Psycho (1960)

Psycho is Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece - one of the best films ever.

”We all get crazy sometimes” - Psycho is a film about psychosis and human mind, because human mind sometimes can be the most dangerous in our universe.

The poster of Psycho film

"No one .... BUT NO ONE ... will be admitted to the theatre after the start of each perfomance"

Alfred Hitchcock

The Film Psycho (1960)

Psycho is one of the best ever films in history of cinema. It’s not just a masterpiece  of horror cinema is also a wonder of seventh art. Beyond all horror archetypes, psycho is at the same time innovative,  modern and all time classic film.

Psycho was produced in USA (Shamley Productios / Paramount). It was directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay of Psycho was written by Joseph Stefano (based on a relative novel by Robert Bloch). Director of Photography in Psycho film was John L Russell (ASC). Art director in Psycho Film was Joseph Hurley and Robert Clatworthy. The film Psycho was edited by George_Tomasini and special effects were created by Clarence Champagne. The sound of the film was recorded by Waldon O Watson and William Russell.

The music of Psycho was composed by Bernard Herrmann.

The Synopsis of film Psycho.

Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) had a tryst with Sam Loomis (John Cavin) in a Hotel Room. She was dreaming to start a new life with him, but it’s not easy, Sam has to pay his father debts and his ex- wife support. At the Real Estate office where she works, Marion was asked to deposit $ 40.000 cash in the bank. Marrion did not deposit the money in bank but she packs and drives off with money to the town where her lower lives. Unfortunately for her on her way out of town she was recognized by Mr. Lowey, her boss.

She was afraid and tired, she spends the night by the roadside and she was woken up by a traffic - policeman. Marion worried by Policeman’s attention she exhanged her car at a used car dealership, but she was spotted by the Policeman. She was driving in the night under heavy rain. She found shelter in a motel. She uses a false name and the owner of the motel, Norman Bates (John Perkins), offers to share a meal with her.

Marion heard Norman’s mother, who lives in a California - Gothic house behind the motel, telling him off for killing his time with a strange woman.

Marion undresses for a shower, Norman watches through a peephole. Finally, Marion was killed in the shower (it’s an unforgettable film sequence in cinema history). Norman finds the body and disposes of it, along with the car, the $ 40.000 in the swamp behind the motel.

Marion’s sister Lila (Vera Miles) visits - Marion’s lover Sam, and she asks him if he knows where Marion is. At the same time, the customer who had given the $ 40.000 to Marion had hired a private detective Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam). Private Detective - Milton Arbogast visits the motel and he found that Marion had stayed at the Bates Hotel. He informed Sam and Lila, that he wanted to go to the motel, but when he goes at the motel he is killed.

Lila and Sam visit Sherif (John McIntire), but according to Sheriff there was nothing wrong at Bates motel. They visited the motel by themselves. Fortunately for them in one of the bathrooms they discovered a paper with Marion’s calculations on it.

Lila investigates the house and finds Norman’s mother - a dessicated corpse  - and is attacked by Norman in his mother’s clothes. Sam arrives and saves Lila.

A psychiatrist explains that Norman had poisoned his mother and hers lover, and he had been traumatised by guilt that a separate persona “mother” periodically took over.

The film Psycho ends with Norman speaking with the voice of his mother. There is no Norman - has now been fully absorbed by his mother persona.            

Cast of Psycho   

Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Janet Leigh, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Simon Oakland, Frank Albertson, Patricia Hitchcock, Vaugh Taylor, Lurene Tuttle, John Anderson, Mort Mills, Fletcher Allen, Prudence Beers, Kit Carson, Francis De Sales, George Dock Stader, George Elderge, Harper Flathery, Sam Flint, Virginia Gregg, Alfred Hitchcock, Paul Jasmin, Lee Kass, Frank Killmord, Ted Knight, Pat McCaffrie, Jeanette Nolan, Lillian O’ Maley, Fred Sheiwiller, Helen Wallace.      

