A modern suspense classic and one of the most influential movies of all time.

Rating: Null/10 (6 March 2003)

'Psycho' is one of the most famous and talked about suspense movies ever made. In fact it has been copied, ripped off and parodied so many times it's often easy to underrate it, but every time I watch it it really works for me. No matter how many times you view it you will notice something new, some shot or bit of business that impresses. Of course there's hardly a movie fan on the planet who doesn't know the major twists in the plot (like the original 'Planet Of The Apes' even people who have never seen it know what's going to happen), but that doesn't really matter, there's more than enough going on here to enjoy. Hitchcock's direction is masterful, and the movie has been hugely influential. Not just obvious films like William Castle's 'Homicidal' or Brian De Palma's 'Sisters' (and let's not even mention Gus Van Sant's misguided remake of some years back!), but Italian giallo and the whole slasher sub-genre wouldn't be the same without 'Psycho'. Even film makers outside the horror/suspense field have been influenced by it, Quentin Tarantino for example. One very famous shot in 'Psycho' is deliberately quoted in 'Pulp Fiction'. The cast of 'Psycho' are all very good, particularly Janet Leigh ('Touch Of Evil') and Vera Miles ('The Searchers') as the Crane sisters, and Martin Balsam ('Cape Fear') as Detective Arbogast. The real stand out performance is by the late Anthony Perkins ('The Trial') as Norman Bates. He is absolutely superb and surely deserved an Oscar. 'Psycho' is one of THE great American movies and should be watched and enjoyed by any movie fan. Hitchcock made many outstanding films, but 'Psycho' must rank with the best of them. A classic movie that has stood the test of time, I don't doubt that it will influence generations of film makers to come.