The famous or infamous shower scene was Filmed in December 1959 and took 7 days to complete. Containing within the most iconic corpse stare in cinema history.
Fun fact the blood was bosco chocolate syrup due to fake blood appearing grey on camera. Also the reason people get out of tge passenger side in old movies is safety the drivers side faces traffic and it was easy to do as all gear shifts were on the steering column.
Man its such a treat getting to watch someone who doesn't know anything about this film experience it for the first time. It's so iconic and so ingrained in film and culture at this point that a lot people still kind of know the plot before watching it. Really glad you enjoyed it too. 62 years later and the film still holds up. Hitchcock was definitely a master at his craft. And Anthony Perkins is really great in it. Especially when you consider that Norman Bates was really the first split-personality psycho role in pop culture. So he didn't have decades of cultural references to draw inspiration from. His performance is the model. Great stuff.
Three years before Joanne Woodward won an Oscar for playing a person with split personality in Three Faces of Eve. Multiple personality was, in fact, a hot topic in psychology at the time. Psycho was not the first but that does not detract from its merit as first classic suspense.
@@jenmurrayxo “Rear Window”, “The Lady Vanishes”, “Rebecca”,”Strangers On A Train”, “Notorious”, “Shadow Of A Doubt”, “Dial M For Murder”, “Rope”, and “The 39 Steps” are just some of the other great Hitchcock films. You can’t really go wrong with him.
People sliding across the seat to exit their car was a thing and usually done when parked on the street in traffic. Cars back then had "bench seats" and the gear shit was on the steering wheel making it easy to do. In the movie I think it is done mainly to facilitate filming but it was not as uncommon a sight to see someone do it as it is now. The secret of their relationship at the start of the movie was that they were having sex. Hotels would not rent rooms to unmarried couples and you could be arrested for it in some communities.
Of course, bench seats not only made it easier to get out on either side of the car, they also let you squeeze in close with the right passenger... For more research on that, check out the Cake song "Stickshifts and Safetybelts." Hehe.
The ‘sliding out the opposite side’ always bothered me too; I thought maybe the filmmakers back then thought it would take too long to get around the car, but now it occurs to me that the camera crew would have probably been in the way.
This younger generation just doesn't know how to slide across the front set of car to get out closer to wear you are heading. Too busy making u turns where not allowed and looking at "dimb"phones = overall Lack of Awareness leading to accidents. Cuz they think they are smarter than previous generations,- who, by the way, invented the technologies you are using today, Gawd, the ignorance and disrespect of younger is annoying and unbelievably rerarded😮❤ wink
Anthony Perkins is a legend. Every moment of his performance is captivating as he moves gracefully between the subtle change in mood and expression. This is one of the highest points in Hitchcock's filmography, and considering his body of work, that's saying a lot. Dive into his list of films, Jen, you won't be disappointed.
@@biguy617 Even if the sequels never matched the original (tall order, that) Perkins was always great to watch. I liked them for the most part, as well.
I love when a reactor gets lost in the dialogue and the suspense and forgets they're filming themselves. This is a stellar script and god-tier acting/direction. Nice.
15:55 front car seats were bench seats. It was one seat that went across the entire front. The gear shift was on the steering wheel. That is why Abergast was able to slide across with ease.
It is hard to state just how mind-blowing this movie was when it came out. Fun fact about the shower scene: when they first submitted the movie to the censorship board they were told to cut out certain parts of it because it showed nudity and the knife penetrating the skin even though it really didn't. Hitchcock said okay and then re-submitted but he had actually made no changes. It passed and was released!
@@jenmurrayxoolder movies are better than today's clip junk. Casablanca = Amazing and set in time when these world-changing events were happening As long Ben Hur. 12 Angry(birds??) Men❤❤
You should absolutely watch the 1983 sequel, Psycho 2. It's easily one of the most underrated sequels of all time and it gives surprising insight into who Norman really is and what it was like for him all those years alone in that house with "Mother". A little sympathy for the Devil, maybe. I think you'd like it!
I'd like to answer a question you asked at the beginning of the movie. You asked why Sam and Marion were keeping their affair secret. As someone who was alive then, I can tell you that prior to the widespread availability of birth control pills, it was considered immoral and scandalous for a man and woman who weren't married to have sex.
Ditto - I remember that era too. Contraceptives were illegal for unmarried women until 1972 - married women got the right only about a decade earlier. Pregnancies out of wedlock often led a woman to commit suicide. When the two of them are checking into the motel to look for Marion, no respectable place would have allowed them to do so without luggage - local motels being a way to carry on an affair but then you wouldn't have luggage. Some places did, however, but they knew they could charge more to "look the other way." Rooming houses were a common living arrangement then, and both they and college dorms required the door to be left partially open when a person of the opposite sex was visiting (little did they understand same-sex relations) and the two people would each have to keep one foot on the floor. Sounds silly but the owner or dorm counselor would go around and enforce the rules. I think Hitchcock started the movie with a depiction of the "illicit" affair to shock the audience and thus divert their attention. (It was also incredibly scandalous to depict such an affair in the movies. In fact, this was also the first major motion picture to depict a toilet flushing - again a reason Hitchcock included that.)
The pill was approved by the FDA in 1960. Griswold v CT made it legal for married women in '65. In '72, The Supreme Court legalized it for unmarried people, in Eisenstadt v. Baird. Both these decisions were based on the right to privacy that the courts found in the constitution, despite it not being spelled out.
Not from same type of movie, but there is The mythical Magnificient Seven from this 1960 year too.. It will be great to make a reaction on this one. No channel ever do it, or maybe 1, i need to check it out.
Im a MASSIVE Arthur C Clark fan but 2001 is super boring but definitely broke ground. I agree with the time machine suggestion and would also add the day the earth stood still and War of the Worlds.
@@j9lornaI don’t find 2001 to be a boring film at all. As a matter of fact it’s one of my favorite movies of all time. I consider it to be a masterpiece, as do many other people.
One meta aspect of this movie that is lost somewhat to time, is that Janet Leigh, prior to Psycho, was a huge box-office hit. and very famous. so not only was the main character whacked, halfway through, but the biggest movie star at the time was killed off in a sort of crazy way. also maybe if you watched in your edit, there are never any actual stabs into her. it's all great film editing, gives you that impression.
It’s interesting to read all that went into that one shower scene, the number of takes/views was up in the 80’s I believe. The custom built shower head, so he could film it from below and the camera wouldn’t get wet, all the chocolate syrup for blood, etc.
Still, her name lives on, and she's still revered by her fans. And of course, her family tradition of acting has lived on through her daughter, who, as we all know, is a cinematic legend in her own right.
You can never go wrong with Hitchcock, "The Master of Suspense." He directed 50 films in his career, none of which are bad though some are better than others. From his British period I suggest: _The Man Who Knew Too Much_ (1934) _The 39 Steps_ (1935) _The Lady Vanishes_ (1938) From his early Hollywood period I suggest: _Rebecca_ (1940), which won the Best Picture Oscar, his only film to win that award. _Shadow of a Doubt_ (1943) _Notorious_ (1946) _Strangers on a Train_ (1951) From his 1950's period, which many consider his best work: _Rear Window_ (1954), which is already on your schedule _To Catch a Thief_ (1955), Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, how can you go wrong? _The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) He took the essential plot of his earlier film and remade it quite differently. (In an interview he said that the '34 film was the work of a talented amateur and the remake was the work of a professional.) _Vertigo_ (1958), which many consider his masterpiece _North by Northwest (1959) Cary Grant again, this time with Eva Marie Saint. It was a huge hit and remains a favorite of Hitchcock fans.
