Film Analysis of Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock

Film Analysis of Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock’s film ‘Psycho’ was first released in 1960. The film

starred two key characters, who were; Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates

and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. The film is set in Phoenix, Arizona,

but it mainly set in a small motel called the Bates Motel. The genre

of the film Psycho is a horror/thriller. This type of film added to

the success of it, as it won a few Oscars, including Best Actor. There

was also a sequel made in 1999. However, the sequel proved to be less

profitable than the original.

The film begins with Marion Crane having an affair with a man called

Sam Loomis. It seems as though Sam is in debt or having money

problems, and both Marion and Sam think of leaving Arizona together.

This is were Marion goes to work and is given forty thousand dollars

to cash at the bank, but she decides to steal the money and run away.

She then drives for a long time and happens to end up at the Bates

Motel, due to the bad weather conditions. This is where Marion meets

the anxious owner of the motel, Norman Bates. Norman appears to be

living with his mother, when questioned by Marion about his mother,

Norman seems distraught and very anxious to reveal any information

about her. As he states,

“My mother, My Mother, uh, What is the phrase?

She isn’t quite herself today”

This shows play on words, which is called a pun. It also shows how

edgy Norman is about his mother.

He then takes Marion to a room, which is Cabin 1. He shows Marion a

tour of the room and surprisingly cannot utter the words “bathroom.”

Marion then retires for the night and is reported missing after a

week. During that week, a Private Investigator, called Milton

Arbogast, goes to the Bates Motel in search of Marion Crane. But he is

also reported missing while he was there. Marion’s sister, Lila Crane

goes in search of Marion at the Bates Motel to find out what happened