Psycho essay

Psycho

There are many key scenes in psycho, each of them reveal an important part of the story.

The opening scene in psycho starts of dramatically with the credits coming in with sharp piercing (non diegectic) music behind it. The names of actors and actresses etc. they are shown in between horizontal and vertical black line which could represent bars. You then get a pan across and an aerial shot of a wide open town you see the cityscape and the bright sunlight. You see the location shown ‘phoenix, Arizona ‘along with a time and a date this is use of anchorage. You then get a zoom in to a hotel room window it starts of as a tilted shot and move into a straight shot. The window is half open which means you can’t see clearly into the room at first this is the idea Hitchcock had to hide as much as he can from the viewer and to reveal a little bit by bit to maximise curiousity. There is then a zoom into a dark space, a simple, shady interior of a room. You then see an intimate shot of a couple, it is not there point of view but someone else which could give the impression someone is watching them which could make the couple seem in danger and the victims. In the opening you see a man (Sam) opening a blind this creates a dramatic and sharp lighting shot as the light stabs thought the room this could link in with the bars in the opening credits. As he opens the blind you hear the sound of sharp dramatic diegetic sound. Throughout the opening the editing is very important to hint at who the victim is and to start the tension as there as long pause between shots to show that the couple are comfortable together and intimate, then there are shot reverse shots and cutting between characters both are on their own which could show the victim as lonely and more independent, as it goes on the cuts get shorter which could create tension. Also thought out the opening you hear a lot of non-diegetic sounds that are high pitched and harsh which could symbolise a stabbing sound and could hint of the death of the victim the lady Marion. 

The next scene when we get introduced to her work life and her boss. The victim Marion starts to be represented as a confident and in control person yet venerable, when she is talking to her boss you only see lots of mid shots of her which could show her control but then you see her boss and a long shot which could show his power. The sound though out this scene is dramatic and creating tension which keeps the audience encaged. Towards the end of this scene you see the victim half naked for the second time which could show her venerability and how she doesn’t have much to protect her. The editing transition into the next scene also makes her seem venerable as she looks upset and worried as her emotions are coming though.

There is then a scene with a police man where he finds her sleeping in her car. The man is wearing sun glasses which could hide his identity from everyone. Marion is all new and this is where Hitchcock is playing with the audiences mind, there are intimidating camera angles in this scene as there is a close up of facial expressions and the camera angles are always looking down on her and up at him; Thus showing her vulnerability and innocent and it can show his authority and power. Throughout this scene there is sharp cross cuttings and it always shows him as the dominant one as it focus of his face a lot. In this scene there is aggressive music diegetic and non-diegetic the same as the finishing music this keeps the audience on edge and this shows us why Hitchcock is the master of suspense.

Also in the film there is a scene when she arrives at the Bates hotel, it is late at night and the weather very bad (raining hard) this could be a typical convention of a horror film the bad weather creates foreshadowing as the weather could create a barrier for hiding. This is when you hear the harsh diegetic sound of the rain. You see an extra-long shot of the sign; the sign is of centre which could shows something’s not right. You also see a low angle shot of a dark house which could be haunting and you know something going to go wrong .You see two pictures of birds in the lobby when she enters this starts of the theme in the film. You then meet a man which turns out to be the villain, when we first meet him you sort of know he is going to be a bad guy by the way he is portrayed. She then has to sign a book and we see a close up of her hand as she writes the wrong name and it also emphasises on how the pen is sharp. He then goes to choose a room and a key, you can see how all the rooms are free as there are keys for every one of them yet he is hesitating with what key to get, in the end he goes from key 3 to key 2 to key 1 this could represent a countdown to show she does not have long left this how scene is very tense. The mise-en-scene is very significant here as there are symbolic objects in the background. Also though this scene there is an 180 degree rule shot and alot of cross cutting he between him and her to show then tension and to emphasis her vulnerability and to keep the audience encaged as at this point the have met the victim and the villain so anything could happen at any time. When he shows Marion around her room you see a dark bathroom but he doesn’t show her it also he can’t bring himself to say bathroom which may indicate to us something is going to happen in there.

A few scenes later there is then a build up to the killing scene which shows the villain watching her though a hole in the wall behind a picture this shows him as a creepy person  there is also sharp lighting, the low key lighting represents the villain as dominate. There are then long shots, they make us feel comfortable as it shows the wider area. This is teamed with slow pace editing however when it gets faster it builds tension and makes the audience feel scared like something will happen it also makes us feel scared for the victim Marion and you can tell she is going to die soon. Also there is interesting mise-en-scene in this scene as the bird theme continues as in the mirror you can see a bird like figure and when she goes in to the shower there is a bird picture on the wall, she walks straight past it. You hear the diegetic sound of her pulling the shower curtains it’s a harsh sound which could make you feel uneasy about what may happen next, you then see a point of view shot looking up at the shower it feels like it is in your face as the water looks like it is coming at you. You then have medium shots to close up which could symbolises the time is getting closer for the victim. You then see the villain thought the shower curtain this could make the audience jump as he is coming closer, Hitchcock sort of uses us as the camera so it is like we are witnessing it for ourselves, we then witness the murder.

He then comes back like he has never seen the women before and that he hasn’t done it and it tries to show him as though he is innocent and he tries to clear up the mess. The victim’s body is then dragged out of the bath room roughly by the man; it could show how she has been treated in her life. He washes his hands as they have blood all over, her then tries to wash the bathroom as he is trying to hide everything and make it as though the women was never there. The music has low and high notes which make it sinister the music is always in the background while this whole scene has happened. He is putting the room back to normal and puts her and all her stuff in the back of her car and drives in down to a marsh type river the drowns it all.

Later on there is then scene with Norman (the villain) and the investigator where there is low lighting to make it all look (especially the villain) suspicious. There is a two shot over the shoulder shot; Norman’s higher witch can imply he has more power and control. There is a medium shot but they are off centre which makes it look more of balance which makes it seem on the edge. The investigator goes in to the large dark house and the music is creating suspense and tension which helps with the mood of the film, there is cross cutting passes between shots and the investigator is looking vulnerable as there is a high angle shot up the stairs. The door then opens and you don’t see anything, this is maximising anxiety, there is then a bird’s eye shot and we are positioned as a witness yet we feel far away as we are high up as we feel safe. The music changes from soft non diegetic sound to high stabbing shot non diegetic and the investigator is being killed and stabbed. 

Over all the victims and villains are both act very different yet they both act a bit shady and always on edge.

By Ellie Bull