Film: Psycho (1960)

Anthony Perkins was a total babe

Imagine listening to a record player in the foyer of the theatre play music, before a voice suddenly exclaimed - "Ten minutes to Psycho time." That's how it was when Psycho was released back in 1960, director Alfred Hitchcock forced people to watch it from the very beginning, also requesting the audience to keep silent about the ending ('It's the only one we have'). A feat no one could pull off these days, as everyone seems to encourage being spoilt, hunting and searching for clues about the even most unexciting films released. There's even websites dedicated to this very pursuit. But Hitchcock created a legend, an unexpected sleeper-hit filmed only in thirty days and as cheap as possible - did he think it would become such a hit? No one knows.

It became his greatest success and it's not surprising really. There's something so very delicious about this slice of horror that showcases that we all go a little mad sometimes. Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) suddenly steals 40,000 dollars from her boss, packing everything up and heading toward her lover Sam (John Gavin) with her car. Guilt is tearing through her throughout her journey, her paranoia and nerves on the edge. It only gets worse the further away she gets, and during thunderous rain she finds a motel as sanctuary for the night. There she gets to know the manager Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) - handsome, charming and a bit lonely it seems, despite having his sickly mother for a company in their big old house by the motel.

Leigh was less fond of showers in her later life

You might want to look away if you're somehow unfamiliar with the plot, unlike me who knew every little detail before I saw the film properly for the first time today. It's not surprising to anyone these days what's really going on at the Bates Motel, but unfortunately Marion doesn't stay long enough on the premises to truly understand the scope of madness fraught. I am of course referring to the infamous shower scene that somehow has loads of trivia on IMDB about the possibility of seeing lady-parts, which is frankly the least important thing about the film. The audience must have been quite shocked to find Janet Leigh playing the main character - suddenly killed off. Especially so soon, considering the amount of tense buildup about her stealing.

I would have loved to have been a part of the ignorant audience back in the day, staring up at the screen and finding Norman rather shy, and sweet. Despite the knowledge I was still frightened when others began to investigate after Marion's continued disappearance, for the knowledge did not steal away from the nervous atmosphere. You still felt anxious when Lila (Vera Miles) found mother in the fruit cellar or when the entire act was pieced together by the psychiatrist on the 17th of December (quite the goof considering the film began on the 13th, but the 17th is my birthday, couldn't help notice) detailing of the literal battle of minds.

This is truly a magnificent and memorable piece, deceptive and scary in a way that few manage these days without massive overkill. It's elegantly done, as it would be - it's Hitchcock. The man was a genius and knew what he was doing every step of the way, from elegant shots and just cleverly done plots. Few can pull of what he did back then, the times are certainly different, but there's no wonder why its had such a long-lasting effect on film history itself.

10/10