Combination technique, directing, and acting make psycho worth the scary parts.

Rating: 8/10 (19 February 2004)

Alfred Hitchcock shows massive skill in the overall display of his film, Psycho. Using almost all new views and carefully plotted signs, the "Master of Suspense" was one of the first to use dark plots to entice his audiences. Psycho is what would now be considered a lot less than terrifying; with thousands of movies out frightening viewers, a movie from the 1960's wouldn't seem like such a big deal. Psycho is the number one prototype of scary movies, the movies seen today use ideas and camera angles that Alfred Hitchcock mastered. The design of the movie is to make the audience uncomfortable; and by using intense orchestral music and close-ups on the emotion of the characters the director accomplishes that goal. The plot starts out simple and assumingly bland, and what is amazing is that Alfred Hitchcock used such a simple story that could be told in minutes and reformed it into one of the best thrillers of all time. Combined with the acting Psycho is crucial to the movie industry itself, the characters themselves are outlined wonderfully and add a sense of anxiousness essential to the script.
The movie takes more than one watching, but should be seen by a diverse group of people. It is a good movie and can therefore be enjoyed by an indifferent audience, while serious moviegoers could also enjoy its subtle hints and background scenes. From young ages to old, the value of the movie stays mainly constant; it really depends on the opinion of the viewer for that particular genre. What makes Psycho unique is that even the most frightened person can see the worth of it, if that person gets up enough courage to stick with it.