When people find out I studied film and write a film blog, they always ask what my favorite movie is. I feel like almost everyone is surprised when I tell them that Psycho is in my top 3. I recently rewatched it on DVD, as well as a “Making of Psycho” featurette, so I will do my best to avoid spoilers (except for the stuff I’m sure you already know about!)
Psycho (1960)
Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is a single woman living in Pheonix. She’s having an hot affair with a man who just won’t marry her. She works as a secretary for a real estate company and is unsatisfied with her day to day life. In a moment of weakness, she decides to steal $40,000 from her boss and drive across Arizona to her boyfriend, but paranoia and exhaustion get the best of her and she needs to stop at a roadside motel. When checking in, she meets the strange motel owner, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), an attractive young man who lives with his invalid mother on the property. This turns out to be nearly the last thing she ever does. A detective, her boyfriend and her sister come out to the motel to find out exactly where she disappeared to and are shocked by what they discover.
Why You Should Watch:
This is yet another one of those films that, even if you haven’t seen it, it’s deeply embedded in our culture. If you hear high-pitched violins and feel anxious, this movie is to blame. The image of a shadow holding a knife, slashing the air with it, remains one of the most frightening images.
Hitchcock made this film in black and white for less than a million dollars, using the crew from his television show ‘Alfred Hitchcock Presents’. And yet, it remains one of his most iconic films ever.
All of the performances in this film are remarkable, especially Anthony Perkins who just might be the most charismatic crazy person to have ever graced the big screen. You can’t help but love his boyish charm and naivety. And he’s just so darn good to his mother! ;)
If you’re a fan of Hitchcock, this movie is so satisfying. You can practically see the cogs turning in his mind from tracking shot to tracking shot. It takes you on a journey that you have to succumb to, and maybe that’s why it’s so terrifying.
If you’ve been unconvinced to watch it because you don’t like horror, or because you love gory horror and think you’ll be bored to death - consider this as a rollercoaster. You may be laughing once it’s finished, but you’ll have still gotten a thrill.
Scenes to Look Forward To:
The shower scene. If you’re heard of this movie, you know this scene. The storyboards for this scene, shot in quick-cuts (no pun intended) were drawn by Saul Bass, the same artist who did the title sequences for many of Hitchcock’s films, including North by Northwest, Vertigo, and of course Psycho. The use of shadows and showing body parts one at a time is very jarring and even though everyone already knows this scene is coming, I dare you to not be scared when you see it. I, for one, will fully admit I was afraid to shower after seeing the movie in its entirety.
I also love the scene with the swamp where Norman is trying to hide evidence to protect his dear mother. I guarantee you will never be so compelled to sympathize with a villain in a Hitchcock movie, and Hitchcock makes you feel so guilty for it! What a crafty guy.
The fruit cellar scene is a real shocker. I remember when I first saw this film, it was in my 100-level intro to film class and we all laughed aloud…but I was terrified. You win, Hitchcock. You got me, okay!?
As a treat, here’s a little extra trivia I’ve been dying to share since I watched the behind-the-scenes featurette…
- Did you know that the slashing sound of Marion getting stabbed is just foley of different melons getting stabbed? Hitchcock heard all the sounds in post-production and the lovely squish sound you hear over and over is made by Hitchcock’s favorite melon
- The first night they filmed the exterior of the Bates Motel looking up to the house on the hill, the AD (assistant director) had perfectly framed the shot. He’d even set up a rig for there to be fake rain. Hitchcock came on set, ready to film, and told him he’d forgotten one very important thing - it was a full moon that night and it would never be visible in a real rainstorm! Thinking on their feet, the AD asked the key grips to steadily hold a black sheet with fishing rods to cover the moon for the length of the shot. Talk about an arm work out.
- Ever wonder if Janet Leigh was really naked in the shower scene? Hitchcock had nude models come to set and asked the costume mistress to try multiple costume options to make her look as naked as possible (while still allowing her a little bit of modesty). Well, Leigh said that she covered her nipples with moleskin, a thin felt-like material that was adhesive on one side. Since she was wet and bent over a bathtub for a good chunk of that scene, they would peel back everyone once in a while, but since she was playing a corpse, she couldn’t adjust it.
- She also wasn’t able to blink at all during the slow tracking shot out of the bathroom. She really does keep her eyes open for about a minute! That’s impressive!
Happy watching! Perfect for a rainy night, or if you’re a wimp, in the middle of the day.
