Film Analysis: Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho

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Running water, a high-pitched scream, shrill violins, pierced flesh, a torn curtain, gurgling water: these were the sounds that gave a whole new meaning to the word "horror" in the year 1960. With enough close-ups and cuts to simulate the feeling of a heart attack, the notorious shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho serves as the ultimate murder sequence in cinematic history. What makes the scene so frightening isn't so much the blood or the screams or the cross-dressing murderer: the true horror lies Hitchcock's use the camera. It enables us to enter the mind of the killer and literally "cuts" up our protagonist. Through the use of carefully crafted sounds, lighting, camera angles and cuts, Hitchcock creates a visually striking and emotionally stimulating sequence to serve as the essence of his film.
Serving as a stand in for "dialogue" throughout the scene, the sounds and music empathize Marion's frantic state of mind and eventual downfall. With no other sound than the running water, Hitchcock creates an ordinary, comforting feeling. Marion is mesmerized the the comfort of warm water, are so are we. Even as the killer lurks in the shadows the music provides no implication that danger is present. It isn't until the killer yanks back the curtain and raises the knife that the shrill sound of violins, violas, and cellos begin. This triggers an immediate scream from Marion, and perhaps from us as well. As Marion fights for her life against the killer she also seems to be fighting against the music to have her screams to be heard. The sound of stabbed flesh grows louder, allowing the crescendo of violins to die down. This sudden change in music informs that Marion is losing her battle. Only when the killer leaves do the pier...

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...ly, the camera returns to under the shower head, where Marion will remain beneath it until her body is removed. In a panning shot, the camera follows the remains of Marion and the trail of her blood across the shower floor towards the drain, thus emphasizing her downfall. This sense of continuity is maintained with the fading transition from the drain to Marion's still and wide eye. Even as the camera zooms out to reveal the rest of her face it continues to create a spiral motion, connecting one event to the next. What will prevent the killer from continuing this never-ending cycle of horror? The camera follows Marion's "gaze" across the bedroom to the nightstand and focuses in on the perfectly packaged money lies. Redemption for Marion is no longer an option, for the money too will join her in the swamp.

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