Lessons On Movies.com
  Free Handout + MP3 + 8 Online Quizzes on Vertigo

  GAMES:

  • Fill-in-the-blank
  • Matching
  • Hangman
  • Flash cards
  • Sentence jumble
  • Missing words
  • No letters
  • Crossword puzzle

Vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The screenplay was written by Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor, based on the 1954 novel "D'entre les morts". It is the story of a retired police detective suffering from acrophobia who is hired as a private investigator to follow the wife of an acquaintance to uncover the mystery of her peculiar behaviour. The film received mixed reviews upon initial release, but has garnered acclaim since and is now often cited as a classic Hitchcock film and one of the defining works of his career, appearing repeatedly in best films polls by the American Film Institute.

Vertigo premiered in San Francisco in May 1958 at the Stage Door Theater. Its performance at the box office was average and reviews were mixed. Variety said the film showed Hitchcock's "mastery", but was too long and slow for "what is basically only a psychological murder mystery". Similarly, the Los Angeles Times admired the scenery, but found the plot "too long" and felt it "bogs down" in "a maze of detail". However, the Los Angeles Examiner loved it, admiring the "excitement, action, romance, glamor and [the] crazy, off-beat love story". New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther also gave Vertigo a positive review by explaining that "[the] secret [of the film] is so clever, even though it is devilishly far-fetched."

Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertigo_%28film%29

  TRAILER AND POSTER

VERTIGO POSTER

1. SIX WORDS: Look at the poster and write down six words (more if you like) that you think of as you look at it. Share the words with your partner(s). Why did you choose them?

2. STORY: Talk about what you think the story of the movie is – the start, beginning, end, etc. Change partners and share stories.

3. CREDITS: Look at the credits on the poster (the actors, director, producer…) and talk about them with your partner(s).

4. MUST-SEE: Talk with your partner(s) about whether the poster and movie title are good and make you want to see the movie.

5. STARRING YOU: Imagine you are one of the stars of the movie. Talk about your role with your movie star partner(s).

VERTIGO TRAILER

1. RETELL: Watch the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

2. CHUNKS: Watch 10-to-15 second chunks of the trailer and retell what you saw to your partner(s).

3. QUIZ: Watch the trailer and write down some quiz questions for your partner(s). Watch a second time to find the answers to the questions.

4. VOCABULARY: Make a note of words in the trailer that you see or hear. Talk about them with your partner(s).

5. GOOD / BAD: Watch the trailer and write down why you think the film might be good or bad. Share your ideas with your partner(s).

  MATCHING

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	starring	a.	troubled by
2	based on	b.	ordinary
3.	suffering from	c.	unusual
4.	hired	d.	featuring
5.	initial	e.	praised
6.	average	f.	first
7.	admired	g.	derived from
8.	maze	h.	unlikely
9.	off-beat	i.	employed
10.	far-fetched	j.	labyrinth

PHRASE MATCH

1.	based on the 1954	a.	murder mystery
2	suffering from	b.	works of his career
3.	The film received mixed	c.	of detail
4.	one of the defining	d.	box office was average
5.	appearing repeatedly in	e.	acrophobia
6.	Its performance at the	f.	reviews
7.	reviews	g.	love story
8.	a psychological	h.	best films polls
9.	a maze	i.	novel "D'entre les morts"
10.	crazy, off-beat	j.	were mixed

  LISTENING / READING GAP FILL

Vertigo is a 1958 psychological (1) _________________ by Alfred Hitchcock and starring James Stewart, Kim Novak, and Barbara Bel Geddes. The        (2) _________________ Alec Coppel and Samuel A. Taylor, based on the 1954 novel "D'entre les morts". It is (3) _________________ police detective suffering from acrophobia who is hired as a private investigator to follow the wife of an (4) _________________ the mystery of her peculiar behaviour. The film received (5) ______________________ release, but has garnered acclaim since and is now often cited as a classic Hitchcock film and one of the (6) _____________________, appearing repeatedly in best films polls by the American Film Institute.

Vertigo premiered in San Francisco in May 1958 at the Stage Door Theater. Its performance at the box office (7) _____________________ were mixed. Variety said the film showed Hitchcock's "mastery", but was too long and slow for "what is basically (8) _____________________ murder mystery". Similarly, the Los Angeles Times (9) _____________________, but found the plot "too long" and felt it "bogs down" in "a maze of detail". However, the Los Angeles Examiner (10) _____________________ "excitement, action, romance, glamor and [the] (11) _____________________ ". New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther also gave Vertigo a positive review by explaining that "[the] secret [of the film] (12) _____________________ it is devilishly far-fetched."

