Psycho (1960): Welcome to the Bates Motel

1960 • Alfred Hitchcock • 1.85:1 • Jump to Gallery ↓

Adapted from the novel of the same name by Robert Bloch, which was loosely inspired by the crimes of Ed Gein, Psycho is one of the most celebrated works by director Alfred Hitchcock. The film tells the story of a secretary who steals a large sum of money and flees, stopping at the remote Bates Motel, run by a quiet young man. This is the last time she was seen alive.

Hitchcock financed the film largely with his own resources and used crew members from his television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents to reduce costs. For budgetary reasons and to soften the visual impact of violence, he decided to shoot in black and white, despite the availability of colour.

The depiction of violence was a key element of the film. The famous shower scene was constructed through rapid editing rather than direct depiction. With dozens of cuts in under a minute, the sequence was shocking, reinforced by Bernard Herrmann‘s score, which complemented the stabs with sharp, high-pitched violin sounds. The music became inseparable from the film’s sense of psychological unease.

Technical Specs:

• The Story: After embezzling money and fleeing town, a young woman checks into a secluded motel run by a shy but unsettling proprietor, unaware of the horrors that await behind the curtain. Read my review of Psycho.
• Actors: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Simon Oakland.
• Director: Alfred Hitchcock
• Year: 1960
• Cinematographer: John L. Russell
• Origin: American Cinema
• Aspect Ratio: 1.85:1
• Genre: Crime & Mystery / Horror