Psycho (1960) by Alfred Hitchcock

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Year: 1960

Country: USA

Alternate Titles: N/A

Genre: Slasher

Plot:

After picking the perfect moment and taking her boss' money, a woman on the run stays at a remote motel to let the heat die down, but when she disappears and the private detective hired to find her does as well the woman's sister and boyfriend decide to check out the Bates Motel for themselves.

Review:

This is one of the best horror films ever made. The biggest impact featured here is the film's technical prowess since the Black & White cinematography is so gorgeous and so sparse in that we see so little that the suspense is just dripping off the screen. One of the best examples of this is the death of the investigating officer where he's just calmly walking up the stairs when we see a door open ever so slightly on the balcony unseen, and then the killer walks out and stabs him which causes him to fall down the stairs. The way that he falls is so creepy because he falls in such a supernatural way that it just sticks out in contrast to the rest of the material around it. It reaches the level of technical highlight just as much as the infamous shower scene that includes probably the most famous death scene in film history without violence or obvious nudity.

The rest of the technical qualities here are just as impressive which really shows the genius was known for the time it was made where it is a sign of good filmmaking of giving the viewer just enough to give them a little jolt whenever it comes into question with the rest of the scene. Many people know of the relationship between Norman and his mother, and the very first time we know of her when he's talking about her in the parlor room is a perfect example of that which is one of the creepiest scenes by the way he's saying things and how he's saying them that something's off and yet he keeps an air of respectability that lends itself perfectly to his character and the relationship between them which is rather creepy. Even the motel where they're staying is like that. The dark interiors, the weird stuffed animals along the walls, and the secrecy that surrounds it are remarkable that most of the time we are wondering the secrets behind it.

That allows the film to really get a lot of suspense out of so many scenes that it has the effect of being able to draw in a viewer and really highlights the fantastic work in the later half as the ruse is unveiled with the sequence down in the cellar. Armed with one of the finest and first twist endings in the genre, there's a lot to really love with this one that holds it up over the one main minor flaw. The biggest letdown from this one is the fact that the film does stumble a bit in the middle half where it slows down to a rather bland and sluggish pace as it focuses on her sister trying to find someone to go with her to look into the disappearance. These scenes don't really maintain the kind of impressive atmosphere or pacing that the rest of the film completely excels at. This one does slip down to a rather minor degree as the various starting points to the later half and it's not that enjoyable to sit through. As well as some obvious issues that are raised specifically about the period that don't apply to modern-day issues, there's not much wrong with this one at all.

Overview: *****/5

A classic in every sense of the word, this remains one of the finest entries in the genre for a reason and maintains its status to this day with plenty to like about it and not too many flaws. Those with an appreciation for this era of the genre, are curious about its status, or are fans of the creative crew will have plenty to enjoy about it while only those who don’t appreciate its positives will have the most to like.