THEMES

Death 1)Presented as attractive and frightening through ideas about fear of vertigo (Scottie) and potential suicide (Madeline) 2)Scottie seems obsessed with paradox of being attracted by death but terrified of it. The Supernatural ideas about dying and coming back from the dead

MOTIFS
Spirals eyes / hairstyles / stairs / trees reinforces ideas surrounding vertigo and closely linked to themes around life and death

SYMBOLS
Towers Phallic symbols and connected to themes around Scotties impotence and power struggles in the film

Flowers idealised notions of beauty and femininity as fragile represents Scotties idealisation of Madeline as his ideal woman

Sequoia Trees considered to by symbolic of life and death the years we live and generations of time

The power of Psychological obsession 1)the rational v irrational romantic delusion Scottie has with Madeline 2)The idea that were all prisoners of our own psyche
Physical appearances & beauty: 1)physical manifestations in people 2) ideals of beauty but with a price to pay

Tunnels & Corridors represented as passages to (and from) death

Red considered to signify danger

Crisis of Masculinity Role of men and women in 1950s society

Green considered to represent 1)nature & life 2)life after death / supernatural / ghosts
Religious Icons relates to themes to do with life, death and the supernatural