Psycho - Alfred Hitchcock (1960)

So, I FINALLY watched Psycho. What did I think? Well, I know Alfred Hitchcock is a great director, and I know this film was an absolute triumph in it's day, but personally, I didn't love it.

Good points

Bernard Herrmann's music score was extremely good. It was dramatic, tense, and completely set the tone of a horror film. In one scene where Marion was driving away from work down a high way, the camera just showed a front view of her driving in her car, but the music made me feel anxious that something bad was going to happen.

The story was also very good. I truly believed that Norman's mother was sitting upstairs in the creepy house, and the various twists were clever and surprising. What scared me the most in this film was the story, not how it was shown. I find it very scary that someone would put on their dead mother's voice and act like her, without the other part of them knowing it. Norman really believed his mother was alive, he even kept her corpse (another thing that freaked me out a bit). The most frightening thing about "Psycho" is that the story is believable. It is possible, and actually based on real murders (as mentionned in the "trivia" section).

The acting was superb, especially from Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates) who played a schizophrenic man who's dead mother's personality occupied half of his mind. His innocence in his first appearance was endearing, and I really thought he was a nice guy. And then in the end when he was in the jail cell, his facial expression was very frightening (the photo is below). The scene where you could hear him arguing with his mother was believable, and it was only later (once I'd found out he was schizophrenic) that I realised he was acting out both parts of the argument. This was very clever and one of my favourite things about this film.

Not so good points

Something I wasn't too impressed with was the actual murders. I understand that they were limited with technology at the time, but I suppose due to modern technology I have become a bit of a murder snob. I found them not very believable and not very scary. For example when Milton Arbogast was stabbed and fell down the stairs. I think it is due to the advances in technology and the new realms of scariness in modern horror films, that when I watched it, everyone laughed at the once "scary" parts. At the time it was "terrifying" but now I think it is a bit outdated.

I was disappointed at the slow pace of the film, which I suppose was meant to create suspense and tension, but it was too slow and not enough happened to make this successful. For example, when the music was building to a climax when Marion was driving, and then nothing happened.

I think the most important expectation I have when I watch a horror film is to have that satisfying feeling of fear in my stomach, however I didn't get that at all in this film. There was one point where I slightly jumped, when Marion's sister Lila was looking around Mrs Bates' room, and she turned and gasped. I would have wanted more of that.

William Friedkin's reaction to "Psycho" (director of "The Exorcist" - the scariest film ever)

''Psycho was the first film that really scared me, that made me think, Oh my God, this is possible. Hitchcock based it on a novel by Robert Bloch, which was based on actual murders committed by a guy living in a shack in Wisconsin named Ed Gein. I grew up and lived in Chicago, a stone's throw away....When I made The Exorcist, I understood what Hitchcock had done with Psycho. The build-up to those horrific scenes was more terrifying than the scenes themselves, as unforgettably disturbing as they were. Any work of art that can produce an emotional response is powerful. Hitchcock is able to scare you, almost any time he cares to.''

I think since Friedkin saw this closer to the time it was made than I did, his reaction was very different. I highly value his opinion, and I know Psycho is loved (and feared) by many people.

Some interesting things you probably didn't know about Psycho

This poster reads; "Hitchcock, the dour and impenetrable showboat, hid himself - and, at times, his art - behind the guise of the jovial master entertainer. The canvas chair of "Mrs. Bates" was kept prominently placed and displayed on the set throughout shooting". Now THAT is creepy..

Hitchcock makes his cameo appearance 4 minutes in wearing a cowboy hat outside Janet Leigh's office.

Here is some more interesting trivia

• The film only cost $800,000 to make yet has earned more than $40,000,000. Hitchcock used the crew from his TV series to save time and money. In 1962 exchanged the rights to the film and his TV-series for a huge block of MCA's stock (he became their third largest stockholder).

• Robert Bloch's original novel was inspired by the notorious serial killer Ed Gein who was also one of the inspirations for the character of Hannibal Lector (The Silence of the Lambs/Manhunter).

• Hitchcock bought the rights to the novel anonymously from Robert Bloch for just $9,000. He then bought up as many copies of the novel as he could to keep the ending a secret.

• The blood in the shower scene is actually chocolate sauce.

• The shot of Janet Leigh flushing the toilet is believed to be the first such shot in American cinema history.

• The MPAA refused to pass this film because they claimed to be able to see Janet Leigh's nipple during the shower scene. Hitchcock didn't edit it out, but merely sent it back, (correctly, it seems) assuming that they either wouldn't bother to watch it, or miss it the second time.

• Hitchcock insisted that audiences should only be allowed to see the film from the start so as not to ruin the surprise. This was unheard of back then as people were used to just coming in at any point during a movie.

• After the film's release Hitchcock received an angry letter from the father of a girl who refused to have a bath after seeing Diabolique and now refused to shower after seeing Psycho. Hitch sent a note back simply saying "Send her to the dry cleaners".

Even though "Psycho" is not one of my favourite films, I can easily see why it was so successful at the time.