Psycho Review

Rating: 7/10 (9 December 2019)

I think that Hitchcock's Psycho has a great plot, but it does not quite fit the genre it is categorized as. The plot has a lot of elements that make it great, such as the many surprises it contains that keeps the viewer intrigued. The film makes us believe that one thing is happening when it is really another that is completely different. Norman is a good example of these surprises as we learn more about his character. Norman is a very dynamic character; in the beginning of the film the viewer would see him as a poor hotel keeper trying to make a living. As the film progresses the viewer can start to see the weird things Norman does and they start to question his character until the end when they realize what is actually going on. Marion's character is also a great example of how the plot is able to keep the viewers interested with its many surprises. Viewers would see her as an innocent worker at the beginning of the film and then she takes the money and makes a run for it surprising the viewers.
Despite Psycho having a great plot I don't believe it should be categorized as a horror film. During the whole movie I never found anything to be particularly scary. The film did have a creepiness to it, but nothing made me feel frightened. The scene I feel is supposed to be the most terrifying is when Marion is killed in the shower, but I didn't find it scary and thins could just be because of the horror movies I have grown up with. Another scene that I thought was supposed to be terrifying is the scene at the end when Norman is staring into the camera. To me this scene was just creepy but I'm sure when the movie came out people probably thought that it was almost like he was in the room with them so it would have been more scary. There were no jump scares and not really any blood or gory. This may have been a great horror movie when it first came out but compared to today's horror movies this film is not a horror movie.