GREAT SELECTION: Psycho (1960)

Horror is a broad genre of the grand scope that'll either turn you off or entertain you. But, when horror is done well, the filmmakers will inhabit you to a strange environment that can make you quiver with fear. And one of the earliest horror films to immerse into a strange mystery full of ponderous questions and psychological opinions is Alfred Hitchcock's masterful horror film, Psycho.

This movie received some initial mixed reviews due to the controversy surrounding the now iconic shower scene and its sexuality and disturbing images. It is strange nowadays that we do not mind that now because the most controversial topics surrounding a horror film would be extreme gore and sexual content. The controversy in the 1960s surrounding its sexual content was tame compared to today but it was unprecedented as its first scene is Sam and Marion Crane is shown in their underwear in their bed with Marion in a bra. But, we'll get to the shower scene later. However, this movie, despite its controversy, has lived on and surpassed initial expectations.

Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a real estate secretary discusses with her boyfriend, Sam Loomis (John Gavin) on how they cannot afford to get married because of Sam's debts. Marion returns to work after lunch as a client drops off a $40,000 cash payment on a property. Her boss asks Marion to deposit the cash but asks for the rest of the day off and packs bags for an unplanned trip as she steals the cash payment. A state patrol officer stops Marion while she is driving but lets her go but he is suspicious as he is on her tail as she exchanges her Ford Mainline with her Arizona driving plates with a Ford Custom 300 with California driving plates at the car dealership.

During the rainstorm, Marion decides to stop for the night at the Bates Motel as the proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) gives her access to her hotel room and also invites her to a light dinner. They eat later in the hotel parlor where Norman tells Marion about his hobbies consisting of taxidermy and his wife with his ill mother. Marion has second thoughts and decides to go back and return the money. She goes in and takes a shower until a shadowy female figure comes in and stabs her multiple times with a chef's knife, killing her. Norman discovers the murder and cleans up the crime scene by putting Marion's body and the money in her car, sinking it into the swamps near the motel.

A week later, Marion's sister, Lila (Vera Miles), arrives in Fairvale and confronts Sam regarding Marion's disappearance. A private investigator named Arbogast (Martin Balsam) is also looking for her as she is wanted because she stole $40,000. He eventually comes across the Bates Motel talking with Norman, however, Norman acts differently around the situation involving Marion. Arbogast is rather suspicious and investigates it further along with Lila and Sam.

The movie presents so much irony through the shadowy, psychological subtext through the investigation surrounding the mystery and also its set-up. Hitchcock sets up the basic romance but also has some realistic flaws within the romance. You see, Marion is desperate to get money for her supposed marriage with Tom but Hitchcock structures some shots real well. There are motifs throughout the movie but more presented in the first half regarding shadows, mirrors, windows and darkness. As you see Marion either driving to the motel or eating lunch, you see shadows of creatures or maybe something else hidden behind her such as the police or the mother who kills Marion. Mirrors and darkness are quite noticeable especially in the Bates Motel as Norman is up to no good as he is reflecting on something or when a window serves as a mirror by reflecting both Marion and Norman together which is creepily disturbing.

Now, with the shower scene, Hitchcock executed the scene so well with different angles with mostly close-ups of Marion and also medium-wide shots as Marion is about to be murdered and is murdered. What he did was that the production staff set up the "ice water" for her to react to her being cold as it persuaded her to scream as she is being "killed". As for the "blood" pouring down the drain, it was chocolate syrup. The blood represents in my opinion that all of the guilt is spilling down the drain as Marion was about to morally represent redeem herself by returning the money. Plus, the masterful string score by Bernard Herrmann elevated the shocking suspense that someone is being murdered in the nude for the first time back then and by this day, it is still haunting. It sets the tone for gratifying and shocking violence. It sort of set the standard for horror films too.

Now, also, Hitchcock presents another type of irony through romance. Marion is a bit happy but still depressed that she does not have a relationship full of charm and romance that anybody would be able to accept as pure happiness as the "master of suspense" would say. However, sometimes reality would get in the way of pure happiness. What's sad is that Sam wrote that he will fully accept to get married to Marion but did not know that Marion was killed. The evolving relationship between Lila and Sam could have been random and a bit conventional but it works because they are both going through the same pain which is Marion's disappearance.

This movie is a masterpiece in every level from the realistic sense of the romance to the horror and to the mystery which is utterly shocking in its revelation. Now, some would debate whether the scene where the psychologist explaining what was going on with Norman in the end is either unnecessary or necessary. Everybody is great across the board as Anthony Perkins gives an excellent performance as the messed-up villain, Janet Leigh creates tension and Vera Miles balances it out with grace but also quiet suspense. Hitchcock directs this movie with precise fashion as suspense is elevated to the next level. It is a perfect horror film to watch with a significant other that it'll provoke one to grab your forearm.