Week 1: Psycho (1960)

"We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?" -Norman Bates

Psycho was the perfect film for me to choose as the first of this Hitchcock journey I am embarking on. It is, arguably, his most well known and remembered film. And I had the wonderful chance this evening to see it on the big screen at the movie tavern's retro cinema night. It was an excellent experience, and I am so glad that I got the chance to see it in that capacity.

There is really no way I can give a summary for this film because of the twists and turns that it takes, so I will simply assume if you are reading this, you have seen it. If you haven't seen it, then I suggest you close the browser immediately and go to Blockbuster to rent it. Seriously, don't read this if you haven't.

Psycho is one of those few films that chills me every time I watch it. I saw it for the first time when I was around eight years old, and it terrified me. It is a true classic piece of horror in a way that is superior to modern scary movies.

What makes it so special? Part of it is the score. Hitchcock himself said that 33% of the effect of the film was the score, and he doubled composer Bernard Hermann's salary because it was so well done. From the very opening scene, the suspense is created by the fast-paced, panicked, repetitive music, which only intensifies throughout the film. Ironically enough, the iconic shower scene, one of the most well-known in film history, was originally supposed to be silent. But when Hitchcock heard what Hermann had written he decided to put it in.

Another great appeal of Psycho is that the cheap thrills, while definitely present, take the back burner to a truly satisfying and creepy plot. You might only jump three times in the movie, but the amount of time you think about it later, and the unsettling feeling you are left with, more than make up for it.

And of course, the acting is phenomenal. There have been few better performances over time than Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. His ever flickering eyes convey an uneasiness in the audience from the moment we meet him, though his kind and timid demeanor lead us to hope that he is actually a good guy. As he spirals out of control, he is so utterly pathetic, yet so very disturbing. It's one of those roles that I simply can't imagine anyone else playing.

Psycho is probably most horrifying because of the infamous shower scene. I could go on and on about the brilliant film editing, splicing together 78 little sequences into the well put together finished product, but everyone knows how amazing that was, so I will focus instead on the suspense.

When Janet Leigh's character is showering, everyone knows something bad is more than likely going to happen. But Hitchcock wouldn't miss the opportunity to torture the audience. We see the door open, we see Bates walk slowly to the shower, and we see the hand reach around the curtain. The whole time we see it coming, but it is still so devastatingly suspenseful. And in the shower, we see a vulnerability that each of us has every single day. That is why Hitchcock is so successful at horror and suspense. He chooses situations that we cannot avoid and exploits the vulnerability in them to terrify us.

What truly attracts me to psycho, however, is the backstory, full of fascinating trivia. Hitchcock wanted to make a really good horror movie. He was so determined to shock the audience in fact, that he not only filmed the trailer to showcase Janet Leigh's character as the main character, but he wrote letters to all the movie theaters instructing them to not allow anyone in after the movie had started, so that they would not wonder where she was if they came in after she died.  He even had cardboard cutouts of himself warning the audience to not enter late placed in all of the theater lobbies.

Hitchcock held casting calls and spread rumors about the actress that would be playing Mrs. Bates. He even left a chair for her on set. The actors were not clued in on the ending of the film until the time came for them to prepare to film the final scenes of the movie. Hitchcock wanted to keep everyone in the dark. His determination resulted in a very widespread curiosity and interest in the film. 

Another interesting aspect of Psycho is the audience reaction. Many people were offended and revolted by the film. Though it may seem timid in today's gore-filled world, that shower scene was very disturbing at the time. Walt Disney, in fact, was so offended by the film that he would not let Hitchcock film at Disney a few years later.

Perhaps the most interesting audience reaction, though, is that many people reported remembering the "bright red blood" going down the drain. This is of course, impossible, because not only was the fake blood created by chocolate syrup, but the film was obviously black and white. The reports truly show exactly what Hitchcock always firmly believed--that the audience could be manipulated into feeling exactly what he wanted them to feel and see what he wanted them to see. He was a magician of a filmmaker.

And now, I'm off to take a shower. Good evening.