Psycho

Slim here. Psycho was directed by Alfred Hitchcock, and released on August 25, 1960. This movie began the slasher/horror genre. The main influence for this movie was Edward Geins (a serial killer, around the 1950's, that mainly murdered older women reminding him of his mother). In Psycho, the killer, Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins), portrays a few of Ed Gein's characteristics very well. His most memorable scene in Psycho is the shower scene.

Psycho begins with Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) and Sam Loomis (John Gavin), a married man, together in a hotel room half naked. They want to get married, but can't because of money issues. Well, one day at work Marion is asked by her boss to bank $40,000 dollars as soon as possible. But instead of taking he money to the bank, she tries to leave town with it and meet up with Sam. Unfortunately, her boss sees her leaving town but he doesn't think anything of it.

While driving to meet up with Sam in California, Marion gets harassed by a cop that suspects she's doing something wrong. Trying to get the cop off her trail, she stops at The Bates Motel. The motel is ran by a man called Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), who lives with his mother in house next to the motel. She gets checked in and is given a room. Later, Norman makes her dinner. When she's done eating, she goes to her room for the night and takes a shower.

While Marion is taking a shower, Norman (who is dressed up to resemble his mother) murders her with a knife, and runs back to his house. Then, Norman (dressed as himself) runs back to the hotel to find Marion naked and murdered on the bathroom floor. He cleans up the mess, and drives Marion's car and body into swamp.

Later, a detective begins searching for Marion to recover the money she stole. He gets in over his head, and winds up dead. To find out what happens next, watch the movie.

After watching Psycho, I was bit disappointed. There was not as much killing as I thought there was going to be, and when there was it was a bit cheesy. I thought the shower scene was going to be unbearable to watch, but when I finally saw it, I forgot it was a slasher film and began laughing as if it were a comedy. The acting in the killing scenes was poor, and there was hardly any blood. If there was more blood and better killing graphics, Psycho would have been terrifying. Otherwise, I thought this movie was really creepy, and I would not watch it again unless I had to.


Beat Sheet:

1. Opening Image: A nice day in Phoenix where people have a controlled mind

2. Theme Stated: When the boyfriend Sam talks about his money problems

3. Set Up: Marion's Boss asks her to bank $40,000

4. Catalyst: Marion is seen leaving town

5. Debate: While driving Marion lets her imagination take over

6. Breaks into Two: Goes to the Bates Motel

7. B-Story: Marion meets Norman Bates

8. Fun and Games: Norman Kills Marion while she is enjoying a shower

9. Midpoint: Norman takes the body and her car and disposes of it in a swamp

10. Bad Guys Close In: Detective Dies

11. All is Lost: Marion's Sister can't reach the Detective

12. Dark Knight of Soul: When Sam and Marion's Sister go to talk to the Sheriff and find out that Norman's mom is dead

13. Break Into Three: Sam and Marion's Sister devise a plan to go and search the motel for any sign of Marion.

14. Finale: Norman is caught just before he kills Marion's sister

15. Final Image: Norman is sitting in jail as his mother