Horror Scene In Psycho

As a person who dislikes horror, I don’t typically watch horror films, especially modern horror films. However, after watching the small clip of Psycho in class, it peaked my interest to further understand the characters, in particular, Norman Bates character. In the film Psycho, the recurring theme is a more psychological and can be demonstrated throughout the film, but in particular, the parlor scene and the end scene at the jail. One of the most revealing moments of the psychological aspect of horror in this film is the scene which includes Norman Bates sharing dinner in his office parlor with Marion Crane. On the surface, it’s a dialogue between two characters which reveals some backstory information about Norman and is an epiphany moment …show more content…
The shower scene is a greatly crafted scene that truly captivates the death of Marion and the introduction to the mysterious murder at Bates Motel. This scene starts with Marion making calculation of the money she spent then leading her to shower. During this shower and prior to the killing, we receive a total of two power shots of the shower head running. This is a quite odd, but I think it gives the idea of a bystander, and how everything will just continue as normal even though she was murdered. When Marion is about to be murdered we receive a panned shot which includes Marion showering and a mysterious figure walking closer and closer to her. This then prompts Leigh’s famous scream, now a key element for horror films. The thing that really makes this scene seem frightening, is the scoring, which starts just as the killer slides the shower curtain open. The scoring switches from a very high pitched to lower toned sound almost following Marion’s heartbeat because as she’s closer to death, the lower and slower the scoring gets. I absolutely love the scoring when Marion is about to get killed because no matter how many times I watch it, the scene always makes me jump and clench back in …show more content…
Upon further research, I found out this was due to a very limiting budget, but I personally think the black and white format really helped emphasize the horror feel of the film. Hitchcock is a very purposeful with his shots. He created a very personalized experience because a lot of his shots are close ups like in the parlor scene. This made me, as a viewer, almost feel like I was right there interacting with the characters. This strategy also allows for a reduction of distractions and almost forces you to look only at certain things. He also includes very strategic placing of scoring which aids in the building of suspense and horror in certain scenes such as the Marion’s murder. In general, I think Hitchcock did a great job in telling Norman’s story and integrating his insanity into every scene of the