I’ve become a big fan of the atmospheric Polk Theater in Lakeland. When I heard they were showing Psycho I made plans to take my daughter to see it. I saw this film a long time ago and was surprised how much I’d forgotten. Both of us had a great time and enjoyed this film. I give Psycho the Must See rating.
Psycho holds up after all these years
Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) runs off with $40,000 stolen from her employers client. After about a day of driving, she stops in to the Bates Motel. She meets Norman (Anthony Perkins) who runs the motel with his mother.
I really love Anthony Perkins performance in Psycho. As Norman, he is so kind to Marion and is clearly attracted to her. There is a creepiness about him that comes across as uncertainty. It’s obvious he hasn’t spent a lot of time with attractive women. Thus, his awkward charm is understandable. It’s abundantly clear he has an unhealthy relationship with his mother. The depths of that relationship isn’t revealed for some time in the film, but he is probably the biggest momma’s boy in history.
This is the fourth Hitchcock film I’ve watched this year. I can’t say anything about his style as his word has been analyzed by more qualified people than myself. However, I am glad to be able to experience is brilliance. I am even more glad that my daughter can watch a movie from 1960 and say it’s awesome. His creativity and style holds up like many other works of art that have come before. Mona Lisa is as well regarded today and I think Hitchcock’s masterpieces will live on for many decades to come.
Experience older films has been a highlight of this year
The thing I’m learning to love the most with the older films is patience. The filmmakers are crafting their story. They take the viewers on a journey and expect the viewer to willingly come along for the ride. The opening sequence is predominantly a close-up of Marion as she drives away from her old life. She’s taken an opportunity to pursue the life she wants and is on the run. A voice over gives exposition and, more importantly, puts us inside the character. What is she feeling and thinking is expressed visually and with her suspicions of conversations. Paired with what is probably my favorite score, the sequence that shows very little tells so much.
Its moments like this in Hitchcock’s films that are so impactful. They don’t really show up in modern films as they attempt to compete with the attention deficit. Yet, these older films take the time to build and layout the groundwork for stories. It’s something I’m finding that I enjoy a lot. If you’ve been skipping seeing Psycho you should rush out faster than Marion on a Friday afternoon.
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