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Group number: 5
3. In which of the two films did the group feel the music was most effective and why? Least
effective and why?
The majority of the group felt like Vertigo utilized music most effectively because of its
clear use of motifs throughout the movie as well as the music during pivotal action
sequences. The opening scene of Scottie hanging off the roof and the ending when he is
dragging Judy to the top of the bell tower are perfect examples of dramatic strings that
get the heart racing and make the listener almost feel nauseous. The group majorly felt
that Orfeu Negro used music least effectively. This was because of the lack of clarity in
the music, possibly because of the instrumentation. One group member complained that it
was just loud for loud’s sake, and it was hard to understand what was going on.
4. Given the age of these films, what are some of the issues that might color 2023
audiences’ response to them (racial stereotypes, treatment of women, technical aspects
related to the film itself, etc.)?
In Vertigo, there is a stereotype of weak, hysterical women who do not get a happy
ending. There also seems to be a pattern of abuse of fictional women in Hitchcock’s
films. In Orfeu Negro, negative stereotypes are reinforced such as the assumption that
poor Black citizens of Rio did nothing but sing and dance their cares away. It also
fetishizes Brazil’s culture in a harmful manner.