The reason it was shot in black and white was Hitchcock was known for these big budget studio films and he decided to try to make a small budgeted independent type film. He shot it in a little over a month and used the crew from his television show to keep costs down. It ended up being the most successful film he ever made.
Great reaction, Jen! I wonder how many people have noticed that the policeman, who opens the door to the room, where Norman is sitting, at the end of the film, is played by Ted Knight, who was on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Too Close for Comfort?
Psycho is one of the most influential movies ever made--influencing scores of horror movies ever since. The shower scene is one of the most famous film scenes ever--endlessly imitated and used or referenced. Even James Bond (Man with the Golden Gun) alludes to it when Bond finds Ms. Anders in the shower. Clearly the character watched Psycho as a teenage girl and in the 70s as a woman, takes a gun in to the shower with her. Almost any movie that has a woman in the shower alludes to Psycho, and it has been endlessly parodied--even in the cartoon "Bloom County". Hitchcock did the movie on a shoestring budget, and it was a huge hit. I think he even self-financed, since the studios didn't want to finance it. It was a good investment--he made a ton of money on it, and oday, it is the movie he is most remembered for, even though he made many other great movies.
An answer to your question Jen: Back in the early 60's what they called "bench seats" were very common, and yes you could slide across the seat, they had no center console, and exit from the passenger side.
for sure the cars then had bench seats, but I think a big part of why all of them slid over to get out on passenger side was for camera angles. Makes a smoother look rather than them getting out so close to the camera itself.
I really really really like Psycho II, but I don't consider it canon. The sequels (and the A&E must-see series "Bates Motel") are fun "fan fiction" in my head. Psycho is a great stand alone film.
Bloch actually wrote all the sequels though. So they are Canon. That's the original author of the book. He did not write Bates motel but I'm assuming his estate gave permission.
Great film, and reaction. The way "horror" films used to be, thrillers, more psychological and tense, than horrific and bloody. Alfred Hitchcock is a master of tension. A trivia bit: Alfred Hitchcock usually appears in each of his movies as some random cameo character in a crowd, or viewed outside, through a window. Exiting cars on the passenger side. You can see it often in some shows from the 1950's and early 60's. Some cities had laws making it illegal to enter or exit on the traffic side of the car, and some models only had external locks on the passenger door. The driver's side could only be locked/unlocked from inside the car, to prevent exiting into traffic. The bench seats made sliding across the width of the car very simple..
I love the fact that everyone who reacts to Psycho thinks Norman is so nice and charming at first, never suspecting he is the psycho killer in the movie.
It's impossible to over exaggerate how groundbreaking this was during it's time. Not only did they set up the first victim as the main character, but she was a huge name at the time. I've heard some reactors say they saw the end coming, but that's only because Hitchcock laid the groundwork for the genre. The original audiences hadn't seen anything like this before. Definitely looking forward to more reactions to Hitchcock. :)
@@jenmurrayxo Have a go at "Frenzy" (always so overlooked!) if you want to experience what Hitchcock was able to make in the 70's, where moviegoers had become much more hardened and censure less prevalent. No black & white to protect you in that one... ;)
The real-life daughter of the woman that is stabbed in the shower is Jamie Lee Curtis. At the premiere of the last Halloween movie, she showed up as her mother from this movie. She was carrying a shower curtain.
This is my all time favorite Hitchcock film and one of my top 10 favorite films period. People in 1960 didn't really know what to expect from Psycho. Hitchcock had just done North By Northwest, a color film that had ALOT going on (I highly recommend it!) so when it showed he was making a black and white film about a simple looking motel, they were confused. However when they saw the film, it scared basically everyone and became quite the hit of 1960. Hitchcock also made it clear he didn't want anyone permitted into the movie when it began because he didn't want people showing up halfway through and wondering where Janet Leigh was.
If you don't know already, that's Jamie Lee Curtis's mom, Jamie did a few horror movies too, like the Halloween movies, but you should checkout A Fish Called Wanda, great movie and she's really good in it.
There was a big outcry when this came out over the brutal shower stabbing, but note, you never see the knife pierce the skin. that's how Hitchcock could let it get by the film board. Still, many people say they see the knife stab her.
After you asked a second time, I had to answer. I have a 58 Chevy, and I usually slide across the bench seat to get out on the passenger side. Why? Two door locks was an option in 58 (probably still an option in 1960). Only the passenger side of my 58 has a keyed lock, so if I want to lock it up, I lock the driver's side from the inside, slide across, get out, and use the key to lock the passenger door. I don't know if that is what was going on in the movie though; if that was a common thing to do in 1960.
This is absolutely one of the best reactions to Psycho that I have ever seen. Psycho 2 is definitely worth checking out. It's in color. 22 years after the original and Anthony Perkins is back as Norman.
Finally had a chance to see this review...well done! PSYCHO is a brilliant horror film that is considered to be the granddaddy of slasher movies. Janet Leigh (clipped halfway through the film) was Jamie Lee Curtis' mother in real life. Also, the late great Anthony Perkins was a teen heartthrob during his youth and had an interesting career after PSYCHO -- recommended that you screen PSYCHO II (1983) and PSYCHO III (both with Tony Perkins returning as Norman). Last fact: PSYCHO is the first movie to ever show a toilet on screen! And...the policeman holding the door open to Norman's holding cell was the indomitable Ted Knight (TV's "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Too Close For Comfort" as well as the smarmy Judge Smails in 1980's classic comedy CADDYSHACK.
Believe it or not, Psycho II is one of the greatest sequels ever. It is more horrific but it is much better than it probably deserves to be considering the material it was trying to follow. Anthony Perkins is great in that too! Also, Psycho was the first film in the U.S. to show a toilet flushing.
You're so great, Jen. I've seen this so many times I lost count and it hasn't lost it's punch. It's always extra nice to see an actual newbie who DOESN'T know the twists in advance!
I love this movie. The first half is almost ALL tension. Until she gets to the hotel, you are literally kept on the edge of your seat. A masterclass in acting and directing.
The power and skill of Hitch and Perkins - every reactor seems to say "He seems nice" during the office scene, but somehow it never seems to work out that way! The film is such a classic that it is used by almost every film school for its visuals and music. When it was released no-one was allowed to enter the theatre after the film had started, and at the end there was a short film of Hitch asking viewers not to talk about the ending. I recall something similar when I saw Friday the 13th at the cinema. Impossible these days in light of "loose lips" and social media.
