Psycho Review: Awesome Edition!

"A boy's best friend is his mother." Anyone who proclaims that is psycho... literally! Nominated for several Academy Awards, Golden Globes, and voted AFI's 100 year's (American Film Institute) #1 Thriller, Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece Psycho (1960) is disturbing, arousing, and sick. This film not only entertained viewers, but also dragged them in. Inspired by Robert Bloch's novel of the same name and Ed Gein, Psycho had a major impact in popular culture. The shower scene is notably one of the most famous in cinema history. Hitchcock did all the promotion himself because he wanted to keep the actors from revealing the plot. Even critics were denied private screenings and had to view the movie with the general public. I absolutely hate scary movies, but I must admit that Psycho was absorbing.

In the attempt to hasten a marriage proposal given by Sam, Marion steals $40,000 from her employer. On the run for one or two days, Marion stop at a lonely Bates Hotel. The owner Norman Bates suggests she have dinner at his house and she accepts. Norman has an argument with his mother (which is overheard by Marion) and must eat in the office with Marion. Marion and Norman have a discussion where Marion questions Norman's stay with his mother. Norman is furious at want is said and explains that his situation is like a trap. Marion realizing she in similar trap decides to return the money in the next morning. After Marion leaves the office, Norman is seen peeping through a hole while she prepares for a shower (does that not scream creepy or what?). Marion's enjoyment in the shower is interrupted by a female silhouette who STABS her merciless leaving her bloody and dying. Norman is overheard screaming at his mother in disbelieve and runs to Marion's motel room finding her dead body. Following a few minutes of disgust, Norman cleans the bloody bathroom like new and dumps her body in her car along with the money. As her car is sinking further and further in a nearby lake, Norman begins to twitch his lips almost as though he is smiling. Marion's sister, Lila goes to confront Sam about her disappearance but Sam states that Marion was not hiding with him. Marion's boss hires a detective, Arbogast, which Lila and Sam both meet. Arbogast discovers Marion's recent stay at the Bates Motel where he questions the suspicious Norman Bates. After calling Lila and Sam for an update, Arbogast returns to Bates Motel and enters Norman's house where he meets a deadly fate involving a knife and a silhouette. Lila and Sam are left to discover the disturbing truth about the disappearance of Marion and Abrogast.

I would grant Psycho a four out of five. That is very high considering I do not like scary movies. The film was more psychoanalytical than gory and gruesome. Anthony Perkins played an amazing role as Norman Bates. He was creepy and weird in so many ways but in the end you felt a tiny bit of sympathy for Bates. Hitchhock was able to bring the viewers into the movie.

Beat Sheet

1. Opening Image: A nice day in Pheonix where people have a controlled mind
2. Theme Stated- When the boyfriend Sam talks his money troubles
3. Set Up- Marion's Boss asks her to bank the 40K
4. Catalyst- Marion is seen leaving town with the money
5. Debate- While driving Marion lets her imagination take over
6. Breaks into Two- Goes to the Bates Motel
7. B-Story- Marion meets Norman Bates
8. Fun and Games- Norman Kills Marion while she is laughing in the shower
9. Midpoint- Norman takes the body and hides Marion's body
10. Bad Guys Close In- PI Dies
11. All is Lost- Marion's Sister can't reach P.I.
12. Dark Knight of Soul- When Sam and Marion's Sister go to talk to the Sherif and find out the mom is dead
13. Break Into Three- Sam and Marion's Sister devise a plan to go to the motel
14. Finale- Marion's sister searches through the house
15. Final Image- Norman is sitting in jail as his mother
16.