How Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' Was Almost Named 'Without a Trace'

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by Maggie Lange
February 1, 2012 10:39 AM
2 Comments
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When Alfred Hitchcock began work on a film adaptation of the French novel, "D'entre les Morts" in the late 1950s, Paramount did not like his selected title: "Vertigo." Studio executives sent the director a list of strongly suggested alternatives that includes a bevy of melodramatic choices:

"Checkmate"
"Afraid to Love"
"Tonight is Ours"
"Dream Without Ending"
"Cry from the Rooftop"
"Shadow and Substance"
"Two Kinds of Women"

Aren't you glad the master of suspense stuck to his gut with "Vertigo"?

The film was recently in the news when star Kim Novak protested the use of Bernard Herrmann's "Vertigo" score for the climax of Michel Hazanavicius' "The Artist." She wrote: "I want to report a rape. I feel as if my body -- or, at least my body of work -- has been violated by the movie, 'The Artist.'" Hazanavicius responded gracefully to her lament, praising Herrmann's melancholic score and confirming that his use of the score was homage, not theft.

Read the complete list of recommendations for a "Vertigo" title change on List of Note, a fabulous curatorial website.
 

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More: Michel Hazanavicius, Michel Hazanavicius

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2 Comments

  • The Pope | February 1, 2012 8:14 PMReply

    Is the Vertigo poster new? I've never seen it like that before. So either Chris Nolan is copying it for the next Batman, or some newbie is trying to cash in on the Warners franchise.

    Terrible titles. Reminds me of the story about the title for Beetlejuice. Everyone liked it... until it tested and then Warners were suddenly worried. They wanted a name change and Burton suggested... 'Scared sheetless.'

  • Griff | February 1, 2012 7:55 PMReply

    That poster is terrible.

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