter with Scottie. The scene begins with a shot of an apartment with Madeline's car out the front. This is an establishing shot and lets the viewer know where they have been …

…This scene uses a variety of camera shots to convey the characters' emotions and interaction. The use of colour as a strong symbol is used to great effect in this scene. In particular this highlighted the themes of lust, caution and envy. The musical score contributed greatly to the mood of the scene, and added to the characters' emotions. The analysis of this scene represents only a small piece of the puzzle that is Vertigo.