A bonafide game-changing classic bar none. Indeed killing off Marion - the assumed main character - is such a shock still - and to have the unassuming nice boy next door type of Anthony Perkins as Norman is great casting. Hitchcock was a genius in getting reactions from his audiences and scores on every level here as you so prove in your watch/reactions. Couple things: not a river - a bog - not unlike quicksand (and interestingly enough it is this first moment where the audience relates to Norman and hopes he doesn't get caught (the hesitation of Marion's car from submerging) makes you complicit in his heinous deed. Hitch had a TV anthology ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - a weekly series he hosted - and used that show's crew as his production crew for the film (making it low budget) and filmed the shower scene in 6 days (he quipped later that God made the Earth in the same amount of time ;D ) The film also was the first to show a functioning toilet (!) verboeten prior for both TV & movies (!) My dad saw this one night when he was a teen (he and his buds drove from NJ to NYC where movies ran 24/7) and went to a late night show. When the shower scene happened they got so scared they spilled buckets of popcorn and Coke from their balcony seating all over some poor dude below ! LOL :D If you haven't seen VERTIGO - IMO his best film - you so need to Jen. PS: Janet Leigh was not in the shower (for the body images - Hitch used a nudist model uncredited) and stopped taking showers from that point on IRL - also her daughter is Jamie Lee Curtis - best known for HALLOWEEN - both considered Scream Queens in the genre (and both appear in THE FOG).
The perfect reaction Jen 👍 This movie must have blown audiences away in 1960 as so little was known about this kind of psychopathy by the general public. Hitchcock is a genius with loads of great movies. Probably the most enjoyable for you would be North by Northwest. Looking forward to Rear Window already 💜
So glad you went into this without any spoilers and got the full effect! It's such an iconic film that many reactors know the twist, or about the shower scene etc. Also so many other movies have borrowed from it that it's less shocking now than it was in 1960. Also, love that you were engrossed in the Arbogast-Norman scene (among others) -- brilliant filmmaking!
Catching up on your catalogue and I really enjoyed watching this one with you. Favorite part; wait, she’s the main character. She can’t be dead. 😊 Bernard Hermann’s score for this inspires horror scores to this day…especially Jaws.
🤠 Back then most cars had the gear shift on the steering wheel column and "bench" style vinyl covered seats, so you could easily slide over and exit out the passenger door if you wanted to be out on that side of the car. I used to do that in my Grandmother's old Chevrolet all the time. 👍
You know it's a good movie when you forget you're recording. This was refreshing to see someone who didn't know any spoilers! Hitchcock is great. I wouldn't call his movies horror. They tend to be more thriller, keeping you intrigued and on the edge of your seat.
Psycho is a great film. Marion Crane was played by Janet Leigh who was Jamie Lee Curtis’s mom. She had a hard time taking showers after this film. Hitchcock has so many great films, The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window and Psycho are my favorites. Anthony Perkins was great as Norman. My uncle met him at a party a long time ago and said he was a bit ‘different’. Good reaction Jen.
My favorite Hitchcock film is Shadow of a Doubt. It also sticks with a person. Great reaction of this one! I first watched Psycho in the basement with my dad as a teenager. On a black and white tv. Very, very scary. I agree, the interrogation scene with the P.I. is so perfect. The body language Anthony Perkins has is so realistic. Freaky guy. Based on a true story, Ed Gein. As was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Which is scary in a whole different manner.
"do anything of your mind to and being a woman you will."...This is the first psycho reaction video to include this great line...this film is so good, whos superb script seldom gets enough credit.
Excellent reaction! I love that after 60 years this movie can still put people on edge. When this movie was in the theater Janet Leigh was a big movie star, so it really shocked people when she dies in the first act of the movie.
I love Alfred Hitchcock. He was truly the master of suspense. My favorite of Hitchcock movie is Dial M for Murder. I saw a remake of Psycho in the 90s, that tried to recreate the film scene for scene, and although they managed to do that, it just was not the same somehow.
Funny to see how the little twists and turns in this very old movie can still throw a new young viewer off, "Subverting expectations" goes waaay back Norman is Psycho but he actually gets a little redemption in the much later sequel which isn't half bad. Great reaction as usual!
The last gag in the film is so subtle that most people miss it. If you did too, it's Norman's face in the last second before they cut to the car being pulled out of the swamp. For that second, Mother's skeletal lower face is superimposed over Norman's.
you think that Janet Leigh who was a big star back then would be in the whole movie, but she's not the protagonist, Norman Bates is. That's what makes Hitchcock so original. This movie broke a lot of ground. Theres but a lot of copy cat movies like this, but this was something new for 1960
One of the best horror movies ever made. Alfred Hitchcock, really creates an atmosphere of anxiety and fear, right from the beginning theme song. A great psychological thriller, that will have you guessing right to the end, on Marion Crane's, dangerous trip from Phoenix to Bakersfield to someplace in Northern California (The Bates Motel- location.) I wish, that I could go back in time to 1960 and see this in a theater. It really must have been something to see, when it 1st came out!!
Always great to see a first time reaction to this! Psycho was based on a novel by Robert Block, which in turn was inspired by the story of grave robber/murderer Ed Gein (the subject of his own film). Three years before Psycho, Anthony Perkins portrayed a mentally unbalanced baseball player in Fear Strikes Out. That intense performance got him notice. The making of Psycho is told in the 2012 movie Hitchcock, starring Anthony Hopkins.
The cars back then had bench seats and were easy to slide across, so people often slid across, rather than having to walk around the car, because it was the shortest route, if they were seated on the opposite side of where they were going.
Glad you enjoyed this so much! Hitchcock had an incredible talent for thrillers with a dash of dark humor. And while it's not Hitchcock, the sequel Psycho II is also shockingly good. Set 20 years after the original and follows Norman after he gets paroled
Came here to say the same. While late sequels are usually terrible, psycho to is the rare exception. I wouldn't recommend the other sequels, but II is highly worthwhile.
I agree that your true reaction with no spoiler made this reaction extra special. Always entertained by the movie and your reaction. I like the Birds, Vertigo, or North by Northwest.
Other great Hitchcock movies are Vertigo, North by Northwest, The Birds, Dial M for Murder, Marine, Sabotage, Rope, Strangers on a Train which inspired the comedy Throw Mamma from a Train. Alfred Hitchcock is a master of suspense.
The movie is inspired by real life serial killer Ed Gein, whom was alo the basis for Buffalo Bill in Silence Of The Lambs and Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Glad you’ve done Rear Window and that it is coming soon. Other Hitchcock films to react to: Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder, North by Northwest, and Spellbound. Other classic thrillers to react to. Not directed by Hitchcock but might as well have been. Charade (1963) and Wait Until Dark. Both starring Audrey Hepburn.
"Psycho" is not a horror movie it's a psychological thriller. Anthony Perkins was absolutely brilliant as Norman Bates. He deserved an Academy award for best supporting actor. Movies filmed in black and white sometimes have more dramatic impact. I love classic black and white movies.
A year later, I'd argue that he's the main character - the Lead Actor. The film isn't titled "The Embezzler" or "Secretary On The Run". It's not named "Car Trader" or "Woman In The Trunk."
The fact that the main character is killed halfway into the movie makes it even more intense - at that point the audience has no idea what to expect as no character is safe.
Another rewatch of this for you, Jen, this will be the 4th time I've done it, the main reason being is your reaction and appreciation for this masterfully crafted and acted film, there's a reason why it remains a classic.
