Marion Crane (Janet Leigh: The Fog) has stolen $40,000 dollars from her boss with the intention of driving across several states to run away with her long-distance boyfriend. When the fear of being caught and physical fatigue catches up with her Marion decides to stop for a night at the Bates Motel.
At the motel she meets the oddly intriguing young man that owns the place: Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins: The Matchmaker). He’s a bit of a recluse, yet he obviously yearns for companionship. The only person he lives with is his invalid mother who lost her mind after the death of her lover. His mother can’t stand to be left alone for long...and she hates intruders.
The Bates Motel holds many secrets. Unfortunately, Marion Crane doesn’t survive to learn many of them. But you will...and they just might knock your socks off!
THE BODY COUNT
There are only two onscreen kills in Psycho, but there are a couple more that are implied.
THE NUDITY (A little something for the perverts in the house.)
For the guys: (And some of the gals, I suppose)
I’m honestly not sure if you get any actual nudity, but Janet Leigh is shown in very quick cuts from multiple angles as she showers.
THE GOODS (How well did the movie deliver on its premise?)
What’s really good:
* The acting in Psycho is almost unparalleled in horror cinema. From the perfectly layered character of Norman Bates played by Anthony Perkins to the headstrong Marion Crane played by Janet Leigh the acting is wholly convincing. I’d give some of that credit to director Alfred Hitchcock, who is widely known for actively shaping the performances of his actors.
* The cinematography in this film is unbelievable. The overall clarity of the movie and its nicely done shades of black and white are quite amazing when one considers the age of Psycho. Also, one can’t forget that it was shot on a relatively low budget for 1960 (believed to be $800,000). All in all, it looks great!
* The infamous score fits in perfectly with the film, especially in the equally infamous shower scene.
* It’s genuinely fun to watch the story unravel, guessing what twist or turn might come next. Credit for this classic horror film should go to everyone involved - including the actors, the writers, and Hitchcock himself for his artistic direction. Without these people involved we could have had a rather average film on our hands!
What’s really bad:
* The scene at the end of the film featuring a psychologist that explains all of the killer’s motives wasn’t needed. In fact, it comes quite close to insulting the viewer’s intelligence. How could a psychologist know so many things about a patient after spending a very short time with the person? Wouldn’t it be unethical for the psychologist to quickly give away facts and opinions about the patient to regular citizens without consent? Also, can’t the viewer figure out many of these motives on his own? Yes, the scene neatly wraps up the film and leaves no questions unanswered. But I believe that the film would be slightly better if it were left with only a small portion of the psychologist’s monologue. Luckily, this is the only scene in the film that is really worth nit-picking.
TIDBITS (A little inside info. for ya!)
* When watching this movie try to spot as many references to birds as you can. Look for indirect references as well (such as the name Marion Crane). Better yet, make a drinking game out of it!
* A nude model was used as a body double for Janet Leigh during some of the shower scenes (but don’t expect to see anything graphic, fancypants).
* Director Alfred Hitchcock cameos early in the film.
* When filming Psycho it was referred to on set as “Project 9401” or simply “Wimpy.”
* The knife is never actually shown making contact with Marion’s flesh. However, the sound of the knife stabbing her is really the sound of a knife puncturing a casaba melon.
* The “blood” in the shower scene was, in reality, chocolate sauce.
* Many of the paintings in the film act as precursors to actual events that transpire.
YOU CAN LEARN A LOT FROM A MOVIE (facts to help you deal
with your turbulent life)
1. You can buy happiness.
2. You can’t buy off unhappiness with pills.
3. You can clearly hear people talking (inside, mind you) from hundreds of yards away.
4. A boy’s best friend is his mother.
5. Don’t shower!
CELEBRITY QUOTES (If you think these quotes are real you are
dumber than you look!)
The following quote comes from my good friends at epinions.com, zentropaJk and janesbit1:
“How can you call yourself a horror fan if you haven’t seen the original Psycho! The remake is awful! The original is a totally different movie. The remake sucks! The original rules! Watch it now! Now! NOOOOOOOOOOOW!”
Chumps.
WORTH WATCHING? (Should you slap down the money?)
Let’s talk about guts. No, not the onscreen kind that many directors like to throw at you. I’m talking about the kind of guts it took on the part of Alfred Hitchcock to kill off the heroine of the film within the first hour. That, fright fans, is guts. Nobody had ever done it before and I personally haven’t seen anybody do it since in the genre.
Hitchcock took every possible measure forty years ago to keep the film’s plot a secret, but people have a way of talking about wonderfully inventive things. The fact that forty years later people who haven’t ever witnessed the film can still tell you about shower scene is simply astounding. However, the death of Marion Crane is only the beginning of
a series of interesting events. The original Psycho should be viewed by all horror fans. Even if you think you know everything there is to know about this movie don’t deprive yourself of a viewing. After all, it is the grandfather of the modern slasher. It redefines set rules of horror cinema. In a few words: it’s a genre classic.
Fright Factor (1-10): 7
Funny Factor (1-10): 2
Gore Factor (1-10): 2
”Psycho” Factor: 10
What Horror Fans Should Pay: Up to $3.00
What Casual Fans Should Pay: Up to $1.00
OKAY, I WATCHED THE MOVIE...NOW WHAT, FANCYPANTS?
(Plugs for other flicks)
Well, if you enjoyed Psycho I'd recommend:
* The sequels (duh!)
* The 1998 remake of Psycho
* Halloween
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