Vertigo (1958) - Introduction

The opening sequence in Vertigo teases to the audience some of the key themes in the film; like Lust, Mystery, and Obsession. The first shot we see is an extreme close up of Madeliene's mouth and cheek. In this shot, the camera is used to sexualise Madeliene. The audience 'gaze' at her, she is being fetishised and she is denied identity. The camera then pans forward to focus on just Madeliene's lips, then up to her eyes. All of this prepares the audience to identify women as passive in the narrative, and are solely to be looked at.