Psycho

Today in class we watched the world famous film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho. Fifty years on this movie is still known by all for its shower scene and thriller music.  Psycho became the benchmark for all horror movies and a benchmark for films in general.  This is due to the originality of the film.  The film although a little tame compared to modern day films pushed social boundaries of the sixties community. The film shows led actress Janet Leigh in her underwear numerous times and hints towards her having a rather promiscuous life with her secret lover.

The film pushed the viewer’s emotional boundaries.  The thought of someone being murdered in their shower was unthought-of and still is.  Therefore the main characters death in the shower added a new level to horror stories and the now famous scene has been remade numerous times.  The complex story line behind Psycho also added a new depth to horror movies. Filmmakers have also used the shooting style used to shot Psycho-making films far more sophisticated.  These shots include showing the neck of a character to show emotion and tension.   

Psycho almost didn't go to the cinemas when The MPAA refused to pass the film because they claimed they could see Janet Leigh's nipple during the shower scene. As a result of the apparent nudity the film bore an R rating.

The film managed to really grip its audience from the beginning.  The sharpness of the music made me feel a sense of tension.  The filming and portrayal of the characters left a feeling of unease in my stomach.  As many were shown as people who couldn’t be trusted and bore a mentally deranged side.  On watching the shower scene I felt extremely shaken.  This is mainly because I usually feel safe and secure in the shower and to see someone get killed in the shower leaves you feeling invaded and insecure.  It's quiet disturbing thinking that you could be killed in a place where usually you have privacy. 

The use of music in the film was very well done.  Music was used to set the mood and I think that the director used it to his advantage in order to create the perfect horror movie.

The idea of killing off the main character half way through the film was unthought-of of and therefore started a whole new idea about the sequence of films. 

Even though Psycho had an extremely low budget it turned out to be one of the most influential horror films in history because it broke the rules of society and challenged the world of film.