Review of Psycho (1960) by Filipeneto — 24 Feb 2018

This film revolves around a small roadside motel run by Norman Bates, a seemingly nice man who lives under the undisputed authority of his mother. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, this film, considered by many his "magnum opus", has a screenplay by Joseph Stefano and a cast led by Anthony Perkins and Vera Miles.

I don't consider this film a horror movie, although its considered as such by most of people. It doesn't scare me, but let me uncomfortable, holding me to the screen. And I think that's what Hitchcock wanted to achieve. He was the master of suspense and knew how to hold the public, causing shivers of discomfort without putting the audience screaming in fear. The plot is brilliant, but the beginning doesn't show it, is intentionally unattractive in an effort to bring the public completely at ease... until Norman comes in. Norman Bates is one of the most psychologically complex characters I've ever seen, and was developed to the extreme by the director and the artist who gave him life. It looks like a nice guy, who even flirts with the attractive woman he just met. The bathroom scene is perhaps one of the most famous in the film (I read somewhere that liquid chocolate was used to give the color that Hitchcock intended for the blood in the tub), and the incidental soundtrack used in that scene has become an icon for itself. But the end of the film is even better, with an absolutely staggering climax that makes all the audience feel that it was worth seeing the movie (even if you already know the whole story). The photograph, in black and white, makes a decisive contribution to increasing tension in the audience, and I am sure that this was a conscious and deliberate choice of Hitchcock to achieve that, showing again the great quality and talent of this director.

Nominated for four Academy Awards for Best Art Direction in Film Black and White, Best Cinematography in Black and White, Best Direction and Best Supporting Actress, this film didn't win any of them, which shows us that, sometimes, the Academy also makes mistakes. But "Psycho" doesn't need an Oscar to be a tremendous success. It is, and will remain, a milestone in film history, a cult film for Hitchcock lovers, for thriller lovers and for any lover of good movies. Movies like this one never dies, they are art... in its purest form.