Amber Holt's AS Media Studies Blog: more on pyscho

Psycho is a 1960s American film directed by Alfred Hitchcock, Hitchcock was a British film directer and producer. He pioneered many techniques in the suspense and psychological thriller genres.

The film is based on the screenplay by Joseph Stefano, who adapted it from the 1959 novel of the same name from Robert Bloch. The film depicts the encounter between a secretary (Marion Crane) hiding at a secluded motel after stealing money from her employer. The motels disturbed owner and manager (Norman Bates) and the aftermath of their encounter.

Main plot - in Phoenix, Arizona, discreet lovers Marion Crane and Sam Loomis want to marry, but cannot. as Sam is in heavy debt. unhappy and desperate to improve their situation, marion steals the $40,000 in caseh from her office and begins to drive towards sams home in california. Along the way she trades her car for another car after he anxious behaviour arouses suspicion from a highway police officer, and others. The following night marion pulls into the bates motel, a twelve cabin lodging located off the main road with no other guests present. Marion meet the owner, Norman who lives in the big, main house with himself and his mother. From Marion's room, she overhears an arguement between the two of which she accuses Norman of creating an affair. Instead Marion and Norman eat in the office, here Norman explains that dispite his mothers abuse he refuses to abandon her as she is unable to care for herself. Marion decides to return to pheonix and return the money and to accept all consequences. Marion exuses herself from the room, and goes to undress, while Norman secretly watches before running to the house.

Here i have anaylsed all the differerent scenes we have watched of 'Psycho' and placed all the finding i have come up with into mise-en-scene, camera angles, editimg and sounds.

HITCHCOCK’S ‘PYSCHO’

MISE-EN-SCENE

Blinds are close – could resemble the secrets kept or the privacy exposed and exploring the idea of its not reality.
It is set in phoenix – Arizona.
The window is half open – typical of Hitchcock to hide as much away from the viewer as possible.
The contrast between Marion wearing white clothing and then when she is on the run she is wearing darker clothing this could resemble the innocence of her before she stole the money compared to now with her guilty condense.
The police man is wearing glasses – could resemble the idea of him hiding his identity and not revealing who he is.
Vulnerable/scared Marion – change of breathing (panting and panicking).
Lighting – the man in white (sales man) and the contract between her in the shadow (Marion) shows the innocence and the guiltiness of the characters.

Idea of bad vs. good.
The use of the rain implies that she is portrayed as chaotic – blurred vision.
The motel owner goes to select the 3^rd key, the down to the 2^nd and the chooses the 1^st. the idea that the use of 3 is a unlucky number and then he moves along to the 2^nd number and 2 is a even number and could resemble the idea of being lucky. And then moves to the first one as ‘it’s the closest’ this idea could be the idea of a countdown (3,2,1) of how long Marion has got.
Candles – symbolic for the time. And could suggest a countdown as when the candle will eventually burn out.
The stuffed birds over looking, - already dead.
The light reflects the innocence of her and the darkness reflects the evil within him.
The old pictures (reactance) of naked women resemble his fascination with Marion.
Norman is the sinister one – mise-en-scene presents this.
Mum is harmless – referred to as a stuffed bird.
Norman is taken back – offended.
The use of the bird shot – showing the wings covering the light is reflecting him as a predator.
The book is open – this could show his intelligence and how he looks so innocent and vulnerable – always one step ahead.
Marion’s last name is crane – she signed the book in the motel as ‘Samuels’ a crane is a bird and therefore suggest that she is going to be the predator for Norman.
The use of the show scene – makes us feel uncomfortable – shower is a personal place – intruding upon her.
The shadow of the background on the tiles could suggest the foreshadowing that is going to happen.
Light and dark contrast – outlining the murder.
Blackout – to suddenly the light appearing near Norman could symbolise his innocence.
There are moments of Norman looking submissive.
Controlled – methodical not a moment of panic worrying Norman.
The use of the lighting contrast between the light and the dark.
The light and the dark shadowing the detective could symbolise his innocence and his dark side.
Panicle tone – worrying and is no longer in control.
Light flickering reflecting on his face – showing him being in and out of control.
Mother is confide in the house and Marion is dead – a constant battle (power struggle) between the male and female (he is trying to sustain a dominant role.
Verbal spiring – two men – the dective is winning and Norman is stuttering.
Insecurity – police is more dominant.
Half of the detectives face is in light and dark – showing personality.
The owl behind Marion could symbolise the bird always watching her.
Opening of the door – light showing hope – contradiction.
Norman constantly chews – sign of nerves.
Lace curtains – soft – family man.
Norman constantly wears dark colours – wearing white – subliminal message for Hitchcock that something is going to change.
Light in bathroom – where Marion died – religious connotations – heaven.
Doorway – power struggle between Sam and Norman.
Sam is closer to the camera – more in control.
Nervous tone – tapping of the fingers.

