“Psycho” retains most of its power to scare after 56 years.
Its great cinematography and exceptionally creepy score make it a technical masterpiece that’s fascinating to analyze. Its influence on modern horror films makes it an important link in cinema history, and it is still fun to watch.
This movie starts with Marion Crane stealing $40,000 from her employer. She drives to California to meet up with her boyfriend, but first stops at the Bates Motel on a rainy night. It’s there that she takes one of cinema’s most infamous showers.
The shower sequence is often cited as one of the scariest and best edited sequences in film history.
It is, but there are plenty of other sequences in “Psycho” that maintain their scaring power.
My favorite is the one where a police detective makes the unfortunate decision to enter the house where Bates lives with his mother. The shot of that detective falling down stairs will haunt you for a day or two.
The frightening nature of this film is enhanced by its score. It consists solely of strings and creates a timelessly creepy feel. The shower scene, in particular, makes great use of screeching violins. This music will make you feel like you’re in the classiest of nightmares.
The director of this film, Alfred Hitchcock, gives it an unforgettable visual style. He uses a wide variety of camera techniques to heighten the emotions his movie creates. Long tracking shots that are done in a single take exist comfortably alongside sequences filled with many quick cuts. This stylistic eclecticism gives you the feeling that “Psycho” is continually reinventing itself, which makes it harder to figure out its mysteries.
One of the most memorable things about this movie is Anthony Perkins’s performance as the motel manager Norman Bates. Perkins balances a mixture of carefully calibrated tics and a sympathetic earnestness that makes his character intriguingly complex. It makes sense that his strong work has made Bates one of the more famous characters in American film history.
The other performances in this film are mostly excellent. Janet Leigh does a great job at getting you invested in her performance as Crane. Vera Miles brings a nice urgency to her performance as Crane’s sister.
“Psycho” influenced many slasher films, such as “Halloween” and “Scream.” The excellent camerawork and sinister score keep it memorable and frightening. It remains an essential film to watch around Halloween.
