Psycho (1960) directed by Alfred Hitchcock

AFI Top 100: #14

Psycho! The great American murder movie. I recently watched this film for the first time for my Creative Process class and I must admit that it was a mistake never taking the time to see it before. This is quite possibly the greatest murder thriller to have ever been released, and nothing I have ever seen possibly lives up to it. I watched Peeping Tom, Psycho's British counterpart, a week or so back, and that does not even live up to this Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece. Beautifully shot and timed, amazing performances, and a legacy for decades to come, Psycho absolutely lives up to its unbeatable reputation.

The performances in this film are indisputably magnificent, from the quiet but deadly Norman Bates, played by Anthony Perkins, to the blonde bombshell Marion Crane, played by Janet Leigh. They truly lived up to everything I was expecting from this film, and more. As I had never seen it before, I was expecting a decent horror flick that may have been considered a classic just because of its infamous shower scene. It was so much more than that, however. Watching this film and thinking about the impact it must have had on American culture, especially in the 1960's, is astounding. It pushed the boundaries of filmmaking for that time with its use of implied sexual actions without making it an X-rating. Along with the always talked-about shower scene, there were many points throughout the film where it was very risky to show certain material in that time period. In the very first scene, for example, it shows nearly naked Marion in bed after spending a night with her boyfriend Sam, portrayed by John Gavin. Showing her topless and in her lingerie must have been shocking in the 1960's, and it really made me appreciate the film even more, for its bold confidence. Another aspect that I loved was the performance of Norman Bates. Not having seen the film before, I was not sure which character was him, and after learning that the attractive, young, and innocent-faced man was him, I was very confused. I had always pictured Norman Bates as a very creepy man with bad intentions, but this wasn't the case at all. The character development shown in Norman was amazing, as he went from shy and introverted to an outward psychopath, all the while led by his sick and deranged mother. This was one film where I actually started to root for the antagonist. Norman had such a great presence on screen, even after killing the main protagonist barely halfway through the film. After learning about the background with his mother, it made Norman's character that much more round, and I was all for that.

Something new and refreshing about this film was the plot. I shouldn't say refreshing, however, because this film has been the inspiration for horror writers and directors for decades. It was refreshing for me, because I truly saw where so many ideas and horror tropes originated from. This film has made such an impact on me, as I'm sure it did on so many people when it was originally in theaters. One element about the plot that stuck out to me as innovative was the plot twist towards the end. I began to have my doubts that Norman's mother was alive and well after never seeing her, but as he carried her down the stairs to the fruit cellar, my doubts were lifted. This might have been one of the original greatest plot twists in film history, because when I found out that it was Norman pretending to be his mother the entire time, my mind was blown. I was right the entire time, but Hitchcock and the writers of Psycho did such a fantastic job of leading my mind elsewhere. That is the mark of a great thriller film, in my opinion, is one that surprises you with a number of twists and turns. Psycho definitely did not disappoint.

The innovation in this film is stupendous, and after hearing it from multiple people throughout my life, was great to see for myself for the first time. If you are a horror movie fan or just a fan of thrilling dramas in general, Psycho is and should have been your introduction to the genre. I am upset that I missed out on such an amazing film for a long time in my life, but now that I have filled that void with this great movie, I can guarantee that this film will stand the test of time as one, if not THE, greatest horror film of all time.

My Rating: ★★★★★