(Independent Research) "Psycho"

"Psycho" (4 August 1960) Director-'Alfred Hitchcock'

"Psycho" is a noir thriller. The entire film is filmed in black and white.
The opening credits of the film features a blinds effect. The credits sequence is long to build up tension and create hype.The music used connotes a sense of of fear and suspicion.
After viewing the opening title sequence, the audience view a panning shot of a large, recognisable city, this shot engages the audience as it could be seen as a point of view shot.

The first character encountered is a stylish, seductive blond women, who in many ways could be seen as a femme fatale. Along side her in the bed is male character 'Tom' who the audience then find out through the dialogue between both characters is having an affair with the femme fatale
(an irresistibly attractive woman, esp. one who leads men into difficult, dangerous, or disastrous situations.)
The engaging shot of the camera rotating involves the audience with the going on. Music cuts in when the couple discuss their future, it connotes sorrow. The next shot shows the man looking through a window which appears to be opaque, this shot could represent him looking into the future, a future between himself and the lady she is having an affair with.

After the opening film sequence, it cuts to the female character at her workplace. At this point the female characters name is established, 'Marian'. Her boss and a property developer ('Tom'). There is a over the shoulder shot of himself and 'Marian' when involved in conversation. This shot also portrays the gender convention which perhaps during the time in which the film is set,(1950/60's) would of been seen as.The property tycoon takes a liking to the femme fatale character. Transition of from workplace to bedroom where main character establishing shots take place. Tracking shot of femme fatale around the bedroom looking in the closets suspiciously. On the camera cuts to the character placing money from a briefcase(Generic signifier of thriller films) into her handbag, this sequence is shot as a close-up. She then slips her passport into her purse (close-up of action). The music connotes suspicion.

Cuts to 'Marian' (femme fatale) inside of a car as she pulls away from her household she hears voices. Those being her lover's, boss's and Tom's telling of what they said to her, this connotes confusion. At a set of traffic lights she pulls away in fear at the sight of seeing her boss.

The next sequence of shots begin with 'Marian' awakening in the car having pulled over to sleep. She awakes to see a policemen walking towards her vehicle through her wing mirror.
In a rush she is seen gathering up her documents when being spoken to (two shot of Femme fatale and policemen). Dramatic music cuts in connoting anticipation. As the policemen draws away from the car, close-up of 'Marian' pulling away. Cuts to a mirror shot of policemen gaining in rear-view mirror. The car chase is a generic signifier of a thriller film.

She arrives at a car sale's garage. After seeing the policeman pull over on the other side of the road, 'Marian' is eager to conceal her identity she does this by buying a newspaper which she puts in front of her face connoting mystery. In order to outwit the cops she decides to buy a new car to replace her old one. The use of the over the shoulder shot captures the conversation between the car dealer and 'Marian'.

Tracking shot of femme fatale walking towards the toilet. Whilst in the toilet she pulls out the needed money from her handbag(close-up). The cop car drives into the car sale's garage just as the transaction of money from 'Marian' to the car dealer,connotes tension. She hurry's into her purchased vehicle and drives off.

Having drove off, she again hears voices, this connotes confusion and anxiety. Close-up of 'Marian's' face. She appears somewhat possessed as the driving rain hits the windscreen (sound of rain hitting window). Due to the vast amount of rain she decides to pull over at a motel. The lighting from the motel sign reflects off of the characters face.

Having acquired a room she is seen signing her name on to a booking register (close-up of signature). She is shown to her room by an eager member of staff who appears to take a liking to the femme fatale character.

'Marian' opens the window of the room in which she is staying in,room 1, it is still raining heavily at this point in the film. The staff member asks 'Marian' up to his house which is on the top of the hill along side the motel. The house an eerie feel to it. It looks more like something out of a horror film with it's gothic look. Upon being asked 'Marian' accepts.

She is then seen storing the stolen money in the newspaper,the moonlight from outside beams through the open window (noir lighting). The male staff member leads 'Marian' into his office for the arranged meal. On the walls there are male different species of dead birds placed on stands. The close-ups of the birds connote death, anxiety is seen in the face of the female character as though stressed.

When seen signing the sheet of paper, it reads 'Marian Crane'. Her name is a notion of the dead birds upon the walls of the office.

"Psycho" is famous for it's shower scene and soundtrack. At this point in the film the music is used to create tension and anticiapation. The camera shots used in the sequence are taking from a point of view of the murder which engages the audience. The shot of the shadow on the wall showing the stabbing of the victim is genius as it connotes mystery by not allowing the audience to see who has commited the offence.