Psycho

Janet Leigh

Psycho is a psychological thriller. its a film in two halves. in the first half we see Marion Crane(Janet Leigh) steal money and flee to be with her adulterous lover. she is murdered halfway through the film which shocks the audience because she was meant to be the main character.

Anthony Perkins

The second half of the film is about Norman Bates(Anthony Perkins)trying to cover the killings of his "mother".

Alfred Hitchcock

Hitchcock used the device of the Mcguffin to move the plot forward. The audience doesn't care about the McGufin but rather the hero and what happens to them. In this film, the McGuffin was the stolen money.

This film was made in 1960 and directed by Alfred Hitchcock. As often happens in Hitchcock's films there is a blonde woman and the blonde woman in this film was played by Janet Leigh  to be the victim as they look more innocent and any danger seems worse when its happening to them. In this film Marion Crane is brutally murdered.

Unlike other thrillers there is no hero

Thrillers are villain driven plots. 

Norman Bates

Norman Bates is the central character for the second half of the film. He is an unusual villain in that he appears so normal and likeable.

Thrillers use devices such as 

 

• Suspense- Marion Crane buying the car with the policeman watching.

Red Herrings- We think Normans mother is the killer.

Cliffhangers- Is Marion's sister going to be killed in the basement at the end?.

The shower scene is one of the most famous in cinema history. The very fast editing and discordant soundtrack by Bernard echoes the knife entering the body. In 1960 the scene was so shocking and Janet Leigh, the actress claimed to have never had a shower since.