A Film Addict Reviews! Psycho

I have always been curious about film history and how it influenced the films of today. The films of yesteryears are always curious cause they start certain genres. For example, we have Jaws and Star Wars to thank for the blockbusters of today. Star Wars was influenced by Akira Kurosawa samurai films and Flash Gordon and now its massively popular. The films that inspire others to create are usually the most interesting due to the fact they were testing the new grounds of that genre and Psycho is no different.

1960’s Psycho is about a woman, Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), who steals 40,000 dollars and runs away. She turns up at a mysterious motel and owner, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), invites her in. A murder is committed and people try to figure out who did it.

The Story

The film really shines in this aspect. The story is very intriguing and keeps your eyes on the screen. For it being an older film, it still holds up to todays standards. It flows from plot point to point seamlessly and shows you what you need to know when you need to know it. It also does not spoil the big reveal of the film. I don’t want to spoil any more of the story cause the way it plays out and the big reveal is great.

The Acting

I don’t know much about the actors and actresses to be able to see how they act in other roles. Anthony Perkins, I think, does a good job portraying the character of Norman Bates. You can’t really tell what he is thinking at any time in the film and it makes for a more intriguing character. Janet Leigh was alright in the film. I don’t really know what I was expecting out of a 60’s film but she didn’t disappoint me.

The Cinematography

Hitchcock is considered the master of suspense and I believe this is where that all comes through, in his shot choices and the way they are put together. His framing with some shots are pretty simple but I think that helps with trying to depict what information the audience needs to know and doesn’t. Let’s look at the infamous shower for example. Marion is taking a shower and then gets stabbed to death in there. All you ever see is a dark figure behind the curtains, the knife, the water running and different parts of Marian. The shots are really easy to get but the way it was all put together, along with the music, gives the viewer a true sense of horror as that scene carries on. The simplicity of the entire scene makes it easier to convey all of the emotions he wants you to feel and it works beautifully. Another shot that I liked was when Norman was double exposed with a skull. It makes for a really good shot and pretty good planning in order to get a shot like that done.

Opinion and Verdict

Overall, Psycho is a great film and one worth rewatching over and over again to study the little details and how shots were done. Hitchcock never misses a chance to try to misdirect you and keep the tension in the film. I would highly recommend anyone to watch this film as this is an important piece of film history, of filmmaking, and the beginning of an entirely new genre as a whole. Now, I should maybe watch another Hitchcock film so that can mess with my head. Maybe I should watch The Birds.

If you enjoyed this review, please read my latest one: Corpse Bride