The Vertigo effect, also called Dolly Zoom, is one of the most famous camera tricks.

The effect is achieved by using the setting of a zoom lens to adjust the angle of view (often referred to as field of view) while the camera dollies (or moves) towards or away from the subject in such a way as to keep the subject the same size in the frame throughout. In its classic form, the camera is pulled away from a subject whilst the lens zooms in, or vice-versa. Thus, during the zoom, there is a continuous perspective distortion, the most directly noticeable feature being that the background appears to change size relative to the subject. (Wikipedia)

The effect got its’ name because it was first used by Alfred Hitchcock in “Vertigo”. While chasing a gangster on the roof in the opening scene of the film the police man and main character  John Ferguson (played by James Stewart) makes a false step. He can only avoid to fall down by clinging to the rain pipe. When he looks down to the ground the Vertigo effect can be seen the first time in film history [0.55-0.58].

The first-person shot succeeds in demonstrating the main character’s fear of heights and his trauma in this scene – which is going to become important at the end of the movie. Since then the Vertigo effect has been used many times in various films. An extreme example is the use of the effect in Kassovitz’ La Haine.

Also fun to watch is the Vertigo effect in the “casino scene” of Tykwer’s German Movie Run Lola Run. With her scream the main protagonist Lola tries to make the ball stop on the right number to win money and to rescue her boyfriend Manni [3.24-3.28].

The Vertigo effect is normally used to show the importance of a scene for the main character. It demonstrates strong emotions like fear or surprise – or a moment of realization. The magically transformation of the background also reminds me of fairytales. In La Haine, the movement shows more a passive movement, that the protagonists are driven by the events (the scene reminds us of persons standing on deck of a ship). Finally, the effect irritates the viewer and makes him aware of the artificial character in a film and the possibility of manipulation.

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