You've probably already gotten tons of recommendations for the really popular Hitchcock movies. After "Psycho", those are mainly gonna be: "Rear Window", "Vertigo", "The Birds", and "North by Northwest" which are all very different from each other. Hitchcock is known mostly for suspense/thrillers today, but he made literally dozens of films over 50 years, from the silent era until the 70s, including a lot of dramas and comedy as well. To hopefully give a bit more attention to some fantastic Hitchcock movies that might be overlooked, my personal favorites that I would recommend are: "Strangers on a Train" and "Shadow of a Doubt" for more edge-of-your-seat suspense. "Rope" is also a very interesting film, based on a real murder case. And for a bit more dramatic Hitchcock, "Notorious" and "Rebecca" are classics.
The $40,000 in “Psycho” is a MacGuffin. Alfred Hitchcock invented the term MacGuffin to describe an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. The MacGuffin is usually revealed in the first act and thereafter declines in importance. It can reappear at the climax of the story but may actually be forgotten by the end of the story.
Killing our main character off halfway through the movie was ingenious. Hitchcock used over 40 different camera angles for the shower stabbing. Audiences we're not ready for this film at that time. It definitely is a landmark in horror. Hitchcock was more known for crime/mystery/drama not horror so this was unexpected. Nice reaction.
The trailer for this is really great. It's Hitchcock walking around the set, talking about it, then he'll open a door, or see something out of view of the audience and he'll just stop. He'll shudder, look at the audience like he just saw something, or was reminded of something horrifying, and then continue on.
So many great Hitchcock films: Rear Window, Vertigo, North By Northwest, The Birds, Strangers On A Train, Rope, Rebecca, Shadow Of A Doubt, Dial M For Murder, Spellbound, Lifeboat, The Lady Vanishes (remade many years later as Flight Plan), The Man Who Knew Too Much, 39 Steps, Saboteur, To Catch A Thief, etc...
@@TTM9691 I did a total Hitchcock binge this year. Have all of his films except for Downhill and Pleasure Garden (those two are on TH-cam), so I was able to see them all in order...
Yes! That is a wonderful documentary. The body double is Marli Renfro and I was privileged enough to meet her last October at Fantasm Orlando. She is just an awesome lady.
This movie was the „Alien“ of its era, at least as far as total shock value was concerned. Back in the day, when the movie was being shown in movie theaters, Hitchcock would appear on screen appealing to the audience to not talk about the film so as not to ruin the surprise. It was the most effective form of advertising ever as most kept the secret. Hitchcock also banned all cinemas from allowing people to join half way through the film. Thus most came in blind and all experienced the movie from start to finish. My mother introduced this movie to me as a child and like we watch u react, she watched me react to this masterpiece. It was one of the first scary adult movies I was allowed to see and introduced me to the concept of murder, horror and insanity. Amazing stuff. PS: the blood was chocolate syrup
Great reaction, Jen! I've seen a couple of other reactions to this one but yours was easily the best. I could tell that you not only had no idea what was coming but that you were totally absorbed by the film. I can't wait to see more Hitchcock reactions from you. They didn't call him the master of suspense for nothing.
Really enjoyed your reactions to this, especially how you got drawn into that one scene and watched it. (Arbogast and Norman.) I suggest "Rebecca," "Lifeboat," "Strangers on a Train" and "The Wrong Man" for more HItchcock.
When I first watched this I loved the twist, but now when I watch I just love Anthony Perkins acting, the nice guy, the nervous, then angry and the psycho.
Great reaction, Jen. Since you asked, other Hitchcock films I recommend are North by Northwest, Rear Window, Strangers on a Train, Vertigo, The 39 Steps, Notorious, Rope and Suspicion... for starters. He was prolific, and I don't think I've ever seen a bad one.
The famous or infamous shower scene was Filmed in December 1959 and took 7 days to complete. Containing within the most iconic corpse stare in cinema history.
"He seems nice" 🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
🤦♀️🤦♀️🤣🤣
Fun fact the blood was bosco chocolate syrup due to fake blood appearing grey on camera. Also the reason people get out of tge passenger side in old movies is safety the drivers side faces traffic and it was easy to do as all gear shifts were on the steering column.
Man its such a treat getting to watch someone who doesn't know anything about this film experience it for the first time. It's so iconic and so ingrained in film and culture at this point that a lot people still kind of know the plot before watching it. Really glad you enjoyed it too. 62 years later and the film still holds up. Hitchcock was definitely a master at his craft.
And Anthony Perkins is really great in it. Especially when you consider that Norman Bates was really the first split-personality psycho role in pop culture. So he didn't have decades of cultural references to draw inspiration from. His performance is the model. Great stuff.
Thanks! This film really blew me away! 👍
Changed Hollywood.
Three years before Joanne Woodward won an Oscar for playing a person with split personality in Three Faces of Eve. Multiple personality was, in fact, a hot topic in psychology at the time. Psycho was not the first but that does not detract from its merit as first classic suspense.
@@jenmurrayxo Good evening !. You can also watch "The Birds" (1963), "Vertigo" (1958) and "North by Northwest" (1959).
@@jenmurrayxo “Rear Window”, “The Lady Vanishes”, “Rebecca”,”Strangers On A Train”, “Notorious”, “Shadow Of A Doubt”, “Dial M For Murder”, “Rope”, and “The 39 Steps” are just some of the other great Hitchcock films. You can’t really go wrong with him.
People sliding across the seat to exit their car was a thing and usually done when parked on the street in traffic. Cars back then had "bench seats" and the gear shit was on the steering wheel making it easy to do. In the movie I think it is done mainly to facilitate filming but it was not as uncommon a sight to see someone do it as it is now.
The secret of their relationship at the start of the movie was that they were having sex. Hotels would not rent rooms to unmarried couples and you could be arrested for it in some communities.
Of course, bench seats not only made it easier to get out on either side of the car, they also let you squeeze in close with the right passenger...
For more research on that, check out the Cake song "Stickshifts and Safetybelts." Hehe.
The ‘sliding out the opposite side’ always bothered me too; I thought maybe the filmmakers back then thought it would take too long to get around the car, but now it occurs to me that the camera crew would have probably been in the way.
Probably more important to Hitchcock was that it would have blown the framing of the shot otherwise. The camera would have to be repositioned.
It might have been done due to the passenger side was on the curb side of the car, making safe to exit the car if parked on a busy street.
This younger generation just doesn't know how to slide across the front set of car to get out closer to wear you are heading.
Too busy making u turns where not allowed and looking at "dimb"phones = overall Lack of Awareness leading to accidents. Cuz they think they are smarter than previous generations,- who, by the way, invented the technologies you are using today, Gawd, the ignorance and disrespect of younger is annoying and unbelievably rerarded😮❤ wink
Anthony Perkins is a legend. Every moment of his performance is captivating as he moves gracefully between the subtle change in mood and expression. This is one of the highest points in Hitchcock's filmography, and considering his body of work, that's saying a lot. Dive into his list of films, Jen, you won't be disappointed.
He played the role of Norman for 4 movies. I liked them all even though the Psycho sequels weren’t directed by Hitchcock.
@@biguy617 Even if the sequels never matched the original (tall order, that) Perkins was always great to watch. I liked them for the most part, as well.
@@StCerberusEngel He did a science fiction movie called The Black Hole that I liked.
@@biguy617He even directed the third film himself.
