Psycho: The Greatest Horror Movie Ever?

Plot of Psycho

A young woman checks into an out of the way motel tended by a young caretaker and his mother that lived in the old house up the hill.  The young woman is brutally murdered in the motel.  Unaware of what transpired, her sister becomes worried and investigates the disappearance, even hiring a private detective.  Eventually the truth behind the murder is revealed.

Review of Psycho

A great movie - in that it sets the stage for all horror movies to come afterwards, especially Hitchcock's magical use of the camera to help tell the story and draw the viewer in to the movie, almost as a participant instead of a voyeur.  It has become a classic amongst movie aficionados and fans of horror alike.  However, young movie watchers would probably find the movie slow going - without enough gore and special effects.  I would agree that at some points the plot seems to move a little slowly, and the acting by the supporting cast is droll.  But . . . this is overshadowed by the superior acting of Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates and the the buildup of suspense to the climatic revelation of the murderous twist in the plot that is more than worth the wait. [Note: Younger movie goers might enjoy Christian Bale's portrayal of Norman Bates in American Psycho, a more recent adaptation of this classic.]

Score: 4

The Cast

Director

Producer

Anthony Perkins

Norman Bates

Alfred Hitchcock

Alfred Hitchcock

Janet Leigh

Marion Crane

Vera Miles

Lila Crane

John Gavin

Sam Loomis

Martin Balsam

Milton Arbogast

Rating

Length

Production Co.

Year

Approved, changed to R in 1984

109 min

1960

Awards

Won

Edgar Allen Poe Award for Best Motion Picture

Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress (Janet Leigh)

Nominated

Academy Award for Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Janet Leigh)

Academy Award for Best Director (Alfred Hitchcock)

Academy Award for Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White (Joseph Hurley, Robert Clatworthy, George Milo)

Academy Award for Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (John L. Russell)

DGA Award for Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures (Alfred Hitchcock)

Writers Guilde of America Award for Best Written American Drama (Joseph Stefano)

Related Links

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Psycho Movie Trivia

This review was written by Ian Ripley. Copyright 2005, All Rights Reserved.