Psycho is a 1960 American psychological thriller film directed by Alfred Hitchcock and starring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins. The film is based on the screenplay by Joseph Stefano, who adapted it from the 1959 novel of the same name by Robert Bloch. The novel was loosely inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin murderer and grave robber Ed Gein, who lived just 40 miles from Bloch.

Both Gein and Psycho's protagonist, Norman Bates, were solitary serial killers in isolated rural locations. Both had deceased domineering mothers, and had sealed off one room of their house as a shrine to their mother. Both dressed in women's clothing and had multiple personality disorder. However, there are many differences between the fictional Bates and Ed Gein.

The film depicts the encounter between a secretary, Marion Crane (Leigh), hiding at a secluded motel after embezzling money from her employer, and the motel's disturbed owner and manager, Norman Bates (Perkins), and the aftermath of their encounter.

Psycho initially received mixed reviews, but outstanding box office returns prompted a re-review which was overwhelmingly positive and led to four Academy Award nominations. Psycho is now considered one of Hitchcock's best films and is highly praised as a work of cinematic art by international critics. The film spawned two sequels, a prequel, a remake, and a television movie spin-off.

The film is often categorized by multiple sources as a drama, horror, mystery and thriller film.

Interestingly enough, not my favorite Hitchcock. I always found his turn to the truly psychotic (pun intended) to be less intrigueing than what "normal" people do in certain situations. Its probably why Rope and Rear Window earn my top love. Psycho, will unforgettable, and excellent, started off well enough when Crane steals the money and ends up in the Bates Hotel. her own paranoia of getting discovered makes the viewer wonder if she's interpretting Norman's actions as odd, of it he really is odd. But after she's killed and her sister comes in, friend gets picked off, it just starts to be a run-around-the-house-screaming type fiolm to me. Granted an early one, so i don't discredit it, but it failed to hold my interest half way through as a psychological study, and evolved into a detection case.

I forgot to mention I rewatched this the other night for the first time in a few years, and yeah, its one of the best movies ... ever. Ive finally settled it, Psycho is my favorite Hitch. His finest direction ever (particularily in everything leading up to and including the shower, after that I definitley felt the shift, though its still great), and one of the most riveting films ever.

In particular I think the shower scene, the car in the swamp scene, and the conversation in the parlour are probably 3 of the best scenes of all time.

I knew I loved this before but with a rewatch Im certain, its in my top ten.

A+

By the way, has anyone watched the extra on the dvd about its release policy and strategy, where people were strictly not allowed in after the show started, with all the theatres having this warning and a `Dont tell your friends the ending` sign plastered everywhere? I thought it was hilarious. Apparantley it helped create the huge hit it was.

Perkins is captivating.

I often wonder how I would think of movies if I had not seen every shocking scene before. What if I had gone into this movie not knowing a damn thing? Would I like it even more?

Regardless...

****

Hitchcock's best.

I often wonder how I would think of movies if I had not seen every shocking scene before. What if I had gone into this movie not knowing a damn thing? Would I like it even more?

I think that all the time. Especially about something like Empire Strikes Back, I wish I could remember how shocked I was at that twist, especially since I don't think I knew about it beforehand.

Well, of course, there is the infamous example of The Sixth Sense.

I saw that in theaters opening weekend in 1999 (I recall it being abruptly added to the schedule, it was released the first weekend of August but that wasn't selected as its release date until like three or four weeks before) and was like "Hooooooooooooooooooooooly crap"