I love when a reactor gets lost in the dialogue and the suspense and forgets they're filming themselves. This is a stellar script and god-tier acting/direction. Nice.
15:55 front car seats were bench seats. It was one seat that went across the entire front. The gear shift was on the steering wheel. That is why Abergast was able to slide across with ease.
It is hard to state just how mind-blowing this movie was when it came out. Fun fact about the shower scene: when they first submitted the movie to the censorship board they were told to cut out certain parts of it because it showed nudity and the knife penetrating the skin even though it really didn't. Hitchcock said okay and then re-submitted but he had actually made no changes. It passed and was released!
Great reaction! You can't beat it when someone goes into this blind and says "he seems like a nice guy" when they first encounter Norman!
🤦♀️🤣🤣
@@jenmurrayxoolder movies are better than today's clip junk.
Casablanca = Amazing and set in time when these world-changing events were happening
As long Ben Hur.
12 Angry(birds??) Men❤❤
The shower scene is probably the most iconic scene in movie history 👏 🤧.
You should absolutely watch the 1983 sequel, Psycho 2. It's easily one of the most underrated sequels of all time and it gives surprising insight into who Norman really is and what it was like for him all those years alone in that house with "Mother". A little sympathy for the Devil, maybe. I think you'd like it!
I'd like to answer a question you asked at the beginning of the movie. You asked why Sam and Marion were keeping their affair secret. As someone who was alive then, I can tell you that prior to the widespread availability of birth control pills, it was considered immoral and scandalous for a man and woman who weren't married to have sex.
Ditto - I remember that era too. Contraceptives were illegal for unmarried women until 1972 - married women got the right only about a decade earlier. Pregnancies out of wedlock often led a woman to commit suicide.
When the two of them are checking into the motel to look for Marion, no respectable place would have allowed them to do so without luggage - local motels being a way to carry on an affair but then you wouldn't have luggage. Some places did, however, but they knew they could charge more to "look the other way."
Rooming houses were a common living arrangement then, and both they and college dorms required the door to be left partially open when a person of the opposite sex was visiting (little did they understand same-sex relations) and the two people would each have to keep one foot on the floor. Sounds silly but the owner or dorm counselor would go around and enforce the rules.
I think Hitchcock started the movie with a depiction of the "illicit" affair to shock the audience and thus divert their attention. (It was also incredibly scandalous to depict such an affair in the movies. In fact, this was also the first major motion picture to depict a toilet flushing - again a reason Hitchcock included that.)
@@johnnehrich9601 Well put.
The pill was approved by the FDA in 1960. Griswold v CT made it legal for married women in '65. In '72, The Supreme Court legalized it for unmarried people, in Eisenstadt v. Baird. Both these decisions were based on the right to privacy that the courts found in the constitution, despite it not being spelled out.
@@johnnehrich9601 Thanks.
@@gordondavis6168 Which he wasn't, hence the talk about alimony.
I highly recommend the Classic "The Time Machine"! Also from 1960.
Not from same type of movie, but there is The mythical Magnificient Seven from this 1960 year too..
It will be great to make a reaction on this one. No channel ever do it, or maybe 1, i need to check it out.
Im a MASSIVE Arthur C Clark fan but 2001 is super boring but definitely broke ground.
I agree with the time machine suggestion and would also add the day the earth stood still and War of the Worlds.
yes that would be awesome.
@@j9lornaI don’t find 2001 to be a boring film at all. As a matter of fact it’s one of my favorite movies of all time. I consider it to be a masterpiece, as do many other people.
I'd recommend Hitch's other Mother film : MARNIE (1964) with Tippi Hedren and Sean Connery.
One meta aspect of this movie that is lost somewhat to time, is that Janet Leigh, prior to Psycho, was a huge box-office hit. and very famous. so not only was the main character whacked, halfway through, but the biggest movie star at the time was killed off in a sort of crazy way. also maybe if you watched in your edit, there are never any actual stabs into her. it's all great film editing, gives you that impression.
It’s interesting to read all that went into that one shower scene, the number of takes/views was up in the 80’s I believe. The custom built shower head, so he could film it from below and the camera wouldn’t get wet, all the chocolate syrup for blood, etc.
Still, her name lives on, and she's still revered by her fans. And of course, her family tradition of acting has lived on through her daughter, who, as we all know, is a cinematic legend in her own right.
You can never go wrong with Hitchcock, "The Master of Suspense." He directed 50 films in his career, none of which are bad though some are better than others.
From his British period I suggest:
_The Man Who Knew Too Much_ (1934)
_The 39 Steps_ (1935)
_The Lady Vanishes_ (1938)
From his early Hollywood period I suggest:
_Rebecca_ (1940), which won the Best Picture Oscar, his only film to win that award.
_Shadow of a Doubt_ (1943)
_Notorious_ (1946)
_Strangers on a Train_ (1951)
From his 1950's period, which many consider his best work:
_Rear Window_ (1954), which is already on your schedule
_To Catch a Thief_ (1955), Cary Grant and Grace Kelly, how can you go wrong?
_The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) He took the essential plot of his earlier film and remade it quite differently. (In an interview he said that the '34 film was the work of a talented amateur and the remake was the work of a professional.)
_Vertigo_ (1958), which many consider his masterpiece
_North by Northwest (1959) Cary Grant again, this time with Eva Marie Saint. It was a huge hit and remains a favorite of Hitchcock fans.
Don't forget "The Birds".
"Marnie" is excellent too. Sean Connery co-stars.
I'm also very partial to _The Trouble with Harry,_ one of Hitchcock's few black comedies. It's also Shirley MacLaine's debut in a leading role.
And 'Rope' - absolute masterpiece
@@scouseofhorror104 a study in suspense!
The reason it was shot in black and white was Hitchcock was known for these big budget studio films and he decided to try to make a small budgeted independent type film. He shot it in a little over a month and used the crew from his television show to keep costs down. It ended up being the most successful film he ever made.
Great reaction, Jen! I wonder how many people have noticed that the policeman, who opens the door to the room, where Norman is sitting, at the end of the film, is played by Ted Knight, who was on the Mary Tyler Moore Show and Too Close for Comfort?
Really? I didn’t know that!
Psycho is one of the most influential movies ever made--influencing scores of horror movies ever since. The shower scene is one of the most famous film scenes ever--endlessly imitated and used or referenced. Even James Bond (Man with the Golden Gun) alludes to it when Bond finds Ms. Anders in the shower. Clearly the character watched Psycho as a teenage girl and in the 70s as a woman, takes a gun in to the shower with her. Almost any movie that has a woman in the shower alludes to Psycho, and it has been endlessly parodied--even in the cartoon "Bloom County".
Hitchcock did the movie on a shoestring budget, and it was a huge hit. I think he even self-financed, since the studios didn't want to finance it. It was a good investment--he made a ton of money on it, and oday, it is the movie he is most remembered for, even though he made many other great movies.
An answer to your question Jen: Back in the early 60's what they called "bench seats" were very common, and yes you could slide across the seat, they had no center console, and exit from the passenger side.
for sure the cars then had bench seats, but I think a big part of why all of them slid over to get out on passenger side was for camera angles. Makes a smoother look rather than them getting out so close to the camera itself.
@@tomyoung9049 Actually it's a whole lot Safer getting out on the Curb than into the Traffic, No?
