It is common knowledge that the reputation of some films, even the classic ones and those generally regarded as masterpieces, changes through the times. But few films suffer because of wear as the original version of Psycho did. Simply, being one of, if not the, most influential film of all time is a great burden that could produce a serious, sometimes even devastating, impact on its watchability among the newest generations of film viewers. In the last thirty-nine years, multitudes of filmmakers have seen this film and were deeply influenced by it. Those influences found a way to produce themselves in the various rip-offs, homages, and spoofs scattered all over the globe and in all kinds of genres, including even music videos. So, today it is really hard to find a living soul who could be spoiled about the major plot points of Psycho (and it would happen even without three unnecessary sequels and the utterly pointless 1998 remake).

Thanks to that, Psycho is actually the film most often associated with the name of its director, the great Alfred Hitchcock. And, ironically, when it was originally released, it was considered to be the most un-Hitchcockian of them all. It was shot in 1960, at the zenith of Hitchcock's career, yet it lacked many of his distinctive trademarks. Hitchcock shot it very quickly and very cheaply, using his second-hand crew, a cast of relative unknowns, and even distributed it as nothing more than a cheap exploitation B-thriller. Hitchcock even did not use his trademark technique of building suspense and instead simply shocked the audience with totally unexpected plot twists and depictions of violence and sexual innuendo that were very daring for its time.

The plot of the film, based on the novel by Robert Bloch, begins in Phoenix, Arizona, where Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) works as an office clerk in a real estate agency. Marion is utterly unhappy with her life, mostly because her lover Sam Loomis (played by John Gavin) cannot marry her because of the huge alimony owed to his ex-wife. One hot day, Marion acts on impulse and steals 40,000 US dollars from one of the agency's clients. She begins her long road trip towards Sam's hometown in California. Along the way, she makes a stop at an isolated motel. There she meets the manager, a lonely, sometimes odd but basically friendly Norman Bates (played by Anthony Perkins), whose major problem in life seems to be his physically and mentally ill mother, living in a nearby Gothic house. Her short stay at the Bates Motel is terminated when she gets fatally stabbed in the shower. Norman, convinced that his pathologically jealous mother committed the crime, hides the body and all traces of Marion. However, Milton Arbogast (played by Martin Balsam), a private detective sent by the agency to retrieve the stolen money, tracked Marion to the motel. And Marion's sister Lila (played by Vera Miles) is also more than eager to find out what actually happened to her sibling.

Psycho is not just one of the most popular or influential films of all time. It is also one of the most studied films, with each shot and element being the subject of at least half a dozen monographs or even books. So, everyone who tries to review Psycho has a really hard task when it comes to telling something original. However, some things must be told, even at the risk of being repetitive. So, Psycho was a very revolutionary film for its time. It was the first major Hollywood film to feature a woman dressed in underwear; the first major Hollywood film to feature toilet bowls and flushing water; but the most original thing was Hitchcock's use of a protagonist who is to be killed halfway through the movie. Such practice was unheard of until that time, and it is rarely used even today. That should not surprise anyone – few people could imagine the emotional shock and disturbing effect such a demise had on the audience. The killing of Marion Crane per se, and not the blood, gore, and suspense, makes Psycho one of the scariest movies of all time (or to be precise, used to make it the scariest movie of all time, since the shock value is long gone among audiences these days).

That killing was depicted in one of the most memorable scenes of all time. The legendary shower scene lasts 45 seconds but, in reality, was shot over a week. For some people, this scene—the most remembered and most often quoted element of the film—is the embodiment of cinematic perfection. Brilliantly edited, with excellent use of black-and-white photography, Bernard Herrmann's music, and many tricks that cheated the censors, this scene puts the audience on an emotional roller coaster. In those 45 seconds, viewers first satisfy their voyeuristic instincts, only to be shockingly reminded of human mortality when the movie's protagonist becomes totally helpless, naked, and unshielded. The same scene also paved the way for the future use of the stereotype of "sex=death", a cliché that made Psycho the great-grandfather of all slasher horror movies.

However, the real horror of Psycho does not lie in the graphic or shocking depictions of murders. What is most disturbing in Psycho is the utter lack of foreshadowing. The audience, same as the unfortunate heroine, did not know where the real danger was coming from. Slasher movies, same as Psycho, scare the audience because the danger does not come in the form of monsters or supernatural beings; the killings are committed by ordinary people next door, people who might be friendly and who might not even be aware of their own homicidal tendencies. Such was the role of Norman Bates, played superbly by the young Anthony Perkins. That actor portrayed conflicting emotions and made the audience care for his character, winning sympathies that stayed until the end. Perkins played the role of his life but, unfortunately, his acting triumph doomed his career—afterwards he was often typecast, playing cheap imitations of the same, mentally troubled character.

Psycho might be the most influential, but it is definitely not the best film of all time. It was splendidly paced, superbly directed by the master, and still remains one of the most memorable viewing experiences. Even time seemed to be kind to it, and without its own overexposure, Psycho might be truly enjoyed by new generations. However, the ending, same as with a few other great Hitchcock films, represents a disappointment. The last, terrifying scene that revealed the true horror of Bates' insanity is ruined when Lila, the last of the protagonists, escapes the fate of her predecessors with a conventional yet unbelievable deus ex machina. This scene is followed by a scholarly, detailed yet overlong exposé given by psychiatrist Dr. Richmond (played by Simon Oakland), whose expert opinion actually insults the audience—he just tells us what we already know. Perhaps such a scene was needed for the 1960s audience, unaccustomed to bizarre forms of psychotic behaviour, but today it slows a film that would end perfectly just with the last shot of imprisoned Norman Bates sitting and not harming a fly.

Psycho might not be perfect, but it is still watched and maintains its reputation, despite the fact that even those who watch it for the first time know everything about it. This strange fact is the ultimate viewing recommendation.

RATING: 8/10 (+++)

(Note: The text in its original form was posted in Usenet newsgroup rec.arts.movies.reviews on December 14th 1999)

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Movie URL: https://www.themoviedb.org/movie/539-psycho
Critic: AAA