Alfred Hitchcock's Film Psycho

The first shot we see of this sequence is a low angle which shows, quite simply, the sheer enormity of the building Max is about to enter. The shot slowly pans down as the foreboding notes of the score

To see what they see, and compare our own thoughts with the evolution of the characters and the story. The dexterity of the images, and the impact that each scene has in portraying this theme, guide the viewer throughout the film with little use of dialogue and action. Our central character “Jeff,” is struggling with his casted imprisonment, his need for adventure is apparent as he watches outside his window. Conflicted with his girlfriend and conflicted with his theories, his character becomes more palpable, we begin to realize what is going on not only on the outside of him, but the inside of him as well. The aspects of the outside courtyard and the visual isolation of each apartment, help depict the humanity of each individual and sympathy for even the darkest characters. Hitchcock uses his camera, just as our protagonist does, to focus with him. The camera angles are depicted in a way to which we react with the character, rather than at the character, and eventually expose the minor elements of the story that bring to fruition the suspense of the movie and the thrills of discovery.

Personally to us, the director’s intention was to show how the psychology state of a man depending on his condition can affect his life and those around him. In this case, Norman Bates is affected by the various scenarios that happens in his life. His mother’s passing affected him the most as he murdered her. He took over his mother figure to get rid of guilt and started being her. He was in need of help, but he isolated himself from the outside world and this ‘mother’ personality had a very dominant role in his personal life which resulted in the murders he

Hitchcock’s Psycho is a great representative of horror and thriller genres. The director masterfully creates an atmosphere of suspense and creates tension. Hitchcock blends characteristics of a thriller with horror, making the audience terrified. The director creates situations that can happen to anybody of the viewers, and thus, makes such scenes even more scaring and disturbing. For instance, the scene of the murder in a shower impresses the audience to a

The investigator questioned Norman, but wasn’t pleased with the lack of information. He went back later and tried to talk with Norman’s mother in the mansion, but in-turn was killed by the “mother”. Furthermore, Norman carried his “mother” to the fruit cellar to hide, leaving him isolated. In turn, he has created his “Inner Cave”. As Lila and Sam investigate the place, they get suspicious over where Norman’s mother is, so Lila searches the house. The “Turning Point” would be when Lila finds the corpse of the dead mother and gets Norman arrested. When Norman is apprehended by the police the “mother” personality takes over, which leads to the downfall of Norman Bates, also known as the “Catastrophe”. The cops received information about all the murders Norman has committed from the “mother” and ultimately put Norman in jail or an asylum. This would be the “Aftermath” and “Atonement”, respectively. Now the final stage of this format is “The Return”. Hitchcock creatively used Norman’s mother personality taking over his mind as “The Return” because it would be the return of the mother from death. In closing this film followed the Heroic Journey format, but in an innovative

In Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, the stylistic elements utilized by the director create a unique availability the depth of information available to both the characters in the film and the audience watching. The entire film is from the perspective of the rear window of the injured photographer Jeff. Jeff, unable to move is stuck with nothing to do but look out his window. As the audience, we are given an objective view, looking over his shoulder as he stares at the lives of his fellow tenants. From the window, we watch as Jeff essentially invades people’s homes with his high-powered photographic lens. In the scope of the entire film this is an incredibly smart tactic because it gives the audience the same emotions that the characters feel. During

Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, is the story of a photographer named L.B. Jeffries who is currently confined to a wheelchair because of a leg injury and therefore unable to leave his apartment. Out of boredom, he begins watching his neighbors, going as far as to name them and come up with scenarios for them. He seeming has all control and all from the comfort of his apartment. His girlfriend, Lisa, whom he deems “too perfect” and is unable to commit to her fully, is not as interesting as the lives of his neighbors; that is until she herself becomes interested in them as well. Laura Mulvey and Tania Modleski have both written about Rear Window and the way it either follows the normal gender roles or contradicts them. Despite being interested in similar subject matter, the two women have differing opinions on the approach of the film; is Lisa the passive object or the active agent? (Modleski, 723). The arguments presented by both women cause the viewer to not only see this film as a critique on movie viewing but on the male gaze and whether or not the man is truly in control of the world he sees around him.

For every action a person takes, there is usually a purpose behind it. The riskier and more dangerous an action, the more motive that individual must have to continue. Alfred Hitchcock’s 1954 film, Rear Window, is a riveting thriller that is based on Cornell Woolrich’s short story “It Had to be Murder”.  This film tells a narrative about an adventurous photographer, Jeffries played by James Stewart, who after breaking his leg is forced to remain shackled to a wheelchair within his home. To cope with boredom, he takes the liberty of observing his neighbors through one of his windows. It is through this pastime that he comes to believe that one of his neighbor might be guilty of murdering his wife. Throughout the rest of the film Jeffries decides to investigate his neighbor, in an attempt to bring him to justice. Jeffries is however met with skepticism and obstacles. While any other individual might have succumbed to the skepticism, Jeffries does not. Throughout the film we come know his character more, and we can analyze what part of his personality started the whole ordeal and which traits drives him to finish his investigation.

