PSYCHO — ALFRED HITCHCOCK

PSYCHO — ALFRED HITCHCOCK

Film name: Psycho

Release Date and Studio: 1960, Paramount Pictures

Director: Alfred Hitchcock

Main Cast: List the 4 or 5 most important actors in the film and their characters: Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates), Janet Leigh (Marion Crane), Vera Miles (Lila Crane), John Gavin (Sam Loomis), Martin Balsam (Detective Arbogast)

Plot: The story of Psycho follows Marion Crane, a secretary, who steals 40,000 dollars from one of her business's partners. She eventually finds herself at the Bates motel after driving quite a distance, and stays overnight. She is killed by Norman Bates, the owner of the motel, and her body and money are sunken in a swamp. Shortly after, Marion's sister Lila and lover Sam meet Detective Arbogast, who tracks Marion to the Bates motel. He attempts to meet with Norman's mother, which leads to his killing as well. Soon, both Lila and Sam make their way to the motel to figure out what is going on. Sam distracts Norman long enough for Lila to find the body of his mother, before she too is attacked by him. Sam stops him, and he is arrested. We then learn from an epilogue that Norman had gone insane, and believed himself to be his mother, in a way.

Prompt: In approximately 350-400 words, analyze a single scene by describing the camera work and editing. Utilize the precise language - including correct acronyms - that we discussed in class (your notes should include these already). Then, create and defend an argument about the relationship between the cinematography and the larger meaning of that scene and/or its relationship to the larger film. That is, what is the cinematography itself contributing to the audience's understanding of that scene or the larger film?

Response: Regarding the Dinner Scene; the timeframe I'm using is from 34:00 to 34:52. I would have gone further, but I had already used more than the allotted wordcount.

    The preceding scene indicates Mrs. Bates's clear distaste for Marion, which sets the mood for the scene coming up, making it clear that it will be a topic of discussion as well. When Norman walks up to Marion, he stands in front of a glass window, a reflection showing two versions of himself: him, and his mother inside his mind. The shot is a M2S, until Marion takes a step backward, forcing the camera to move slightly backward to keep the two of them in frame, inviting Norman to take the space and come into her room to have dinner. Norman then takes a step forward, pressing into the scene and into the space that Marion and the camera had just granted. As he does so, the reflection disappears for a moment, as he smiles genuinely. Then, he steps back again, his expression becomes slightly less happy, and the reflection is once again visible, indicating the dual nature of his motives. He takes yet another step backward, and the scene then cuts to his face as he looks downward, contemplating. In then goes S/RS between the two, with a HA shot making Marion out to be in a position of inferiority and danger, and a head level shot of Norman, showcasing how he has not yet made out what to do with his conflicting ideas. He then suggests moving to the office, before moving that way. The camera pans slightly to keep him within the frame. It cuts back to Marion in a MS as she registers the information and closes the door to follow him, as the camera pans to follow her. We then get an OTS shot as she enters the room, before the two of them are once again in a M2S. He then leads her into his parlor's dark door as the camera once again follows him, panning right to left in an unnatural way, and from a lower angle, making it clear his decision has been made. The dark, hard lighting of the room is also emphasized with the LA shot. Marion enters the frame on the right side in a MS, before a quick cut away to the massive, ominous, and hard-lit bird of prey overseeing the room she has just been led into, symbolizing the predatory nature of Norman's Mother personality. It cuts back to her looking slightly worried, and then back to another bird in the room. It then cuts back to Norman with a grin on his face from a LA, before he gestures to a chair, telling her to sit down, sealing the deal. This transitional scene clearly indicates the change in Norman's intentions from when he first met Marion. Now, he knows that he will kill her. It also clearly indicates his duality, and his mother-identity's influence over his thoughts and actions. It also clearly marks Marion as a victim or prey, and Norman as the predator.