If you’re hoping to finally tick some classic films off of your to-watch list, you’re in luck because this legendary film, often regarded as one of the greatest of all time, is on TV tonight.
When it was first released in 1960, this horror broke new ground for the genre and cinema in its entirety, as it set a whole new bar for the level of violence, deviant behaviour and sexuality shown on screen. Psycho has been considered as one of the earliest examples of the slasher genre within horror, and many of its scenes remain iconic to this day.
One major fan of the film shared their thoughts on Rotten Tomatoes, writing: « Psycho is the ‘mother’ of all horror movies! This classic thriller is known best for its killer plot twist and a storyline that’s to die for, with Anthony Perkins’ memorable Norman Bates performance and, of course, Janet Leigh’s shower scene that’s left audiences screaming for more. »
Starring in the film are none other than American acting royalty, Anthony Perkins playing Norman Bates, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles and Pat Hitchcock, all directed by the legendary Alfred Hitchcock. All of their performances have been praised, particularly that of Perkins as the creepy proprietor.
A fan wrote: « An iconic film in all the senses of the word iconic. Norman Bates freaks me out, this has been replicated so many times throughout the last 60+ years and for good reason. Alfred Hitchcock classic. »
The spine-tingling horror follows a secretary, Marion Crane, who has stolen thousands of dollars and fled far away. When she decides to stay at a motel hidden in a quiet area. Norman Bates seems rather shy as he runs the hotel and has a strange fixation on his mother, but he invites his guest to dinner nonetheless.
One tense conversation later, and Marion is brutally killed in the shower, forging an iconic scene in cinema, by someone who she thinks could be Norman’s wild mother. It turns out, Norman has a split personality, and this mother is merely an unusual and frightening persona he carries around with him, forcing him to do terrible things.
One viewer claimed: « Hitchcock scariest film is a blast on the big screen. The picture is crisp, the sound design is superb, Hermann’s score is screechy and relentless, and the actors are in perfect sync with Hitch’s rhythms. He’s in complete control of the dark material. »
Meanwhile, another fan of the film wrote: « Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece! The black and white makes the movie atmospheric, and the story is impressive. The shower scene is still horrifying to look at, and Anthony Perkins is great in the role as Norman Bates. »
The film received huge acclaim and went on to be nominated for a number of Academy Awards, but what is most blatant is the legacy it’s left behind in cinema.
It has since been labelled by the Library of Congress as culturally, historically and aesthetically significant in film and has been preserved in the United States National Film Registry.
You can watch the « masterpiece » that is the 1960 film Psycho on BBC 4 tonight at 9:40pm. Or, the picture is available to stream on BBC iPlayer at any time, for the ideal movie night in.
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