Where Was Vertigo Filmed? Alfred Hitchcock’s Psychological Thriller!

Are you searching for a movie that will keep you thrilled till the end? If yes, you must watch the best thriller film of all time, the masterpiece Vertigo (1958). Not only the film’s plot, but the movie’s sights will also give you the best thrilling effects. So, to know more about this film and where was Vertigo filmed, read the article till the end.

The American psychological thriller Vertigo is based on Boileau-Narcejac’s novel D’entre les morts, published in 1954. The film was produced and directed by the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock.

Vertigo initially met with mixed reviews but was later regarded as a masterpiece and one of Hitchcock’s best films. The film Vertigo earned many nominations, including two Oscar awards, and also won 11 awards.

The basic premise revolves around the retired police detective, John Scottie Ferguson, who suffers from acrophobia and vertigo after an incident while on the job. The plot gets into its theme when Gavin hires Scottie to monitor his wife, Madeleine, who is acting weird.

To know more about this gripping thriller plot, read till the end of the article. Now, let me explain where was Vertigo filmed.

Where Was Vertigo Filmed? Check Out The Location Details Here!

Hitchcock is a legendary filmmaker who is well-known for producing thriller-based movies. The director mostly takes inspiration from the novels to create a film, and some of his best works include Rebecca, Psycho, Rear Window, and The Birds. Although he takes inspiration from the novel, he changes the script to make it more intriguing. He works with the writers to add suspense, twists, and turns.

Likewise, in the pre-production of Vertigo, Hitchcock made some changes to the story. After completing the script work, the team began hiring the cast members. Initially, Vera Miles was hired to play the lead role, Madeleine, but due to some reasons, Kim Novak replaced Miles in this movie.

The movie’s principal photography began in September 1957 and wrapped up in December of the same year. San Francisco served as the primary location for filming, and the team also used the studios for filming. Hitchcock used an in-camera effect, dolly zoom, to showcase Scottie’s acrophobia condition.

Now, without any further ado, let me tell you the exact filming locations where was Vertigo filmed.

San Francisco, California | USA

The production team of Vertigo utilized several locations in San Francisco for filming. The apartment scenes of Scottie were filmed at 900 Lombard Street. In contrast, Gavin and Madeleine’s apartment scenes were filmed in Brocklebank Apartments at 1000 Mason Street.

Madeleine’s jump from the tall tower was filmed in Fort Point, whereas Madeleine’s body drop was filmed in Mission San Juan Bautista, located at 2nd Mariposa Street. The scene where Madeleine visits the florist shop, Podesta Baldocchi, was filmed on Grant Avenue.

Some famous attractions used in this movie for filming include Golden Gate Park, the Palace of Fine Arts located at 3301 Lyon Street, Park Hill Sanatorium, California Palace of the Legion of Honor, and San Francisco Drydock.

The Essex club scene was filmed in Ernie’s Restaurant, located at 847 Montgomery street. Different sequences were filmed in several hotels, including Fairmont Hotels and York Hotel, located at 940 Sutter Street.

California | USA

After completing the schedule in San Francisco, the team moved to California to shoot the remaining portions of the film. Here the team used a studio and different locations for filming. The production team used the Paramount Studios at 5555 Melrose Avenue for filming. The art directors constructed some sets inside the studio for filming.

Next, the team traveled to different locations in California for shooting. The kissing scene between Scottie and Madeleine was filmed in Cypress Point in Pebble Beach. The scene that sets in Muir Woods National Monument was actually filmed in Big Basin Redwoods State park, located at 21600 Big Basin way in Boulder Creek. Some scenes were filmed at the Biltmore Hotel at 506 S. Grand Avenue Downtown.

All the filming schedules were completed in December 1957, and then the team moved to post-production work. There was a lot of work in post-production, and the team used artist John Ferren to create a special sequence, and the animator John Whitney created the rotating patterns for the title portion.

Plot Of Vertigo | What Is The Story About?

The movie follows the character John Scottie Ferguson, a former police officer. It is his early retirement as he has the condition of acrophobia (severe height-related phobia). As the story progresses, Gavin requests Scottie to follow his wife, Madeleine, whose behavior is insane. Gavin also says that Madeleine’s great-grandmother possesses Madeleine, which is the reason for her weird behavior.

Scottie becomes more obsessed with Madeleine and follows her every day. One day Scottie saves her from suicide, and Madeleine starts to fall for him. Both confess their love for each other, but suddenly Madeleine climbs the tower and falls. Scottie is unable to stop her because of his condition. Madeleine died, and Scottie became more depressed after this incident.

But the mystery does not end here; one day, Scottie sees a woman named Judy, and she makes him think of Madeleine. So, what is the next twist in the story? To find out, watch this classic thriller movie on Amazon Prime Video.

Final Words

Well, above are all the details you need to know about where was Vertigo filmed. If you found this article interesting, then make sure to read other filming location articles on our website. Also, if you want us to cover your favorite movie titles, let us know in the comments section below.