  CORRECT THE SPELLING

Paragraph 1
1.	psychological lhtlrrei
2.	the story of a reidtre police detective
3.	uncover the ymresyt of her peculiar behaviour
4.	The film received mixed risveew upon initial release
5.	often cited as a cslsaci Hitchcock film
6.	enpigpaar repeatedly in best films polls
Paragraph 2
7.	Vertigo meiedeprr in San Francisco
8.	Its performance at the box office was aeegavr
9.	admired the yreecsn
10.	a maze of tleadi
11.	excitement, action, emconar, glamor…
12.	it is devilishly raf-eetfdhc

  PUNCTUATE & PUT CAPITALS IN THE TEXT

vertigo is a 1958 psychological thriller film directed by alfred hitchcock and starring james stewart kim novak and barbara bel geddes the screenplay was written by alec coppel and samuel a taylor based on the 1954 novel "d'entre les morts" it is the story of a retired police detective suffering from acrophobia who is hired as a private investigator to follow the wife of an acquaintance to uncover the mystery of her peculiar behaviour the film received mixed reviews upon initial release but has garnered acclaim since and is now often cited as a classic hitchcock film and one of the defining works of his career appearing repeatedly in best films polls by the american film institute

vertigo premiered in san francisco in may 1958 at the stage door theater its performance at the box office was average and reviews were mixed variety said the film showed hitchcock's "mastery" but was too long and slow for "what is basically only a psychological murder mystery" similarly the los angeles times admired the scenery but found the plot "too long" and felt it "bogs down" in "a maze of detail" however the los angeles examiner loved it admiring the "excitement action romance glamor and [the] crazy off-beat love story" new york times film critic bosley crowther also gave vertigo a positive review by explaining that "[the] secret [of the film] is so clever even though it is devilishly far-fetched"

  INSERT THE VOWELS

V_rt_g_ _s _ 1958 psych_l_g_c_l thr_ll_r f_lm d_r_ct_d by _lfr_d H_tchc_ck _nd st_rr_ng J_m_s St_w_rt, K_m N_v_k, _nd B_rb_r_ B_l G_dd_s. Th_ scr__npl_y w_s wr_tt_n by _l_c C_pp_l _nd S_m__l _. T_yl_r, b_s_d _n th_ 1954 n_v_l "D'_ntr_ l_s m_rts". _t _s th_ st_ry _f _ r_t_r_d p_l_c_ d_t_ct_v_ s_ff_r_ng fr_m _cr_ph_b__ wh_ _s h_r_d _s _ pr_v_t_ _nv_st_g_t_r t_ f_ll_w th_ w_f_ _f _n _cq___nt_nc_ t_ _nc_v_r th_ myst_ry _f h_r p_c_l__r b_h_v___r. Th_ f_lm r_c__v_d m_x_d r_v__ws _p_n _n_t__l r_l__s_, b_t h_s g_rn_r_d _ccl__m s_nc_ _nd _s n_w _ft_n c_t_d _s _ cl_ss_c H_tchc_ck f_lm _nd _n_ _f th_ d_f_n_ng w_rks _f h_s c_r__r, _pp__r_ng r_p__t_dly _n b_st f_lms p_lls by th_ _m_r_c_n F_lm _nst_t_t_.

V_rt_g_ pr_m__r_d _n S_n Fr_nc_sc_ _n M_y 1958 _t th_ St_g_ D__r Th__t_r. _ts p_rf_rm_nc_ _t th_ b_x _ff_c_ w_s _v_r_g_ _nd r_v__ws w_r_ m_x_d. V_r__ty s__d th_ f_lm sh_w_d H_tchc_ck's "m_st_ry", b_t w_s t__ l_ng _nd sl_w f_r "wh_t _s b_s_c_lly _nly _ psych_l_g_c_l m_rd_r myst_ry". S_m_l_rly, th_ L_s _ng_l_s T_m_s _dm_r_d th_ sc_n_ry, b_t f__nd th_ pl_t "t__ l_ng" _nd f_lt _t "b_gs d_wn" _n "_ m_z_ _f d_t__l". H_w_v_r, th_ L_s _ng_l_s _x_m_n_r l_v_d _t, _dm_r_ng th_ "_xc_t_m_nt, _ct__n, r_m_nc_, gl_m_r _nd [th_] cr_zy, _ff-b__t l_v_ st_ry". N_w Y_rk T_m_s f_lm cr_t_c B_sl_y Cr_wth_r _ls_ g_v_ V_rt_g_ _ p_s_t_v_ r_v__w by _xpl__n_ng th_t "[th_] s_cr_t [_f th_ f_lm] _s s_ cl_v_r, _v_n th__gh _t _s d_v_l_shly f_r-f_tch_d."

