Hitchcok's Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (27 August 2006)

Psycho starts as a common "black" movie with our heroine Marion (Janet Leigh)stealing us$ 40.000 from his boss for sentimental reasons. Her run ends up at the Bates Motel where she meets Norman (Anthony Perkins) and his sick mother. All of a sudden she is smashed to death in the famous shower scene, no more than 40 minutes after that start. Then we realize we have entered in a completely different kind of movie: a sordid Thriller with a surprising "finale" much like a horror film. Hitchcock carries the picture perfectly and it makes complete sense at the end. Back in 1960 double personality movies where not common and many appeared after Psycho (Dressed to Kill, as the outstanding example),but none could get even close to the original. Interest is kept all along and the music score is perfect too. As for the cast, it could not be better. Leigh proved for the first time she could really act and did well after Psycho. Vera Miles also grew as an actress after Psycho, and John Gavin was correct (unusual in him). John McIntyre and Martin Balsam make great supporting. As for Perkins there can be no doubt this was his best performance ever; in fact, you could say the film ruined his carrier because whenever you saw him after Psycho you could not help see Norman Bates. But on the other side, the role put him forever in films history. Saying that Psycho is Hitchcok's best picture shows clearly the huge size of this movie coming from a guy that made such classics as Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, North by Northwest and many others. Without a "shadow of a doubt" Psycho is the best thriller ever made!