Trailer of film Psycho

 Elias Stoikos

Relative Articles 

Psycho the movie

Psycho (Origins and Resources of Inspiration)

Casting of Psycho

Recognition of Psycho

Resources 

Psycho - Internet Movies Data base  

Psycho in wikipedia

The Production of the film”The Exorcist”

As I have already highlighted “The Exorcist” is among the best horror films ever. The Exorcist was produced by William Peter Blatty and was directed by William Friedkin.

Places of the Exorcist Shooting

Shooting began on 14 August 1972, and lasted about fifteen months. It’s a very big shooting period for a movie. There were too many obstacles for the production team to overcame.

The Exorcist - Shooting in Iraq

The film sequence at the archaeological dig in Nineveh, was filmed in Iraq. United States of America had no diplomatic relations with Iraq, so it was impossible for US crew to enter and shoot in Iraq. Cause it this situation, the producer of the Exorcist - William Peter Blatty and the director William Friedkin had to take an all - British crew in Iraq to film the archaeological dig and prologue of this amazing film.

I need to mention that during the archaeological film sequence - Father Merrin discovers a small carving of a demon. The figure of this demon will appear later at the exorcism sequence.

Also, it’s very interesting to mention that the all - British crew was allowed to film in Iraq under a condition - to train Iraqi filmmakers in film techniques (among them was to create fake blood).

The Exorcist - Shooting in USA

The director of Exorcism William Friedkin had decided to add realism and he wanted the exorcism effects to br mechanical (according to James Marriott"The Exorcist" - Horror Films) - the only non - mechanical effect in the film is the shot of Regan projectile vomiting).

Interior Shoots of Exorcist

All interiors of the MacNeil house were shot at a built house in New York’sa Ceco Studios. Regan’n bedroom had false walls for fork - lifting the bed, false ceilings for piano - wire levitations and air - vented windows to give the cold atmosphere in which the actors ‘ breath is visible. As we know one of the most important sequences in exorcist film is the exorcism sequence - we need to highlight that during the shooting of the film, the entire room was enclosed and refrigerated, dropping the temperature well below freezing.               

            


to be continued ....

Elias Stoikos

The Ring / Ringu

The Ring / Ringu is a horror movie (film) about haunted Japan. Ring / Ringu is among the best Horror films.

The Ring / Ringu

Produced by Asmik Ace Entertainment in Japan (1997). The duration of the film is 91 minutes. Ringu was directed by Hideo Nakata is based on the Koji Suzuki's novel Ring and the screenplay was developed by Hiroshi Takahashi. Ringu was produced by Shinya Kawai, Takenori Sento and Takashige Ichise.

The plot of The Ring / Ringu

The story of Ring is about an innocent girl with great psychic abilities, she had been member of a scientific experiment, but she was murdered by the head of the scientific team. Now her spirit is back and is seeking revenge.

The plot is being developed from the point of view of a wild spreading urban legend about a cursed video tape (after watching it the viewer is warned by phone that he will die within a week. One of film’s character Tomoko has been seen a similar video and dies shortly afterwards, along with three of her friends.

Tomoko’s aunt, Reiko Asakawa, reporter and single mother starts an investigation to discover the truth behind the mysterious death of Tomoko (at the same day died the friends of Tomoko too).

Reiko Asakawa discored that Tomoko and hers friends had stayed in a resort on the Izu peninsula and finds the copy of a video tape they had watched. She watches the video, too, and asks her ex - husband Ryuji Takayama to help her solve the mystery. Reiko copies the video and she given it to her ex- husband to watch. Their son Yoichi also watches it, and claims that Tomoko told him to. 


By watching the mysterious tape, they recognized a voice with the dialect from Oshima Island. They start a reaserch according to which, in Oshima Island was a woman, Shizuko Yamamura, who had predicted a volcano eruption many years ago. The most important of all is that in the mysterious video there are images from the volcano eruption. Reiko decide to take your son Yoichi to stay with her gather. 


