"A son is a poor substitute for a lover."
---Norman Bates
Alfred Hitchcock's most famous and most seen work is Psycho, named the most thrilling movie according to AFI. Though it was made cheaply with his television crew backing him, this film is the most shocking and the most memorable in Hitchcock's canon. Despite a horrible color remake in the nineties, audience members who see it now are still deeply affected by the disturbing story he presents. The film was ground-breaking for its cinematography (especially during the shower scene) and its controversial portrayal of sex, violence and the mentally insane.
The most shocking scene in Psycho is the shower scene, and most of its shock-value is created by the audience members themselves. Although Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) is naked and bathing herself when she is murdered, we do not see any of her private parts, nor do we actually see any flesh torn or any blood coming from any part of her body. Hitchcock created this famous scene by setting up over 45 camera angles and editing all the footage together to give the illusion of a violent and graphic murder scene. This illusion was so well crafted that many critics and moviegoers at the time were outraged at how disturbing the film was. Besides the shower scene, the portrayal of extramarital affairs and sex is handled in a way that was unconventional for movies at that time. Marion has a secret, admittedly mostly sexual, relationship with her boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin). The first scene in Psycho is the two of them in their underclothes on a motel bed. In later scenes we see Marion dressing and undressing in her bra and panties. We watch as Norman removes a portrait from the office wall so he can discreetly watch Marion undress in her motel room.
The relationship between Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and his mother is the most disturbing relationship between a mother and son ever shown in the movies up to that point. Solely raised by his mother for most of his life, Norman was almost unnaturally in love with her. So much so, that he would go to any lengths to protect that love. It would be tragic to reveal the twist in the movie to someone who has not seen it (or has not been told it) before, so I will not say what exact lengths he takes. Norman admits that he feels trapped by his circumstances and we initially believe he means he is trapped taking care of his supposedly invalid mother. What we soon learn is that his trap is one created by his own madness, a sick secret he carries. Norman speaks of his mother's illness, but we will find out it is Norman's illness that is the real meaning behind the film's title. Maybe Norman cannot help the way he feels, the way he acts, and maybe he really is suffering with something he cannot possibly control. Regardless, that is not an excuse for the terrible actions he takes throughout the movie. All of this makes Psycho a richly complex and engrossing film that is still one of the best thrillers ever made.
FUN FACT: When Psycho was first released in theaters, Alfred Hitchcock insisted that no one be allowed in after the film started! He even had policemen and theater managers stand outside each screening and turn away people who arrived late. This encouraged the start of lines forming before screenings. Also, Hitchcock makes his cameo about six and a half minutes into the film, standing outside Marion Crane's workplace, wearing a cowboy hat.
FAVORITE QUOTE: "It's not as if she were a...a maniac, a raving thing. She...she just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?"
---Norman Bates, Psycho
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