Superior Thriller of Mind about Mastermind

Rating: 9/10 (16 November 2008)

If buffs of ambitious movies search timeless horrors, they usually encounter PSYCHO by Alfred Hitchcock, the movie that, in a way, has become a sort of cult movie watched all over again in various places on earth. Yet, such movies usually lead us to a dilemma of high expectations and the subjective reactions after first viewing.
When I decided to see PSYCHO for the first time, I was surprised with one feature that from the very beginning and throughout the whole movie caught my attention: intellectual authenticity. That concerns all aspects from performances to soundtrack and script. Since PSYCHO by master director Alfred Hitchcock was released almost 50 years ago and has already "experienced" the test of time, we could well expect this movie to occur dated due to its black and white nature and allegedly old fashioned acting. However, what appears to all viewers is just the opposite. The movie still impresses as a clever story, still shocks as a horror, still stuns with its cinematography and soundtrack as a work of art.
Who can possibly ignore the flawless thrill in various moments of the film that remain in memory for long, moments of stunning cinematography, marvelous lighting that make black and white more attractive than lots of top visual effects? Except for the famous shower-murder scene that combines gore with sexuality and thrill with empathy, there are really breathtaking moments that lead the viewer to the extent of "orgasmic" trance of mind. Consider for instance, Marion (Janet Leigh) driving a car and her thoughts of various sorts. Another moment worth attention is Marion - Norman conversation...someone would perhaps ask "what's brilliant about it?" Everything! It is simply the moment of mental power that I have hardly found elsewhere, you, as if (of course illusively) get into the mind and perception of this man, into his peculiar hobby, into his very island of "divided" self. The shot of Norman's house with cloudy sky in the background makes an enormous effect. And here, it's a must to mention the marvelous scene of Lilah (Vera Miles), Marion's sister approaching the house... How wonderfully filmed, what a soundtrack, what a power of illusion and bliss of thrill! Nowadays, one can only imagine how innovative and convincing the film must have been in 1960...
The performances in the film are sublime. I find all of the acting remarkable but if I were to choose the three most memorable ones, I'd say: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles/Janet Leigh and Martin Balsam. I know that this choice may seem inaccurate to some readers but that is my personal opinion. Perkins gives a masterwork of performance embodying a character of true psychological contradictions that we find later, as we get to know him better. Naturally, psychology is hidden, innate and far from being discovered as easily as looks. Perkins had a very difficult task in this film, some of the hardest ones ever, but he crafted it perfectly, including his final scene... Perhaps you wonder why I have combined Vera Miles and Janet Leigh together but it was done deliberately. The two portray sisters and occur to me as true sisters of the same authentic depiction of fear, of curiosity, of sexual appeal. There could not be a better choice for these roles than the two. Finally, Martin Balsam as private detective Arbogast is brilliant focusing on strong personality ready to cope with suspicion and terror. His scene with Norman is unforgettable with this truly accurate wordiness of investigation.
But I feel that the gist of why PSYCHO was such a blockbuster and has been popular for all these years is neither its artistic side including performances, cinematography, soundtrack, nor even the direction. Its key of success lies in the fact that it is a horror of a psyche set partly within the psyche. It is not a series of shocking scenes with monsters, ghosts or imaginary creatures but the film rooted in the very riddle of human mind, distorted as it may seem yet pretty universal. The scenes we get near the end of the film, perhaps seem hardly real as if not of this world but after longer inspection, it appears they all make a perfect sense. Therefore, the reason for its authenticity is foremost the movie's psychological aspect memorably presented. Strange numbers add to the mystery of all and the atmosphere works for the rest.
All in all, PSYCHO is an unforgettable film, a pearl in the genre and a true model for many modern thrillers that turn either to kitsch or to cheap entertainment. Hitchcock's film is an example of how cinema can entertain, shock, provoke and also educate a bit. If you're looking for your island of escape from decadent and meaningless effects in modern horrors, go to something original and see PSYCHO, a superior thriller of mind.