Reiko with Ryuji visit Oshima and stay at an inn by Shizuko's cousin's son. Ryuji, who has physic powers, finds the room featured on the video and meets Shizuko's cousin. Shizuko's cousin informed them that Shizuko was member of a physic experiment run by Professor Heihachiro - during a public demonstration, the daughter of Shizuko, Sadako killed one of the journalists with her mind. After this event Shizuko went mad and commited suicide by throwing herself in the volcano. 


They return to the room, they believed that Sadako, who had been taken away by the professor after Shizuko died and there was a believe that she was burried in the Island.
Under their cabin they found a sealed well, as they pull the water out of well they discovered the Sadako's corspe.  


Passed a week since Reiko saw the video, and they assume they were safe. 


But in Ryuji's house Sadako climbs out of TV and Ryuji dies of fear. Reiko, was visited by a ghostly figure, the only reason for her survivor was that she had coppie the video before and it had showed to another in a week. She is running to save her son and she is spreading the video curse. 


The Casting of Ring / Ringu 


Nanako Mitsushima (Reiko Asakawa), Miki Nakatani (Mai Takano), Hiroyuki Sanada (Ryuji Takayama), Yuko Takeuchi (Tomoko Oishi), Hitomi Sato (Masami Kurahashi), Yoichi Numata (Takashi Yamamura), Yutaka Matshushige (Yoshino), Katsumi Muramatsu (Koichi Asakawa), Rikiya Otaka (Yiochi Asakawa), Masako (Shizuno Yamamura), Daisuke Ban (Dr Ikuma Heicharo), Kiyochi Risho (Omiya the Cameraman), Yurei Yanagi (Okazaki), Yko Oshima (Reiko's aunt), Kiriko Shimizu (Ryomi Oishi), Rie Inou (Sadako Yamamura), Hiroyuki Watanabe (Hayatsu), Miwako Kaji (Kazue Yamamura), Yoko Kima, Asami Nagata (Junior high schoolgirls), Keiko Yoshida, Yoshiko Matsumaru, Yoho Naose (Senior High Schoolgirls), Maki Ikeda(Yoko Tsuji), Tkashi Takayama (Takahiko Nomi), Toshiliko Takeda (Yamamura as a Tteenager), Chihiro Shirai (Sadako as a Young Girl), Mantaro Koichi (Town Hall Moderator), Shinkichi Noda, Kazufumi Nakai (Press Representatives). 


Trailer of the Ring / Ringu 

Elias Stoikos 

Relative Articles 




Resources  

Jaws

Giant man - eating shark, a sea monster at the coast of a small American island. Jaws is one oh the best horror / thriller films ever about the fear of sea monsters.

Jaws - Film (1975)

Jaws (1975) was directed by Steven Spielberg, it’s one of the best ever horror / thriller films based on Peter Banchley’s novel of the same name. The plot of the film is about a giant man- eating shark attacks holidaymakers on Amity Islands (fictional town), the local police chief (ex New York experienced crime fighter) faces a strong obstacle by the local municipality council to close the beach. This is the first conflict between the local police officer and the local political and business lobby. The number of shark attacks were increasing and there is a chaos. Finally, the hunt of the giant shark begins - local council hired a professional shark hunter and joined to the hunting team with local police chief and a marine biologist.

Jaws became the highest - grossing film in history at the time and it won several awards for its soundtrack and and editing and it’s often cited as one of the greatest films of all time. The success of Jaws was the reason for the production of three sequels, none with the participation of Spielberg or Benchley and many others from the imitative thrillers.     

Cast

The philosophy behind casting is based on the concept to avoid hiring any big stars, because “somewhat anonymous” performers would help the audience “believe this was happening to people like you and me”, whereas “stars bring a lot of memories with them, and memories from other films corrupt the story”. The director stated that “the superstar was gonna be the shark”.       

Roy Scheider (Broody C. Brody), Robert Saw (hunter Quint), Richard Dreyfuss (maritime biologist), Lorraine Gary (Ellem Brody), Murray Hamilton (mayor of Hamilton Island), main roles performed by resident’s of Marta's Vineyard (location shot).

