Psycho

It’s Hitchcock time! I’m going over there to take a shower and pray that I come out of it alive.

Name: Psycho

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Country: United States of America

Year: 1960

Duration: 109 min

Genre: Horror, Psychological, Suspense

Synopses

Marion Crane is a secretary that steals from her employer, with the purpose of paying off the debts of her boyfriend, Sam. During her escape she ends up in a decaying motel, run by a disturbing man named Norman Bates. Alfred Hitchcock’s great classic, with the mythical shower scene, that started the “serial Killer” trend in cinema.

Review

I grew up hearing Hitchcock’s name and suspense in the same sentence. Still, I hadn't seen any films from this director, even though I knew about the famous shower scene. It was for this movie that I decided to dive into his works. By this time, almost everyone has seen this film, but if you haven’t, then, let’s go!

Marion is a young woman in love who wishes to get married, but she cannot do it without money. Besides, her boyfriend Sam has a lot of debts. That’s when she has an idea: to steal money from her employer, assuming that they will only notice the money is gone after the weekend. During the escape, she is forced to stop at a motel with a sketchy look, due to the bad weather, and there she meets the owner, Norman Bates, a tormented and shy man. In that moment their lives change in such a way that even the town’s sheriff is involved.

From the beginning until the end, there is tension in the air and when Marion arrives at the Bates Motel, things get even creepier. As I watched the film, the word creepy came to my mind many times!

The story unfolds with fluidity, without deviating far from the main plot. The meeting between Marion and Norman has consequences and the narrative focuses on them. Although the action is a bit slow, it’s an easily watched film, for we are always expecting for something to happen. I confess that I got scared in some parts.

As for the characters, the actor Anthony Perkins is fantastic in the role of Norman Bates. With a shy and innocent air, he manages to captivate us enough to suddenly creep us out with a psychopathic look. As for the female characters, they appear to be strong spirited and, yet, have a certain vulnerability to them.

Hitchcock chose a black and white look for the film, for he considered it would be too bloody if it was colored. I confess that perhaps the terror would be a bit lost, but I doubt it would get bloodier, for blood is something we don’t actually see much in the film. However, I must admit that it really is creepy and the soundtrack is the main reason behind it. The soundtrack and Norman Bates’ look!

Psycho is a suspense/horror film that is unique, setting it apart from others in the genre nowadays. I think one of the main factors is really the soundtrack, brilliantly applied with the right timing, and the psychological terror. This really does wonders for the spectator’s heart!

In my opinion, the biggest mistake when watching this film is to assume that the main events have already been revealed. The ending was a complete surprise for me. I really enjoyed the film and will definitely watch the rest of Hitchcock’s works.

Whisper of the Heart

Psycho is a film from 1960, considered by many to be Hitchcock’s masterpiece. The plot is based on Robert Bloch’s book, which, in turn, was inspired by Ed Gein’s crimes, in Wisconsin. Fun fact, it was Hitchcock’s assistant that gave him the idea that would later become a milestone in the director’s career. Peggy Robertson showed Bloch’s book to Hitchcock and he quickly decided to turn it into a film. In order to make sure that nobody knew the ending before the film came out, Hitchcock bought the book’s copyrights and all of the copies. Psycho would be a complete surprise to everyone that went to see it.

The film’s reception by the critics at the time wasn’t very positive but, as the years passed by, the opinions shifted and today Psycho is considered to be a gem in the horror movie genre.

Personally, I am not a fan of this genre, but I admit that I loved Hitchcock’s film. In a simple and direct way, he tells the story, engulfing us in it, without us even realising it. I like these types of narratives that appeal to my senses in an intelligent manner. It was the first film from this director that I watched and it made me want to watch his other works. That being stated, I chose it for the topic “A Black and White film” for the Eclectic Heart 30 Post Challenge.

Rating - 🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉🟉 (10)