The Perfect Horror Film

Rating: 10/10 (4 March 2014)

Psycho is a "less is more" type of film. The minimal budget allotted to Hitchcock made him simpler and more restrained in his film-making. This allowed the story and acting to shine through instead of the big names and huge flair of earlier films like North by Northwest. Janet Leigh is stunning as Marion Crane and ensures that we remember what little screen time she has. The rest of the supporting cast is memorable to a point and adds emotional depth to the story; however, it is Anthony Perkins who steals the show. His performance as Norman Bates is one of the most stunning performances of all time. Perkins also hides the film's twist well throughout the entire movie, adding to Psycho's suspense. The score by Bernard Herrmann is excellent and adds incredibly to the suspense, especially during the infamous shower scene. That single scene is perhaps the defining scene of Hitchcock's career. It not only serves as the single catalyst for the plot, it also shows the attention to detail he gave to his movies. Psycho is the best horror film ever made for its reliability on every other factor besides gore to create suspense. It revolutionized the genre, along with Hitchcock's career, to be more focused on substance rather than style.