Psycho Essay

  One of the most important devices Hitchcock has used in the film Pyscho, I believe, is the use of the camera and how it manipulates the audiences point of view. Most of the time throughout of the film, we as an audience follow Marian wherever she goes. We are also shown by a multiple amount of point of view shots, as if we are Marian herself. Both of which allow us to identify with Marian, and connect more to her character than any other. The narration of the film is restricted up until the point in which Marian is stabbed to death. Who are we left to identify with? Norman, of course. The narration therefore becomes omniscient, as we are informed about Norman's character. In my opinion I believe that the colour of the film connotes both of Norman's & Marian's characters. The camera positions both of them as innocent looking; Marian's eyes in particular are more prominent than any others, which portrays innocence. Whilst the low angle camera positioning of Norman in his office also makes him seem weak, and suggests that he is just as innocent as Marian. The use of black and white film creates an eery atmosphere, it also allows the audience to focus more on the iconic scenes of Psycho. For example, the shower scene in which Norman walks up the curtain & the camera draws away from Marian for the first time and focuses in on his shadow. It also makes the film seem more scarier, as the use of shadow is emphasised.
  The role of characters challenge and surprise us as an audience, as there is a mysterious plot twist which we later discover during the near end of the film. We are left asking ourselves a lot of questions; take for example the scene in which we are told that Norman's mother has been buried for twenty years, we question who the woman is.