Alfred Hitchcock has left us in terrified suspense for decades with the 1960's Psycho, and possibly his best work ever. Still makes women uneasy in the shower! I love it!!!
Janet Leigh plays a secretary that runs off with her bosses money and ends up in a roadside motel trying to avoid a thunderstorm. The motel is run by a seemingly polite and quiet young man named Norman who takes a liking to the beautiful Ms. Leigh. That's when the craziness begins.
Norman is terrorized by his over bearing mother who demoralizes Norman and his attraction to the lovely, young lady staying in bungalow #1. Then, in the most iconic shower scene ever filmed, Norman's "mother" murders the secretary. This scene is so beautifully shot. Sometimes its hard to notice the artistic angles and shots because of the horrific violence going on, but it is definitely there.
Mayhem is afoot at the Bates Motel. The stunning contrast of the black and white picture sets off the conflict between Norman and his mother so beautifully that Hitchcock will always be remembered as one of the few true geniuses of suspense cinema.
Anthony Perkins takes parts of the gory, true story of Ed Gein, one of the most prolific serial killers in American history. While this isn't a telling of the actual Gein murders, it is drawn from a few of the accounts. Ed Gein butchered, cannibalized, and made suits from women's skin. Police also found the remains of his dead mother in a locked room on the upper level of his home. Scattered throughout the Gein home was a mass of skeletal remains, dishes made of human bone, and furniture and light shades made from human bone and skin. Perkins gives the feeling that he honestly could relate to mental illness. Not sure how he could have gotten into that character otherwise.
Perkins, a young actor at the time, gives an absolutely stunning performance as Norman, and continued to play this character for three more films. I believe him to be one of the most underrated actors of a generation as he so accurately portrays the creepy, slightly off tilt Norman. He seems to be able to make you feel sorry for him, even after you discover his horrible secret.
Hitchcock really delves into the darkest reaches of the human mind with this film. He tries to show the human side of Norman and the struggle he has within himself. I love the twist from the innocent looking Ms. Leigh and her cash caper, to the twisted world lurking in the Bates Motel. His cinematic work was unrivaled for the time, and he always found a way to keep the viewer on the edge of their seats with his close-ups and camera angles. A true master of the craft.
This movie is a classic and can be viewed by anyone over the age of 12, if you can get them to watch a black and white film. Definitely one of my favorite films of all time and a "must have" in any film collection.
Soooooooo...As a child, I refused to take a shower for a year, instead opting for baths (in order to spot knife wielding killers while washing my hair), after watching said movie...
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