Psycho (1960)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Joseph Stefano (screenplay)
Robert Bloch (novel)

Release Date:

25 August 1960 (Brazil)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A new- and altogether different- screen excitement!!!

Plot:

A young woman steals $40,000 from her employer's client, and subsequently encounters a young motel proprietor too long under the domination of his mother.

Plot Keywords:

Motel | Shower | Alimony | California | Phoenix Arizona

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Anthony Perkins	...	Norman Bates
Vera Miles	...	Lila Crane
John Gavin	...	Sam Loomis
Martin Balsam	...	Milton Arbogast
John McIntire	...	Deputy Sheriff Al Chambers
Simon Oakland	...	Dr. Fred Richmond
Vaughn Taylor	...	George Lowery
Frank Albertson	...	Tom Cassidy
Lurene Tuttle	...	Mrs. Chambers
Patricia Hitchcock	...	Caroline (as Pat Hitchcock)
John Anderson	...	California Charlie
Mort Mills	...	Highway Patrol Officer
Janet Leigh	...	Marion Crane

Also Known As:

Wimpy (USA) (fake working title)

Runtime:

109 min | Germany:108 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Chile:14 (re-rating) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Germany:12 (re-rating) (2006) | Portugal:M/12 | West Germany:16 (original rating) | Netherlands:12 | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1960) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1969) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1965) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Czech Republic:U | New Zealand:R16 | USA:TV-PG (TV rating) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Argentina:16 (original rating) | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | France:-12 (re-release) | France:-16 | Israel:16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1960) | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (re-release) | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #19564) (original rating) | USA:M (re-rating) (1968) | USA:R (re-rating) (1984)

Filming Locations:

4270 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Shamley Productions

Trivia:

The shower scene has over 90 splices in it, and did not involve Anthony Perkins at all. The scene was filmed between 17 December 1959 and 23 December 1959 while Perkins was in New York rehearsing for a Broadway musical, "Greenwillow".

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Simon Oakland, who plays "Dr. Fred Richmond", is never mentioned by name or given screen credit with the character's name.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sam Loomis: You never did eat your lunch, did you?
Marion Crane: I better get back to the office. These extended lunch hours give my boss a sexist asset.
Sam Loomis: Why don't you call your boss and tell him you're taking the rest of the afternoon off? Its Friday, anyway - and hot.
Marion Crane: What do I do with my free afternoon? Walk you to the airport?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Just Shoot Me!: The Mask (#3.3)" (1998)

Hitchcock's best film ever

Let me start out by saying that I am a fan of Alfred Hitchcock. This movie, in my opinion, is his best work ever. But I think that Hitchcock owes a lot of his success to his long time partner Bernard Herman, who scored the music for many of his films including this one. Anthony Perkins filled the shoes of Norman Bates perfectly. He didn't overact, and he didn't underact. Janet Leigh wasn't the best person to portray Marion, but she played the part fairly adequetly. However, I liked Vera Miles the best in this film. Hitchcock had her in mind for the role after she had to quit working on his last film "Vertigo". She was probably the key role here, since she was the one who discovered Norman's terrifying secret. Tony Award-winning actor Martin Basalm was terrific in his brief appearance as the private detective trying to track Marion down. John Gavin was ok, but nothing to brag about. Hitchcock made a wise decision in filming the movie in black and white, and made history when he demanded that no one be let into the theater after the movie started in order not to cause confusion. This is the most brilliant film I have ever seen, and I give it 5 stars (out of 5).