A horror film that I actually admire

Rating: 9/10 (18 February 2007)

More so than with most films, it's impossible to watch "Psycho" these days in the same way that its original audience saw it, unaware of the shocks that lay in store. We all know what happens to poor Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) when she makes the fateful decision to stay at the deserted Bates Motel; maybe also the psychotic pathology of the motel's young proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins). "Psycho" is widely regarded as the granddaddy of today's horror films featuring outlandish serial killers, after all. For this reason, though I'm a Hitchcock fan, I avoided "Psycho," as straight-out horror is not my favorite genre. It's not that I get nightmares, it's that I dislike cruelty or exploitativeness. Fortunately, when I got around to watching the movie, I found it very impressive, and not at all gleefully bloodthirsty.
For "Psycho," unlike a cheap blood-and-gore flick, actually has a philosophy of life to go along with all its horror. In the world of the film, sin, such as Marion's stealing her boss's money, will always be punished. And the long conversation between Norman and Marion over dinner (very well acted by Perkins and Leigh) probes some pretty serious psychological depths. "We're all caught in our private traps," says Norman, and the movie illustrates how first Marion, then Norman, gets trapped. What's most shocking about Norman is how pitiable he is, especially when compared with the villains/killers of other horror movies.
Even though "Psycho" was made on a relatively low budget, having Hitchcock behind the camera makes for lots of subtly effective shots, images, motifs, etc. He orchestrates two frightening death scenes (I won't spoil it, but there's another, less famous killing that is just as effective as Marion's), a suspenseful beginning that fools you into thinking that Marion is the protagonist, and a quietly chilling conclusion. Bernard Herrmann's score really is as good as everyone says, and not only the shrieking violins during the famous shower scene. In particular I liked the scene where Marion is debating whether to steal the money, and the music mirrors her indecisiveness.
I was very impressed by "Psycho," but I'm not sure if it'll ever be one of my favorite Hitchcocks. There's at least one serious flaw: the lengthy scene where a psychiatrist over- explains Norman's psychoses, which is much too prosaic. Also, this is mainly a personal preference, but I tend to like Hitchcock better when he's indulging his love for working with iconic movie stars in glamorous scenarios. Still, I now have a new favorite horror film whereas before, I didn't have a favorite horror film at all.