Psycho

I am a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock and I have seen Psycho many times but never on the big screen.  Last night I finally had the opportunity and it was amazing (the crowd cheered when the opening credits started rolling).  It is the perfect movie to watch in October because it is considered by many critics to be the original (and best) slasher horror film.  Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) laments the fact that she must conduct a clandestine relationship with her boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin) because he can't afford to marry her.  She sees an opportunity for them to be together when her boss asks her to deposit $40,000.  She impulsively embezzles the money and goes on the run to meet up with Loomis.  On the road she decides to stop for the night at the secluded Bates Motel during a rainstorm.  When the lonely proprietor, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), invites her to dinner, his mother objects which leads to tragedy (and one of the most famous scenes in cinematic history).  The narrative then shifts to the investigation of Marion's disappearance, conducted by Loomis, Marion's sister Lila (Vera Miles), and a private investigator (Martin Balsam) hired to locate the money, and the discovery that Norman Bates may not be who he seems.  There are so many aspects of this movie that I think are brilliant!  The first time I saw it, I was surprised when Marion was murdered so soon into the runtime because Hitchcock takes great pains to establish her as the sympathetic main protagonist.  Then, all of the audience's sympathy is transferred to Norman as he frantically cleans up the murder scene and disposes of Marion's body to cover for his mother.  Finally, the revelations about Norman are so shocking because of the dramatic build up about Mrs. Bates!  Hitchcock is the master of manipulation!  Even though I have now seen it many times, I still think it is incredibly suspenseful and I discover something new every time!  The shower scene is absolutely terrifying for what you don't see rather than for what you do (the cutting of this scene is ingenious) and the iconic score featuring the screeching strings adds to the intensity.  I love the use of light and dark to foreshadow danger and the symbolism of the stuffed birds.  Both Perkins and Leigh give superb performances, especially in the scene where the two of them talk about being trapped by the circumstances of life.  It was so exciting to watch one of the best psychological thrillers ever made last night and I highly recommend seeing it as it was meant to be seen.  There is one more opportunity (go here for tickets).