Long before we find out about Norman's split personality, we see glimpses of a darker side. When Norman has dinner with Marion, he leans forwards as he speaks about putting his mother in an institution. The lighting of his face at an angle to illuminate the area around his eyes but casting a shadow on the rest of his face, creates a sinister, weird look, that hints at his true character. While we see this view of Norman, the background shifts to a more fierce-looking bird on the wall. Another visual technique used in the movie was the actual casting of the character Norman. A fairly small, slim man was used to portray a weak looking man who could pull off the mother's boy role realistically. Norman looks incapable of large amounts of strength as well as a character wise, unable to kill a person, let alone be a serial killer. The shower scene was a very good visual example of how the idea of schizophrenic murder was successfully dealt with in the film. The shower scene showed Marion Crane, a young woman who had just been subtly persuaded by Norman to repent of her recent crime, and so was washing herself physically and symbolically in the shower. Washing away her sin and guilt, because in the morning she would own up to her crime, pay for it, and start again, guilt free. This worked well to add greater emphasis on the shower scene, because at this turning point in the plot we see she has made a good decision to set things right. It is almost unbelievable that Marion could be murdered at this high point. Nonetheless, the film goes on with her murder, which is a very shocking sequence because it happens quickly; as the knife stabs Marion, we see the figure of Mrs. Bates a figure in a dress with a woman's hat on. We are led to assume it is Mrs. Bates, and we are given a big surprise at the end when we find out it was actually Norman wearing her dress. The

Past all of that, what makes the movie spectacular are the people, relationships, and the messages sent. The

Just when you thought Hitchcock couldn’t do it any better, he does. North by Northwest is yet another classic Alfred Hitchcock espionage thriller which is said by many to be “the Hitchcock picture to end all Hitchcock pictures”. Myself, along with many others have listed North by Northwest as one of the greatest films of all time. It was selected in 1995 for preservation in the National Film Registry by the United States Library of Congress, as being "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

house on the top of the motel gives a gothic image and the fact that

The first shot of the clip captures a man named Walter Neff in a medium long shot boarding an elevator while the camera is stationary. Another man also enters the elevator and the shot quickly changes to a medium two-shot as the men engage in a conversation. The shot is illuminated using high key lighting, and the two men are framed with their backs in front of the camera where Walter is shown on the left side of the frame and the other man on the right. As Walter walks out of the elevator, the shot changes to a long shot and the camera begins to track him in the forward direction. Moreover, low-key lighting is used as shadows are cast upon the long coat of Walter as he is moving forward. The camera tracks Walter until he comes to a stop to gaze down at a series of desks at which point the camera tilts down and becomes stationary. The shot lasted for a duration of forty-four seconds making the shot a long take.

In Bosley Crowther’s perspective, Psycho is just a typical film that tries to unveil the truth behind the “bloody” and unknown death of Marion. He does not directly describe his disgust and hatred in the film, but does point out some disappointments, like the incomplete establishment of ideas that lead to the film’s complicated thoughts and situations. Nonetheless, he states in “Looking for Violence” that only sensitive beings are affected with Hitchcock’s film because they isolate themselves from the traditional portrayal of horror in films, without looking at Psycho’s real idea and twisted thoughts. Notably, Hitchcock wants his audience to view the film from the very beginning to be able to understand its idea, occurring conflicts, and horror (Display Ad 121). The Display Ad 135 also points out that Psycho is an extraordinary film, but isn’t true that it tries to frighten the moviegoers because it is just a terrifying form of entertainment that Hitchcock wants to share with his viewers. The Display Ad 29 also expresses the superb style of Hitchcock’s film, despite first-time viewers’ opposition to its gruesomeness.

Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) kills Marion Crane (Janet Leigh). Marion who wanted to lead a happy family life with her boy friend Sam Loomis (John Gavin) after marriage and hence steals money and flees Phoenix and becomes a prey for the psychopath Norman Bates. Norman Bates overpowered by his dead mother’s personality kills the woman who comes in between the relationship with his mother. Norman has no other motive. Only his frustrated sexuality when he meets a woman can be the motive. As the case of a split personality syndrome Norman takes the role of his dead mother, and targets those women who come to his motel. Possessed by his mother, he dresses like her and here he slashes Marion on the shower. When Lila Crane (Vera Miles) along with Sam comes in search of