Relative Articles

Resources

1. Jaws - Internet Movies Database

2. Jaws (film) - Wikipedia

3. Jaws fans community

4. Jaws - Franchise

The Exorcist

The Exorcist (1973) is among the best horror films ever! A unique horror movie about possession and exorcism!

“Somewhere between science and superstition, there is another world. The world  of darkness”. The exorcist is a film about this world of darkness.

The poster of Film The Exorcist

The Exorcist (Film - 1973)

The Exorcist is a masterpiece of Horror Cinema, produced in USA by Warner Bros INC / Hoya Production Inc and it’s duration is 122 minutes.

The film exorcist directed by William Friedkin, produced by William Peter Blatty. The exorcist is based on the novel “The Exorcist” written by William Peter Blatty, the screenplay is written also by William Peter Betty.  

Executive producer of the exorcist is Noel Marshall and associate producer David Salven. Director of Photography in the film exorcist is Owen Roizman (during the Iraq sequence was Billy Williams).

Editors for this masterpiece are Evan Lottman, Norman Gay (Iraq Sequences : Bud Smith). Responsible for the Exorcist special effects is Marcel Vercouetere, for the Optical Effects is Marv Ystom and Make- up artist in exorcist is Dick Smith.   

Synopsis of film “The Exorcist”

The plot of exorcism is about the possession of an innocent girl Regan and the fight of Regan’s family against demonic forces. Psychiatrists can not cure Regan there is only one solution, Exorcism. Meanwhile, a strange death took place in Regan’s house, Crash Course director Burke Dennings is killed. The body of Burke Dennings found at the foot of the stairs outside McNeil’s house, his head was turned around.  The mysterious death of Doctor Dennings and the inability of scientist to explain the chaotic Regan’s behaviour, motivate the MacNeil family at exorcism.    

Mrs MacNeil, Regan’s mother approaches Father Karras, a local Jesuit priest, who is experiencing a crisis of faith, after the death of his mother. Father Karras visits the Mac Neil house and collects evidence, records demonic voices, the demon through Regan speak to Father Karras about the death of his mother. On Regan’s belly appear the words “Help me” and Father Karras is taunting with having neglected his mother.

Father Karras approaches the Jesuit upper hierarchy, who agree an exorcism but recommend Father Merrin, who has performed successfully one before.  The Exorcist (Father Merrinb) arrives at MacNeil house, he refuses to hear the back-story of Regan’s possession by Father Karras and he proceeds immediately with the exorcism. During the exorcism Regan’s head spins all the way around, she levitates from the bed. The Exorcism is very difficult. Father Karras told Mather Mrrin to leave, later returned to find the older priest dead, he attacks Regan, telling the demon to take him. He is duly possessed, but retains enough control to hurl himself from the window and fall down the stairs, killing himself.

Regan recovers and remembers nothing of her possession, the family moves away.

Cast of film “The Exorcist”

Ellen Burstyn (Chris MacNei), Max Von Sydow (Ftaher Merrin), Lee J. Cobb (William Kinderman),Kitty Winn (Sharon Spencer), Jack MacGowran (Burle Dennings), Jason Miller (Father Damien Karras), Linda Blairr (regan MacNei), Revered William O' Malley (Father Dyer), Barton Heyman (Dr Klein), Pete Masterton (Clinic Director), Rudolf Schundler (Karl), Gina Petruska (Willie), Robert Symonds (Dr Tanney), Arthur Storch (Psychiatrist), Reverrend Thomas Berminham (President of the University), Vasiliki Maliaros (Karra’s Mother), Titos Vandis (Karras’ Uncle), Wallace Rooney (Bishop), Ron Faber (Assistant Director), Donna Mitchell (Mary Jo Perrin), Roy Cooper (Jesuit deacon), Robert Gerringer (Senator), Mercedes McCambridge (Voice of the Demon).

Trailer of film "The Exorcist"  

Elias Stoikos

Relative Articles




Resources


1. The Exorcist (film) in wikipedia

2. The Exorcist (Film) on Internet Movies Database

3. The Exorcist - Warner Bros Inc