Cutting Edge: Psycho 1960 Film Review

Figure 1- Movie poster

Psycho (1960) was directed by Alfred Hitchcock and written Joseph Stefano. This is psychological thriller, powerful and complex is a tale of a women on the (Janet Leight) who checks into the mysterious Bates Motel.

"The disturbing film's theme of corruptibility, confused identities, voyeurism, human vulnerabilities and  victimization for the deadly effect of money. It was an oedipal murder and dark past histories are realistically revealed." (Filmsite 2/02/16) This quote is in part referencing to the character of Norman Bates who spies on female lead and confused  identities.

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Figure 2- Shower scene

There are many different camera techniques used in the film. These techniques contribute to the rise of tension in the film. Figure 2 The famous shower scene from the classic Hitchcock film doesn't show the knife actually puncturing flesh of victim and the amount of blood is very minimum. However the three minute sequence scene is still shocking today and unnerves the viewer with its brutality. However the film shot was taken in black and white to soften down the murder scene to the viewer from the vibrant red colour of the blood scene. I fact for the scene chocolate syrup was used.

The shower scene was the turning point in the narrative and we began to learn more about Norman Bates character. Norman Bates cross-dresses as his mother, kills people and he acts both as Norman and Mother role. 

Figure 3 - Norman Bates

"Norman Bates generally lives two different lives. His two lives - first as himself  ‘Norman Bates’  a caring and loving lad, a conscientious and civic person in all manners possible as a hero of the film. The second as his deceased mother Mrs. Bates, a dominating and evil person who controls her and her son's life most of the time. She is jealous of other women and a sufferer of a male infidelity she protects Norman from the sensual influences of opposite sex his entire life. Then she motivates him to kill the women who he finds attractive. And finally Norman is shown sarcastically smilling at the camera." (Brill 2014)

The story of Norman Bates was based on the real-life killing  of woman by Ed Gein 1957. As Breslow explains, "They found this particular woman," says Rebello, "She had been unfortunately tortured and dressed out like a steer. ... And the house was kind of a charnel house of decomposing body parts, skull heads line up on shelves." (Breslow 2008). The fact that psycho is based on real events helps make the film more sinister as the viewer is aware of the facts behind the fiction.

Bibliography:

Breslow, P. (2008) Norman Bates: A most terrifying mama’s boy. Available at: http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=91947125 (Accessed: 21 January 2016).

Brill, L. (2014) Review & synopsis: Psycho (1960), and character analysis of Norman Bates. Available at: https://sillyfunda.wordpress.com/2014/02/06/review-synopsis-psycho-1960/
(Accessed: 9 February 2016).

Ebert. R. (1998) Psycho movie review & film summary (1960)
http://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/great-movie-psycho-1960 (Accessed 19 January 2016) 

Staff, H. (2014) 8 unnerving facts about that ‘Psycho’ shower scene. Available at: http://www.hlntv.com/article/2014/10/29/psycho-shower-scene-facts (Accessed: 19 January 2016).


Psycho (1960) (no date) Available at: http://www.filmsite.org/psyc.html (Accessed: 2 February 2016).

Weber, B. and Weber, B. (2010) Psycho | film review. Available at: http://www.slantmagazine.com/film/review/psycho (Accessed: 19 January 2016).

Illustration List:

Figure 1- Movie poster
http://41.media.tumblr.com/71c874d1628f1732ebed4d8153681729/tumblr_inline_nncokcg3nO1s4nsna_1280.jpg
(Accessed 19  January 2016)

Figure 2- Shower Scene
http://www.movierentalsportland.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/03-psycho-screen.jpg
(Accessed 19 January 2016)


Figure 3 - Norman Bates
https://sillyfunda.files.wordpress.com/2014/02/norman-smiling-in-the-last-scence.jpg
(Accessed 19 January 2016)