Psycho the Shower Scene

Psycho Shower Scene one of the best in Cinema History

Psycho Shower scene is the first twist and a major pivotal scene because the main character (till that moment) is killed.

The Shower scene from the script point of view

As, I have already mentioned Psycho, has two acts. The Shower scene is the end of the first act. At the first act, audience is captured by Marrion’s efforts to escape from her dead - end live, to save her love relationship and to fly far away from her boss, the customers of her boss and a patrolman. For about 40 minutes audience sympathise Marrion by watching her efforts and suddenly she is knife - killed by a mysterious shadowy figure in a shower.

Then, what? From this moment film is changing -there are so many questions. There are so many possible answers. But there is the talent for Alfred Hitchcock who travels the audience in a magic trip of exceptional optical story - telling.

The Shower scene from the cinematography point of view

According to Ken Dancyger “The technique of Film and Video Editing: History, Practice and Practice”, the Psycho shower scene was shot from December 17 to December 23, 1959 and it features 77 different camera angels and the scene is about 3 minutes and includes 50 cuts.

Alfred Hitchcock's technique, defined by himself “transferring the menace from the scene into the mind of the audience ia applied in the shower scene”.   

The shower scene combines exreme close - ups and medium shots in the shower before and after the attack. The combination of extreme close shots with a very short duration create for the shower sequence a subjective feel.

Exceptional also is the soundtrack of the scene created by Bernard Hermann and it is entitled “The Murder”. The soundtrack of shower sceen is based on screeching violins, violas and cellos.

The foley sound of the knife entering flesh was created by plunging a knife into a melon. Also, the blood effect on the scene is in fact chocolate syrup.

Popular myths about Psycho shower scene

1. Leigh was not in the shower the entire time and on the other model participate - Marli Renfro has been identified as Leigh double body.

2. Is said that Alfried Hitchcock had used cold water to make scene more realistic.

3. Is said that Alfred Hitchcock demand from Leigh to stand on the shower and she had no idea about the murder attack.

4. The storyboard artist had claimed the film direction of shower scene.

You can see the shower scene on youtubeyoutube

Elias Stoikos

Relative Articles

Psycho (1960)

Psycho the movie

Psycho the movie Pt 2

Casting of Psycho

Recognition of Psycho

Resources 

Alfred Hitchcock on Wikipedia

Psycho on Internet Movie Database

Casting of Psycho

Main Actors and Actresses of Psycho

By rule Alfred Hitchcock did not not left room to actors to interpret parts of their works. Alfred Hitchcock used to prepare his work very well before shooting, so he knew exactly what he wanted. Also, Alfred Hitchcock wanted to draw attention away from the stars of his films to him - the director of the film.

Anthony Perkins in Psycho

Anthony Perkins was the first actor to hired for Psycho, he was 27 years old and he had been already groomed as a teen idol. Unusually, Alfred Hitchock, gave free space to Anthony Perkins and he accepted Perkin’s suggestions for dialogue and for characterisation for Bates, also Anthony Perkins was allowed By Alfred Hitchcock to attend rehearsals in New York for a play during the shooting of the shower scene.

Psycho was both the jump - starter for Perkin’s career but also curse him to suffer from typecasting. Anthony Perkins reprised the role  three times and finally directed Psycho III (1986). Anthony Perkins has given similar parts in lurid psycho - killer films like Pretty Poison (1986), Crimes of Passion (Ken Russel 1984) and Edge of Sanity (1990).

According to wikipedia Psycho (film) “when Perkins was asked whether he would have still taken the Role Knowing that he would by typecast afterword, he replied with a definite yes”

Janet Leigh in Psycho

For part of Marion Craine there was a large number of candidates among them Eva Marie Saint (North by Northwest), Hope Lange and even Lana Turner and finally Janet Leigh who took the part. Janet Leigh was a recognized star with a heavily publicized marriage with Tony Curtis.

Vera Miles in Psycho

For the part of Lila Craine, Alfred Hitchcock chose Vera Miles. Hitchcock tried to groom Vera Miles as a new Grace Kelly until her independent style and philosophy made him to give up in despair.

John Gavin in Psycho

The part of Sam Loomis was given to John Cavin, a Universal contract actor. Alfred Hitchcock after the unexpected lack of erotic tension between Gavin and Leigh he started to call him privately with the nickname “the stiff”. Alfred Hitchcock, used lighting techniques and profile shots of each actor to exaggerate the lack of eroticism in the already mentioned Gavin - Leight scene.

I need also to highlight the fact that Alfred Hotchcock’s daughter played the part of Caroline, Marion’s Office Collage.

Mrs Bates (Normans Mother) in Psycho

The voice and body performance of Mrs Bates (Normans mother) was played by a number of people (two woman and a man) Paul Jasmit, Virginia Cregg and Jeanette Nolan - all voices were mixed together to create the amazing soundtrack of Psycho.

Soon there will be an article about the soundtrack of Psycho.

Elias Stoikos

Relative articles 

Psycho Film (1960)

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Psycho - Shower Scene 

Recognition of Psycho

Resources 

Psycho on Internet Movie Database

Psycho in Wikipedia

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