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Film Buffs Not Happy with Owners of Vertigo House

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LA may get most of movie history's glory, but Alfred Hitchcock loved filming his here in San Francisco. Famous scenes from Hitchcock's 1958 classic Vertigo were filmed outside the house at 900 Lombard Street, and now film buffs are not happy with the recent alterations made by the homeowners. In the movie, Jimmy Stewart follows Kim Novak all around San Francisco, and the two end up at Stewart's apartment. For many years the building used as the exterior of the apartment remained basically the same as shown in the movie, and was a favorite spot for Hitchcock enthusiasts to visit. Now the owners are sick of tourists constantly hanging around their front door, and put up a stucco-covered wall in front of the house. They've also redesigned the entryway (prominently shown in the movie), and stuccoed over the brick chimney. Film buffs aren't happy, accusing them of ruining a piece of history - but the owners argue that "pop culture history" isn't the same thing. We'll admit, the alterations make the house almost unrecognizable compared to how it looked in the movie. We turn to you, readers - were the owners in the wrong, or should film fans mind their own business?
· Owners defend changes to Vertigo house [SF Gate]
· Vertigo - Scottie's House [ReelSF]