Yes, in those days, cars were boats.
@@jamesalexander5623 That’s what I thought too. Getting out on the driver’s side can sometimes be dangerous.
And now you know why they call Hitchcock “the master of suspense”. As old as this movie is, it still holds up so extremely well. Great reaction!
PSYCHO II isnt made by Hitchcock (he died in the 70s), but it's also really well done. Better than anyone thought it could ever be.
I really really really like Psycho II, but I don't consider it canon. The sequels (and the A&E must-see series "Bates Motel") are fun "fan fiction" in my head. Psycho is a great stand alone film.
1980, just 2 years before Psycho II
Bloch actually wrote all the sequels though. So they are Canon. That's the original author of the book. He did not write Bates motel but I'm assuming his estate gave permission.
Great film, and reaction. The way "horror" films used to be, thrillers, more psychological and tense, than horrific and bloody. Alfred Hitchcock is a master of tension. A trivia bit: Alfred Hitchcock usually appears in each of his movies as some random cameo character in a crowd, or viewed outside, through a window.
Exiting cars on the passenger side. You can see it often in some shows from the 1950's and early 60's. Some cities had laws making it illegal to enter or exit on the traffic side of the car, and some models only had external locks on the passenger door. The driver's side could only be locked/unlocked from inside the car, to prevent exiting into traffic. The bench seats made sliding across the width of the car very simple..
IIRC, in this one, Hitchcock is seen during the opening credits, trying to board a bus
Reactions to this are always fun because it kind of replicates the shocks audiences felt in 1960. Great, genre defining movie.
I love the fact that everyone who reacts to Psycho thinks Norman is so nice and charming at first, never suspecting he is the psycho killer in the movie.
It's impossible to over exaggerate how groundbreaking this was during it's time. Not only did they set up the first victim as the main character, but she was a huge name at the time. I've heard some reactors say they saw the end coming, but that's only because Hitchcock laid the groundwork for the genre. The original audiences hadn't seen anything like this before.
Definitely looking forward to more reactions to Hitchcock. :)
Rear Window coming next Tuesday 👍
@@jenmurrayxo Have a go at "Frenzy" (always so overlooked!) if you want to experience what Hitchcock was able to make in the 70's, where moviegoers had become much more hardened and censure less prevalent. No black & white to protect you in that one... ;)
The real-life daughter of the woman that is stabbed in the shower is Jamie Lee Curtis. At the premiere of the last Halloween movie, she showed up as her mother from this movie. She was carrying a shower curtain.
This is my all time favorite Hitchcock film and one of my top 10 favorite films period. People in 1960 didn't really know what to expect from Psycho. Hitchcock had just done North By Northwest, a color film that had ALOT going on (I highly recommend it!) so when it showed he was making a black and white film about a simple looking motel, they were confused. However when they saw the film, it scared basically everyone and became quite the hit of 1960. Hitchcock also made it clear he didn't want anyone permitted into the movie when it began because he didn't want people showing up halfway through and wondering where Janet Leigh was.
I first saw this about 1975, but "Psycho" is still the scariest film that I have ever seen!
Being so captivated you forget to react is one of my favorite things that happens in reactions to masterpieces 😊
This is a masterpiece. After all this years. This is how you do it.
"Hunky Sam" -- funny, but true.
If you don't know already, that's Jamie Lee Curtis's mom, Jamie did a few horror movies too, like the Halloween movies, but you should checkout A Fish Called Wanda, great movie and she's really good in it.
There was a big outcry when this came out over the brutal shower stabbing, but note, you never see the knife pierce the skin. that's how Hitchcock could let it get by the film board. Still, many people say they see the knife stab her.
Janet Leigh (mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) is rumored to have developed a fear of showers because this movie. Also the "blood" was chocolate sauce.
Chocolate syrup actually
Hershey's chocolate syrup
After the movie was shot, they put the leftover blood on some ice cream.
Funny how young people Today do Not get out on passenger side of cars now.= guess they are NOT asTalented as baby BOOOMERS!!😮❤
@michaelbowermaster7098 also cars back then had way bigger trunk space = ( more room for dead bodies)😅😮😮
After you asked a second time, I had to answer. I have a 58 Chevy, and I usually slide across the bench seat to get out on the passenger side. Why? Two door locks was an option in 58 (probably still an option in 1960). Only the passenger side of my 58 has a keyed lock, so if I want to lock it up, I lock the driver's side from the inside, slide across, get out, and use the key to lock the passenger door. I don't know if that is what was going on in the movie though; if that was a common thing to do in 1960.
This is absolutely one of the best reactions to Psycho that I have ever seen. Psycho 2 is definitely worth checking out. It's in color. 22 years after the original and Anthony Perkins is back as Norman.
Thanks Bob! I've got Rear Window coming next Tuesday 👍
Finally had a chance to see this review...well done! PSYCHO is a brilliant horror film that is considered to be the granddaddy of slasher movies. Janet Leigh (clipped halfway through the film) was Jamie Lee Curtis' mother in real life. Also, the late great Anthony Perkins was a teen heartthrob during his youth and had an interesting career after PSYCHO -- recommended that you screen PSYCHO II (1983) and PSYCHO III (both with Tony Perkins returning as Norman). Last fact: PSYCHO is the first movie to ever show a toilet on screen! And...the policeman holding the door open to Norman's holding cell was the indomitable Ted Knight (TV's "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Too Close For Comfort" as well as the smarmy Judge Smails in 1980's classic comedy CADDYSHACK.
Thank you, Ms. Jen. I think this is closest that many of us are going to come to seeing someone watching this for the first time in 1960. :)
Oh good, I'm glad! This movie really blew me away 👍
those old cars had long bench seat, that they slid over so they can get out curbside instead of in streets and such. it was safer.
Believe it or not, Psycho II is one of the greatest sequels ever. It is more horrific but it is much better than it probably deserves to be considering the material it was trying to follow. Anthony Perkins is great in that too!
Also, Psycho was the first film in the U.S. to show a toilet flushing.
The “blood” was chocolate syrup.
You're so great, Jen. I've seen this so many times I lost count and it hasn't lost it's punch. It's always extra nice to see an actual newbie who DOESN'T know the twists in advance!
Thanks Evan! This movie blew me away!! I've got Rear Window coming next Tuesday too 👍
@@jenmurrayxo My pleasure, Jen. Already saw the full length on Patreon for RW but looking forward ro revisiting your reaction once again. 🙂
This is such a classic,as close to perfect as possible. Janet Leigh was the most known actress in the movie,so definitely a shock when she dies.
I love this movie. The first half is almost ALL tension. Until she gets to the hotel, you are literally kept on the edge of your seat. A masterclass in acting and directing.
The power and skill of Hitch and Perkins - every reactor seems to say "He seems nice" during the office scene, but somehow it never seems to work out that way! The film is such a classic that it is used by almost every film school for its visuals and music. When it was released no-one was allowed to enter the theatre after the film had started, and at the end there was a short film of Hitch asking viewers not to talk about the ending. I recall something similar when I saw Friday the 13th at the cinema. Impossible these days in light of "loose lips" and social media.
