Review of Psycho (1960) by Manicure — 22 Nov 2020

Surely Hitch took his time to introduce the main character here.

"Psycho" has been quoted, remade, and parodied so many times that it lost a lot of its punch, but is still an entertaining film to watch. Historical value aside, the first half is a superb example of fine storytelling, and Anthony Perkins's performance is so natural that it makes me shiver every time. I like how the film makes such a big deal about Marion and the 40,000 dollars only to completely shift the focus halfway through. The second half gets kind of spoiled by Vera Miles' stiff performance but also offers an interesting twist. Nothing exceptional in 2020, but at that time it must have been something groundbreaking, as Hitchcock had to hire Simon Oakland just to explain the film at the end.