Creepy classic slasher film

Rating: 10/10 (9 March 2006)

PSYCHO (1960)
directed by: Alfred Hitchcock
starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, and John Gavin
plot: Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) runs away from home after stealing $40,000 from her employer so she can marry her boyfriend Sam (John Gavin). One rainy night, she takes refuge in the Bates Motel, run by the kind, young Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) who also takes care of his ill mother. This sets off a series of horrific events when Marion, Sam, Marion's sister Lila (Vera Miles) and a detective (Martin Balsam) try to discover the secrets of the Bates family.
my thoughts: There is really nothing new to say about PSYCHO that hasn't been said already. It's just the perfect thriller. It has a great script, beautiful directing, well developed characters, and much more.
The characters are greatly casted. Anthony Perkins definitely portrayed one of the horror genre's best characters in Norman Bates - a kind, handsome young man who has a lot of dark secrets to hide. Janet Leigh is a very classy actress and it works in the role of a woman who has done some pretty bad things but she is still sympathetic enough to care about. Vera Miles, Martin Balsam, and Simon Oakland also do great while John Gavin is a bit wooden. Not as bad as people say but still wooden.
The setting is also great. A simple, deserted motel with a large, dark, and creepy mansion just over the hill from it. The Bates Motel is a lot like the character of Norman himself. Seems simple and looks nice, but has terrible secrets behind it. The motel and mansion are just like characters in the film.
The music is very suspenseful. I don't think any horror score can match this other than CARRIE. The sound effects that come with the knife make the death scenes much more effective, as the same sound did 16 years later when Carrie used her powers.
Alfred Hitchcock is a great director. The shower scene, the staircase scene, and the finale in the cellar alone are reasons to see this film. I envy anyone who hasn't seen it.
Definitely check it out, it belongs in any movie fan's collection.