Wonderful Movie

Rating: 10/10 (22 July 2008)

Vertigo is defitely Hitchcock's masterpiece from a director's standpoint. It had new and innovative cinematography techniques and a very complex plot line. It was no doubt one of a kind and is still unrivaled by any other thriller because it is impossible to copy it. Psycho is the exact opposite. Psycho was the first true slasher film, but even more, it was the first thriller/horror blockbuster. Sure their had been others before it, The cabinet of Dr. Caligari and Frankenstein for example, but none of them hit home the same way that Psycho did. Psycho is a triumph for the common movie watcher. It is a movie that any one can enjoy because it is deceptively simple. Even more than that, however, it is probably one of, if not the, most influential films ever. Many films have tried, unsuccessfully of course, to imitate its one of a kind plot and execution. Any slasher film about a family going to a secluded place and being stalked by an invisible killer can be traced back to psycho. But even with the endless copies and even one remake, no movie has ever captured the horror of Psycho. The Exorcist was a text book grossout film, Jaws was scary for frequent beach goers, and Alien was a horrific movie about our friends from outer space. All three of these don't approach psycho for one reason and one reason alone: The Shower Scene. It is hard to still get the full efect of the shower scene because there is so little blood. It is nothing compared to some of the brutal murders from movies such as Last House on the Left. It, however, taps a nerve that no one else has, and that is not from too little effort. No, it is great for one reason and one reason alone, it is a SHOWER scene. This is the reason it is so scary. I could not take a shower with the curtain closed for a week after I saw this movie. The reason it is so scary is because most people in America take a shower at least once a day. Sure Jaws is scary, but some people go there whole life time without going to beach. Everyone takes showers. It is also hard for the average person to realize just how vulnerable they are in the shower. This is the reason why this scene is so powerful. It uses an event that happens in many households every day. This is what sets psycho apart and this is why it is so unique. So, in conclusion, My advise to any slasher film fans is to watch Psycho, love Psycho, worship Psycho.