It’s a sad, mournful day when news breaks about a new remake of a classic film. It’s a day that all film fans fear. One such day occurred recently. In fact, just a few days ago, news outlets such as Variety reported that a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s Vertigo (1958) starring Robert Downey Jr. has begun production. Immediately I, as well as many other film fans, rolled my eyes at the idea. The current film world is already one that’s filled with countless remakes of films, with a majority of them receiving the high praise of “eh” most of the time. To make matters even worse, not only is this another remake, it’s a remake of VERTIGO, a film that has cemented itself as an icon of not just film but pop culture and art as a whole. 

Vertigo title card from Hitchcock’s 1958 thriller

Even if you haven’t seen Vertigo, there is a good chance that you’ve at least heard the name come up from time to time. It’s consistently ranked as one of the best and most influential films of all time and a defining piece of the power that cinema can hold. I, like many others, love it. It may not be my favorite Hitchcock film, but it is absolutely one of his standout works and absolutely holds up sixty-four years later. The story of a man who’s hired to investigate a suicidal woman (only to end up becoming completely obsessed with her) is gripping in and of itself; However, it’s the masterful direction of Hitchcock through his cinematography, tone, and the powerful performances he gets out of Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak that gave the film the impact that it had. It’s a film that uses all aspects of cinema to its fullest to craft a deep story, a visual masterpiece, and an incredible time capsule of the feelings, anxieties, and fears of the late 50s. Do you see why remaking Vertigo doesn’t sound like a great idea?

Poster from the 1934 version of
The Man Who Knew Too Much

Okay, okay. To be fair, for a moment, I can see where Paramount is coming from with this idea. A remake isn’t necessarily a bad thing. It allows a brand-new audience to experience a classic story, and it allows long-time fans to experience the original film they know in a new way. Some of the most beloved and revered films of all time have been remakes. Scarface (1983) was a remake of Howard Hawks’ Scarface (1932). The Magnificent Seven (1960) and A Fistful of Dollars (1964) were remakes of Kurosawa’s Seven Samurai (1954) and Yojimbo (1961), respectively, and the 80s had a whole slew of remakes of classic horror like John Carpenter’s The Thing (1982) and Chuck Russell’s The Blob (1988) There can be benefits to remaking movies. Hitchcock himself remade his own movies by directing two different versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much in 1934 and 1956.

Also, Robert Downey Jr, much like Jimmy Stewart was at the time of the original film, is one of the biggest stars in the world at the moment. He has the star power to ensure the film is a success with all audiences, not just those who know of the original. Steven Knight of Peaky Blinders (2013) is reportedly penning the project, and that show is incredibly successful. If anyone knows how to write a crime story with complex characters, he certainly does. Everything should be set for guaranteed success. 

Did you catch the one aspect of the film that I didn’t mention though? The one that should, arguably, be the main driving force behind the film’s success? The director, maybe? This is partially due to the fact that one simply hasn’t been announced yet; however, it’s important to note the fact that this remake is already being sold on star power alone, not on the prowess of anyone else. You can argue whether or not a director is the sole driving force behind a film, but there is no question that the reason the original Vertigo is acclaimed as much as it is due to the absolutely incredible direction of Hitchcock. As I mentioned earlier, absolutely everything in the film, from the fantastic performances to the cinematography to the vivid colors and effects, is all due, in part, to Hitchcock. Of course, there were others behind these aspects that should absolutely be mentioned too (like Bernard Hermann and his AMAZING score), but these were all conducted through Hitchcock’s vision. A goliath of a film like Vertigo has to have a strong vision behind it. 

A great example of how important Hitchcock’s vision is to the power of his films can be seen in a remake of one of his other heavy hitters, Psycho (1960). In 1998, Gus Van Sant made a shot-for-shot remake of Psycho. Of course, there were different actors, and the film was in color; otherwise, it was the exact same film. Except it wasn’t. It’s hard to describe if you haven’t fully seen it for yourself, but the whole experience feels off. There’s something about the performances, the cinematography, and the sound, that all just feels wrong. You recognize that it’s Psycho, but it simultaneously isn’t. It’s some bizarre cinematic equivalent of Schrodinger Cat. This is due to the fact that while Gus Van Sant is a good filmmaker, he simply does not have the same core vision as Hitchcock. You can remake a film down to each individual frame, but unless you somehow have the exact same vision as the original creators, it will never fully be the same.

Anthony Perkins as “Norman Bates” in Hitckcock’s 1960 Psycho
Vince Vaughn as “Norman Bates” in Gus Van Sant’s remake of Psycho


 I’m not saying that the remake will absolutely flop and will be the worst movie ever made. I am saying that the studio needs to realize just what they’re getting into by remaking a film that is considered one of the best films of all time. Vertigo is not a film where some parts can be better than others. EVERYTHING has to work together. Cinema is an art that was built on every other art form working together. If just one part of this production isn’t flawless, then the whole thing will crumble.

Unlike some who are immediately saying this will be a nightmare, I do genuinely want it to be good. I would much rather see a film that is well-made and true to the original in the best ways than a critically panned one.  Obviously, remakes aren’t going away anytime soon, so why wouldn’t you want one to stick out above the rest and become a film that’s remembered not for just being a good remake but also a good film on its own? Again though, it’s going to be tough for a remake of Vertigo to fulfill that. The good thing to keep in mind, though, is this: If the film does fail, don’t worry. It will most certainly not be a blemish on cinema for the rest of time. Hitchcock’s Vertigo will still exist and still be talked about. The remake will simply fade into the background and fall into the large pile of forgotten remakes that no one cares about. At least if it flops, the remake Total Recall (2012) will have a friend to talk to.

Article Courtesy of Brodie Blizzard

Feature Image from Vertigo (1958) starring James Stewart and Kim Novak