CAMERA ANGLES

The use of the two shot implies the intensity.
The close up of the money reflects the idea of suspense, greed and temptation (going from mid-close up to close up to extreme close up.)
The use of the pan across an angel shot of the open town and the landscape.
Zoom into the hotel window – tilted and then moves into a straight shot to imply confusion.
The use of the zoom into the dark places now reveals the interior of the room.
The idea of someone is watching her/them is from her point of view and allows the feeling of chaos and suspense.
The use of the mid-close up, close-up to extreme-close up and the idea of getting closer and closer to her could symbolically suggest the idea of the closer to Marion/them being found out.
View from over Marion’s shoulder could represent the tension.
The use of the over should shot with the sales man could symbolically show that when you are in vision with her face her background is dark, closed in and cramped this could suggest that she is trapped. The idea of the sales mans over the shoulder shot contrasts as his is open, light and this could suggest his freedom.
The close-up and confidence of Marion shows she is in control and then the change of atmosphere creates chaos as the rain takes the power away from her.
Moving closer towards Marion – resembles his prey.
The swap of the camera angles between the convosation – was relaxed.
Medium shot – now a difficult convosation.
The use of the low angle shot – influences the idea of her in control – making her believe.
From his POV – her undressing this makes us uncomfortable as if we are the murderer.
The use of us watching him – antagonist.
The use of the long shot of Norman and the barrier around it makes us as an audience uncomfortable.
The camera is following the blood down the drain this could be symbolic for her life fading away.
The use of the medium shot influences the idea that her being in the shower – it’s a personal place and we feel as if we are intruding.
Extreme close-up – terror and the closing in even closer.
The use of the low angle shot of the killer/showing the water running in front of it.
Vulnerable shot of her curled up – uncomfortable (birds eye)
Titled angle – not showing us.
Awkward – not aware what he is doing.
Could resemble his mind – confusion.
His point of view – we are the witnesses.
Zoomed in view of mid shot – in control.
Extreme close-up – detective is on the case to find Marion.
Camera angels show him as a worm eye view – in control and continue to stay there for a while.
Uncomfortable putting us in that situation.
Medium shot – Norman moving into a dissolve.
He smirks –resembling he has got away with it – fooled.
Right hand of screen – light brightens.
Awkward positioning – detective moving into a dissolve.
The use of the camera angles makes us feel safer as we are aware that the inspector is onto Norman.
Birds eye – both of par with each other.

EDITING

The use of the zooming into the window creates continuity.
The reverse shot is used in the convocation of talking about marriage this could create the tense mood and chaotic atmosphere with the use of sharp movements.
The long pauses in-between the shots suggest the comfort ability and the intermediate attraction.
The cross cutting in-between the characters suggest the tension.
The jump cut between the amount of time Marion has been in the car. The use of the jump shot is used as you wouldn’t show the whole car journey as it would create a boring atmosphere for the audience.
The use of the four times Hitchcock’s placed the view of Marion in the mirror suggests she is always being watched.
More of a tense quick cross cut – suspense.
The closer the camera moves to the face and then the use of the 180 degree rule.
The camera is shaking and therefore could suggest that no-one else Is there and therefore is from our perspective.
The crow is constantly watching her even though she is lead to believe that she is in control.
the quick contrast between the shots is uncomfortable from us and puts us as an audience of the edge.
Moving of the camera – could symbolise foreshowing death.
The cross cutting between the scenes symbolising the uncertainty.
The use of the door being flung open and then the shadow of the killer becomes clearer. The use of pan here suggests that she is going to be murdered.
Half of her fingers are not in the screen – not whole. She is dying.
The position of her is not central in the shot – disorientation and the idea of us invading her space.
The use of the dissolve from the plug-hole to her eye could suggest the idea of voyeurism – we are therefore placed into Normans position – as if we are watching her.
Transition between the shots – showing the religion and death.
The use of the dissolve resembles him being powerless.
Cross cutting – bates is more vulnerable.
Positions us as a audience as more in control – as we are aware what is going to happen – change for Hitchcock normally places us as the witness.

SOUND

The opening opens with non-diegetic sounds the use of the sharp sounds suggest the horror/thriller action.

The mirror of the sounds accompanies the stabbing motion of the death of Marion.

Sam opening blinds- the use of the sharp dramatic sounds.

Her mind is playing with her as she can her the non-diegetic sounds of her mind trying to convey what is going to happen.

The use of the rain conveys a diegetic sound – harsh – over powering.

Non-diegetic sounds – as Marion mentions the mental institute – Norman is offended.

The sound speeds up – this mirrors the feeling of that something is wrong.

Mix of non-diegetic and diegetic sounds – resembling the confusion – reality?

The ‘duh dun’ sound slows down this could suggest that this is heartbeat – slowing down as she is dying.

Non-diegetic – instrumental does not relate to what is happening. – Uneasy.

Diegetic – swallowing up Marion’s body – hungry.

Non-diegetic showing his worry.

Non-diegetic – harsh sound and then switch to the diegetic sound of him being stabbed.