‘Hitchcock is a great romantic director,’ wrote Herrmann, ‘his films allowing enormous scope for sensuous, lyrical treatment.’ This is nowhere better demonstrated than in Vertigo, ostensibly a story of a dizzy detective (James Stewart) who becomes the dupe of an elaborate murder plot, actually a sublime visual poem about romantic obsession. Unlike most critics of the time, Herrmann recognised it instantly as a masterpiece and wrote music to correspond to the swoops and falls of its physical and emotional landscape. It achieves its most overwhelming expression in a surreal love scene when Stewart appears to have resurrected his lost love and Herrmann majestically evokes (without actually quoting) Wagner’s ‘Liebestod’ from Tristan and Isolde. The musical highlights are legion.

‘Vertigo’ will be presented in the large 70mm format with dts digital sound. Tickets €10.
Artist Robert Ballagh will introduce the screening on August 8th.