I've not seen fri 13th yet & hoping no one spoils
great reaction Jen. love it. Psycho is the grand-daddy of suspenseful thrillers with a twist. actually a few twists. what a classic.
'Psycho II' is now compulsory x
The "Shower Scene" (and any Boomer knows what That refers to !!) is an absolute classic in film editing. 78 camera settings and 52 edits !!!
"OK Boomerrrr!" ❤😂
A bonafide game-changing classic bar none. Indeed killing off Marion - the assumed main character - is such a shock still - and to have the unassuming nice boy next door type of Anthony Perkins as Norman is great casting. Hitchcock was a genius in getting reactions from his audiences and scores on every level here as you so prove in your watch/reactions. Couple things: not a river - a bog - not unlike quicksand (and interestingly enough it is this first moment where the audience relates to Norman and hopes he doesn't get caught (the hesitation of Marion's car from submerging) makes you complicit in his heinous deed. Hitch had a TV anthology ALFRED HITCHCOCK PRESENTS - a weekly series he hosted - and used that show's crew as his production crew for the film (making it low budget) and filmed the shower scene in 6 days (he quipped later that God made the Earth in the same amount of time ;D ) The film also was the first to show a functioning toilet (!) verboeten prior for both TV & movies (!) My dad saw this one night when he was a teen (he and his buds drove from NJ to NYC where movies ran 24/7) and went to a late night show. When the shower scene happened they got so scared they spilled buckets of popcorn and Coke from their balcony seating all over some poor dude below ! LOL :D If you haven't seen VERTIGO - IMO his best film - you so need to Jen. PS: Janet Leigh was not in the shower (for the body images - Hitch used a nudist model uncredited) and stopped taking showers from that point on IRL - also her daughter is Jamie Lee Curtis - best known for HALLOWEEN - both considered Scream Queens in the genre (and both appear in THE FOG).
The perfect reaction Jen 👍
This movie must have blown audiences away in 1960 as so little was known about this kind of psychopathy by the general public.
Hitchcock is a genius with loads of great movies. Probably the most enjoyable for you would be North by Northwest.
Looking forward to Rear Window already 💜
Thanks M! I loved this one & Rear Window too 👍👍
I heard that type of car has "bench seats." They used chocolate syrup for the blood. I enjoyed the video, thanks!
I'm so glad you didn't know about the twist! That was a great reaction!
I think you should react to Vertigo next =)
I def want to see Vertigo but I have Rear Window coming next Tuesday 👍
@@jenmurrayxo Rear Window!!!
@@jenmurrayxo Rear Window is great too!
So glad you went into this without any spoilers and got the full effect! It's such an iconic film that many reactors know the twist, or about the shower scene etc. Also so many other movies have borrowed from it that it's less shocking now than it was in 1960.
Also, love that you were engrossed in the Arbogast-Norman scene (among others) -- brilliant filmmaking!
Catching up on your catalogue and I really enjoyed watching this one with you. Favorite part; wait, she’s the main character. She can’t be dead. 😊 Bernard Hermann’s score for this inspires horror scores to this day…especially Jaws.
My second favorite Hitchcock after Rear Window.
You're in luck! Rear Window coming next Tuesday and already up on Patreon ☺️👍
Yes, it was a shock to 1960 audiences when main character and established star Janet Leigh died so early in the film.
🤠 Back then most cars had the gear shift on the steering wheel column and "bench" style vinyl covered seats, so you could easily slide over and exit out the passenger door if you wanted to be out on that side of the car. I used to do that in my Grandmother's old Chevrolet all the time. 👍
You know it's a good movie when you forget you're recording. This was refreshing to see someone who didn't know any spoilers! Hitchcock is great. I wouldn't call his movies horror. They tend to be more thriller, keeping you intrigued and on the edge of your seat.
Psycho is a great film. Marion Crane was played by Janet Leigh who was Jamie Lee Curtis’s mom. She had a hard time taking showers after this film. Hitchcock has so many great films, The Birds, Vertigo, Rear Window and Psycho are my favorites. Anthony Perkins was great as Norman. My uncle met him at a party a long time ago and said he was a bit ‘different’. Good reaction Jen.
Thanks! Rear Window coming Tuesday 👍
My favorite Hitchcock film is Shadow of a Doubt. It also sticks with a person. Great reaction of this one! I first watched Psycho in the basement with my dad as a teenager. On a black and white tv. Very, very scary. I agree, the interrogation scene with the P.I. is so perfect. The body language Anthony Perkins has is so realistic. Freaky guy. Based on a true story, Ed Gein. As was The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Which is scary in a whole different manner.
"do anything of your mind to and being a woman you will."...This is the first psycho reaction video to include this great line...this film is so good, whos superb script seldom gets enough credit.
Excellent reaction! I love that after 60 years this movie can still put people on edge.
When this movie was in the theater Janet Leigh was a big movie star, so it really shocked people when she dies in the first act of the movie.
Yes that was unbelievable, must have blown everyone's mind!!
I love Alfred Hitchcock. He was truly the master of suspense. My favorite of Hitchcock movie is Dial M for Murder.
I saw a remake of Psycho in the 90s, that tried to recreate the film scene for scene, and although they managed to do that, it just was not the same somehow.
Funny to see how the little twists and turns in this very old movie can still throw a new young viewer off, "Subverting expectations" goes waaay back Norman is Psycho but he actually gets a little redemption in the much later sequel which isn't half bad. Great reaction as usual!
The last gag in the film is so subtle that most people miss it. If you did too, it's Norman's face in the last second before they cut to the car being pulled out of the swamp. For that second, Mother's skeletal lower face is superimposed over Norman's.
you think that Janet Leigh who was a big star back then would be in the whole movie, but she's not the protagonist, Norman Bates is. That's what makes Hitchcock so original. This movie broke a lot of ground. Theres but a lot of copy cat movies like this, but this was something new for 1960
One of the best horror movies ever made. Alfred Hitchcock, really creates an atmosphere of anxiety and fear, right from the beginning theme song. A great psychological thriller, that will have you guessing right to the end, on Marion Crane's, dangerous trip from Phoenix to Bakersfield to someplace in Northern California (The Bates Motel- location.) I wish, that I could go back in time to 1960 and see this in a theater. It really must have been something to see, when it 1st came out!!
Not a Hirror film.
It is su a present and mystery
Gives MAMAS BOY a whole new meaning!😲
Always great to see a first time reaction to this! Psycho was based on a novel by Robert Block, which in turn was inspired by the story of grave robber/murderer Ed Gein (the subject of his own film). Three years before Psycho, Anthony Perkins portrayed a mentally unbalanced baseball player in Fear Strikes Out. That intense performance got him notice. The making of Psycho is told in the 2012 movie Hitchcock, starring Anthony Hopkins.
Try “Psycho II”. It’s incredible, arguably the equal of “Psycho”.
The cars back then had bench seats and were easy to slide across, so people often slid across, rather than having to walk around the car, because it was the shortest route, if they were seated on the opposite side of where they were going.
Glad you liked it, Jen. You were as blown away as everyone who say it way back when. Good reaction. Thanks.