  MARK THE SPACES

Vertigoisa1958psychologicalthrillerfilmdirectedbyAlfredHitchcocka
ndstarringJamesStewart,KimNovak,andBarbaraBelGeddes.Thescre
enplaywaswrittenbyAlecCoppelandSamuelA.Taylor,basedonthe195
4novel"D'entrelesmorts".Itisthestoryofaretiredpolicedetectivesuffe
ringfromacrophobiawhoishiredasaprivateinvestigatortofollowthewif
eofanacquaintancetouncoverthemysteryofherpeculiarbehaviour.Th
efilmreceivedmixedreviewsuponinitialrelease,buthasgarneredaccla
imsinceandisnowoftencitedasaclassicHitchcockfilmandoneofthedefi
ningworksofhiscareer,appearingrepeatedlyinbestfilmspollsbytheA
mericanFilmInstitute.VertigopremieredinSanFranciscoinMay1958a
ttheStageDoorTheater.Itsperformanceattheboxofficewasaveragea
ndreviewsweremixed.VarietysaidthefilmshowedHitchcock's"master
y",butwastoolongandslowfor"whatisbasicallyonlyapsychologicalmu
rdermystery".Similarly,theLosAngelesTimesadmiredthescenery,bu
tfoundtheplot"toolong"andfeltit"bogsdown"in"amazeofdetail".How
ever,theLosAngelesExaminerlovedit,admiringthe"excitement,actionn,
romance,glamorand[the]crazy,off-
beatlovestory".NewYorkTimesfilmcriticBosleyCrowtheralsogaveVer
tigoapositivereviewbyexplainingthat"[the]secret[ofthefilm]issoclev
er,eventhoughitisdevilishlyfar-fetched."

  DISCUSSION (Write your own questions)

STUDENT A's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student B)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

STUDENT B's QUESTIONS (Do not show these to student A)
1.	__________________________________________________________________
2.	__________________________________________________________________
3.	__________________________________________________________________
4.	__________________________________________________________________
5.	__________________________________________________________________
6.	__________________________________________________________________

  VERTIGO SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about Vertigo in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

	Student 1 __________	Student 2 __________	Student 3 __________
Q1.
Q2.
Q3.
Q4.
Q5.

• Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
• Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

  WRITING

Write your own movie review. Show your partner your letter. Correct each other's work.

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

________________________________________________________________________________

  HOMEWORK

1. VOCABULARY EXTENSION: Choose several of the words from the text. Use a dictionary or Google's search field (or another search engine) to build up more associations / collocations of each word.

2. INTERNET INFO: Search the Internet and find more information about "Vertigo". Talk about what you discover with your partner(s) in the next lesson.

3. MAGAZINE ARTICLE: Write a magazine article about "Vertigo". What are (did) critics and moviegoers saying (say) about it? How good were the actors' performances? What was good and bad about the movie? Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your articles.

4. "VERTIGO" POSTER: Make a poster about "Vertigo". Make sure you put tag lines, audience and critics' reviews, why people should see it, etc.  Show it to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback on your posters.

5. MY PREQUEL / SEQUEL: Make your own prequel or sequel for  "Vertigo". Make sure there is a good mix of things to do. Find some good online activities. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

6. CHARACTER STORY: Choose one of the characters from the movie. Imagine you are that character. Write your story about what you did in the movie. Read what you wrote to your classmates in the next lesson. Give each other feedback.

7. ONLINE SHARING: Use your blog, wiki, Facebook page, Twitter stream, or any other social media tool to get opinions on "Vertigo". Share your findings with the class.

  ANSWERS

SYNONYM MATCH

1.	starring	a.	featuring
2	based on	b.	derived from
3.	suffering from	c.	troubled by
4.	hired	d.	employed
5.	initial	e.	first
6.	average	f.	ordinary
7.	admired	g.	praised
8.	maze	h.	labyrinth
9.	off-beat	i.	unusual
10.	far-fetched	j.	unlikely

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Please check for yourself by looking at the movie review article at the top of the page.
(It's good for your English ;-)