Film review - Psycho (1960)

Figure 1. Psycho film poster

Released in 1960 and directed by the great Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho is a Thriller about Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a young secretary, who is on the run after stealing $40,000 from a client at work. After trading in her car for a new one Marion continues to get away from Phoenix, Arizona until, due to heavy rain, she has to pull over at a motel and stay the night until the storm passes. Here is where she meets and starts speaking to Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), the owner of the motel. Subsequently after speaking to Norman, Marion is murdered. Not hearing from her sister in days, Lila Crane (Vera Miles) sparks a missing persons case calling on a private investigator to try and find her sister. Tracing Marion to the 'Bate's Motel' private investigator Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam) finds that the murderer must be in Norman's house, Arbogast is then also murdered by what looks to be Norman's psychotic mother. It is then later revealed in the film by Marion's boyfriend Sam (John Gavin) and Lila that Norman's psychotic mother is in fact Norman. 

Throughout 'Psycho' Hitchcock uses a variety of different camera angles and sounds to create a sense that the main character Marion is being stalked. The way in which some of the cameras are place in almost point of view shots make it seem as though the audience are in her shoes and is an easy way to create tension. 'Hitchcock's mischievous genius for audience manipulation is everywhere: in the noirish angularity of the cinematography, in his use of Bernard Herrmann's stabbing string score, in the ornithological imagery that creates a bizarre sense of preying and being preyed upon.' (Monahan, 2015) This tension is also then enhanced in the famous shower scene where very little violence is shown but due to the noise of the strings more fear is struck into the audience. 'The violence diminishes rather than escalates; our emotions, fears and expectations have been so roused that they become as much a part of the cinematic experience as what is actually on the screen.' (Errigo, 2000)

Figure 2. Psycho shower scene 

Figure 3. Car sinking 

In the film, after murdering Marion, Norman then thinks of a way to dispose of her body. He places her and the rest of her belongings from the motel room into the boot of her car and then pushes it into the swamp on the grounds of the Bate's motel. From what is previously heard in the film before this scene, between Norman and his mother, the audience feel slight empathy towards him as Hitchcock cleverly makes them feel as though they are placed in his position. 'The car sinks, then pauses. Norman watches intently. The car finally disappears under the surface. Analyzing our feelings, we realize we wanted that car to sink, as much as Norman did.' (Ebert, 1998)



Bibliography:

Ebert, R. (1998). Psycho Movie Review & Film Summary (1960) | Roger Ebert. [online] Rogerebert.com. Available at: https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-psycho-1960 [Accessed 23 Jan. 2018].

Errigo, A. (2000). EMPIRE ESSAY: Psycho. [online] Empire. Available at: https://www.empireonline.com/movies/empire-essay-psycho/review/ [Accessed 23 Jan. 2018].

Monahan, M. (2015). Psycho, review. [online] Telegraph.co.uk. Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/filmreviews/11025424/Psycho-review.html [Accessed 23 Jan. 2018].

Illustrations list:

Figure 1. (1960) Psycho. https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-psycho-1960 [Accessed on: 22 Jan 2018]

Figure 2. (1960) Psycho. https://78.media.tumblr.com/74062f1ea914f947e24a3bfeb0eb17d5/tumblr_mpzmkxbaW21sp9fcho1_500.gif
[Accessed on: 22 Jan 2018]

Figure 3. (1960) Psycho. http://rebloggy.com/post/gif-1950s-alfred-hitchcock-old-hollywood-psycho-anthony-perkins/101967525403 [Accessed on: 23 Jan 2018]