Thanks Mike ☺👍
Now you know why Hitchcock is called the Master of Suspense. Other movies of his to consider: The Birds, North by Northwest and Rope
Glad you enjoyed this so much! Hitchcock had an incredible talent for thrillers with a dash of dark humor. And while it's not Hitchcock, the sequel Psycho II is also shockingly good. Set 20 years after the original and follows Norman after he gets paroled
Psycho 2 might just be my favourite horror movie of all time.
Came here to say the same. While late sequels are usually terrible, psycho to is the rare exception. I wouldn't recommend the other sequels, but II is highly worthwhile.
I agree that your true reaction with no spoiler made this reaction extra special.
Always entertained by the movie and your reaction.
I like the Birds, Vertigo, or North by Northwest.
An interesting little bit of trivia is that $40,000 in the 1960s is worth about $390,687.84 today.
Fun fact: they used chocolate syrup in the murder scene so it would show very dark and resemble blood
great reaction. Now you have an idea why so many say Hitchcock was the master of suspense. BTW, the shower scene, the "blood" was chocolate syrup.
Other great Hitchcock movies are Vertigo, North by Northwest, The Birds, Dial M for Murder, Marine, Sabotage, Rope, Strangers on a Train which inspired the comedy Throw Mamma from a Train. Alfred Hitchcock is a master of suspense.
There is a sequel to this that, while it was not done by Hitchcock and is filmed and takes place 20 years later, it is most definitely worth a watch.
The movie is inspired by real life serial killer Ed Gein, whom was alo the basis for Buffalo Bill in Silence Of The Lambs and Leatherface in Texas Chainsaw Massacre.
Glad you’ve done Rear Window and that it is coming soon. Other Hitchcock films to react to: Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder, North by Northwest, and Spellbound.
Other classic thrillers to react to. Not directed by Hitchcock but might as well have been. Charade (1963) and Wait Until Dark. Both starring Audrey Hepburn.
"Psycho" is not a horror movie it's a psychological thriller. Anthony Perkins was absolutely brilliant as Norman Bates. He deserved an Academy award for best supporting actor. Movies filmed in black and white sometimes have more dramatic impact. I love classic black and white movies.
A year later, I'd argue that he's the main character - the Lead Actor. The film isn't titled "The Embezzler" or "Secretary On The Run". It's not named "Car Trader" or "Woman In The Trunk."
The fact that the main character is killed halfway into the movie makes it even more intense - at that point the audience has no idea what to expect as no character is safe.
Right!! It kinda blew my mind!! 🤯🤯
The shower scene is so famous it loses it's impact but the PI getting it on the stairs sure is a shocker first time around.
Another rewatch of this for you, Jen, this will be the 4th time I've done it, the main reason being is your reaction and appreciation for this masterfully crafted and acted film, there's a reason why it remains a classic.
You've probably already gotten tons of recommendations for the really popular Hitchcock movies. After "Psycho", those are mainly gonna be: "Rear Window", "Vertigo", "The Birds", and "North by Northwest" which are all very different from each other. Hitchcock is known mostly for suspense/thrillers today, but he made literally dozens of films over 50 years, from the silent era until the 70s, including a lot of dramas and comedy as well.
To hopefully give a bit more attention to some fantastic Hitchcock movies that might be overlooked, my personal favorites that I would recommend are: "Strangers on a Train" and "Shadow of a Doubt" for more edge-of-your-seat suspense.
"Rope" is also a very interesting film, based on a real murder case. And for a bit more dramatic Hitchcock, "Notorious" and "Rebecca" are classics.
They all sound great!! Rear Window is coming next Tuesday and then I'll do a poll 👍
The $40,000 in “Psycho” is a MacGuffin. Alfred Hitchcock invented the term MacGuffin to describe an object, device, or event that is necessary to the plot and the motivation of the characters, but insignificant, unimportant, or irrelevant in itself. The MacGuffin is usually revealed in the first act and thereafter declines in importance. It can reappear at the climax of the story but may actually be forgotten by the end of the story.
Killing our main character off halfway through the movie was ingenious. Hitchcock used over 40 different camera angles for the shower stabbing. Audiences we're not ready for this film at that time. It definitely is a landmark in horror. Hitchcock was more known for crime/mystery/drama not horror so this was unexpected. Nice reaction.
The trailer for this is really great. It's Hitchcock walking around the set, talking about it, then he'll open a door, or see something out of view of the audience and he'll just stop. He'll shudder, look at the audience like he just saw something, or was reminded of something horrifying, and then continue on.
So many great Hitchcock films: Rear Window, Vertigo, North By Northwest, The Birds, Strangers On A Train, Rope, Rebecca, Shadow Of A Doubt, Dial M For Murder, Spellbound, Lifeboat, The Lady Vanishes (remade many years later as Flight Plan), The Man Who Knew Too Much, 39 Steps, Saboteur, To Catch A Thief, etc...
@@TTM9691 I did a total Hitchcock binge this year. Have all of his films except for Downhill and Pleasure Garden (those two are on TH-cam), so I was able to see them all in order...
There's a great documentary about the shower scene and the body double for Janet Leigh, '78/52'.
Yes! That is a wonderful documentary. The body double is Marli Renfro and I was privileged enough to meet her last October at Fantasm Orlando. She is just an awesome lady.
hitchcock did a 'white hat/black hat': she started in white underwear, stole the money and then wore black underwear
This movie was the „Alien“ of its era, at least as far as total shock value was concerned. Back in the day, when the movie was being shown in movie theaters, Hitchcock would appear on screen appealing to the audience to not talk about the film so as not to ruin the surprise. It was the most effective form of advertising ever as most kept the secret. Hitchcock also banned all cinemas from allowing people to join half way through the film. Thus most came in blind and all experienced the movie from start to finish.
My mother introduced this movie to me as a child and like we watch u react, she watched me react to this masterpiece. It was one of the first scary adult movies I was allowed to see and introduced me to the concept of murder, horror and insanity. Amazing stuff.
PS: the blood was chocolate syrup
So watch The Birds, Rear Window, North by Northwest, and Vertigo. Then watch the Mel Brooks film High Anxiety. He spoofs Hitchcock movies.
Nice! 👌 Rear Window coming next Tuesday 👍
Great reaction, Jen!
I've seen a couple of other reactions to this one but yours was easily the best. I could tell that you not only had no idea what was coming but that you were totally absorbed by the film. I can't wait to see more Hitchcock reactions from you. They didn't call him the master of suspense for nothing.
Thanks Jason! I really was blown away by this one! Rear Window coming next Tues! 👍
@@jenmurrayxo Awesome! Rear Window is my favorite Hitchcock film!
Really enjoyed your reactions to this, especially how you got drawn into that one scene and watched it. (Arbogast and Norman.) I suggest "Rebecca," "Lifeboat," "Strangers on a Train" and "The Wrong Man" for more HItchcock.
When I first watched this I loved the twist, but now when I watch I just love Anthony Perkins acting, the nice guy, the nervous, then angry and the psycho.
Great reaction, Jen. Since you asked, other Hitchcock films I recommend are North by Northwest, Rear Window, Strangers on a Train, Vertigo, The 39 Steps, Notorious, Rope and Suspicion... for starters. He was prolific, and I don't think I've ever seen a bad one.
Awesome! I've got Rear Window coming next Tuesday ☺👍
@@jenmurrayxo Awesome! I think you'll love it. I'll be watching :D