Psycho (1960)

"The screen's master of suspense moves his camera into the icy blackness of the unexplained."

Synopsis

Publicity photograph of Janet Leigh for "Psycho".

Phoenix officeworker Marion Crane is fed up with the way life has treated her. She has to meet her lover Sam in lunch breaks and they cannot get married because Sam has to give most of his money away in alimony. One Friday Marion is trusted to bank $40,000 by her employer. Seeing the opportunity to take the money and start a new life, Marion leaves town and heads towards Sam's California store. Tired after the long drive and caught in a storm, she gets off the main highway and pulls into The Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman who seems to be dominated by his mother. (© IMDB)

Technical Information

• black & white
• sound mix: mono (Westrex Recording System)
• aspect ratio: 1.85:1 (theatrical ratio)
• running time: 109 minutes
• production studio: Shamley Productions
• also known as:
  • Wimpy - fake working title (urban myth)

Film Download Links

• Amazon - Video on Demand (USA)

DVD Recommendations

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Recent DVD Releases

• to view all of the DVD releases of this film, see Psycho (1960) - DVD releases

released in 2008

Psycho (1960) - Universal (USA, 2008) R1 NTSC 1.85 (anamorphic)

released in 2005

	Psycho (1960) - Universal (UK, 2005) PAL 1.85:1 (anamorphic) [01:43:52]
	Psycho (1960) - Universal (USA, 2005) as part of a box set NTSC 1.85:1 (anamorphic) [01:48:44]

...view older DVD releases

See Also...

For further relevant information about this film, see also...

• 1000 Frames of Psycho (1960)
• Articles about Psycho (1960)
• Awards and Nominations
• Books about Psycho (1960)
• Complete Cast and Crew
• Documentaries about Psycho (1960)
• Film scripts
• Production documents
• Soundtrack albums
• Trailers
• Web links to information, articles, reviews, etc

Image Gallery

Images from the Hitchcock Gallery (click to view larger versions or search for all relevant images)...

Film Frames

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Themes

• birds - Norman's stuffed birds and Marion Crane (from Phoenix) eating like a bird
• mother ...isn't quite herself
• multiple personalities - Norman and his mother
• taboo: bathrooms and flushing toilets!
• taboo: nudity - Marion taking her last shower
• the MacGuffin - $40,000 and the whereabouts of Marion Crane
• the knife as the main murder weapon
• voyeurism - Norman secretly watches Marion undress
• stairs - Arbogast's murder
• the Double - Marion and Norman
• Themes - black & white/dark & light - Marion changes from a white to black bra after a shower early in the film during which she decides to go on the run with the money (pre-shower she was going to hand the money in)
• the Hitchcock cameo - outside Marion's office, wearing a cowboy hat (more details)
  

Cast and Crew

Directed by:

• Alfred Hitchcock
• Hilton A Green - assistant director

Starring:

• Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates
• Janet Leigh - Marion Crane
• Vera Miles - Lila Crane
• John Gavin - Sam Loomis
• Martin Balsam - Detective Milton Arbogast
• John McIntire - Sheriff Al Chambers
• Simon Oakland - Doctor Richmond
• Vaughn Taylor - George Lowery
• Frank Albertson - Tom Cassidy
• Lurene Tuttle - Eliza Chambers
• Patricia Hitchcock - Caroline
• John Anderson - Charlie
• Mort Mills - Highway Patrol officer
• Sam Flint - Officer
• Jeanette Nolan - Norma Bates (uncredited voice)
• Virginia Gregg - Norma Bates (uncredited voice)
• Paul Jasmin - Norma Bates (uncredited voice)

Produced by:

• Alfred Hitchcock

Written by:

• Robert Bloch - original novel ("Psycho")
• Joseph Stefano

Photographed by:

• John L Russell

Edited by:

• George Tomasini

Music by:

• Bernard Herrmann

Costume Design by:

• Rita Riggs