Psycho Essay
The beginning of Psycho features a view of the city (Phoenix) and
the exact date and time, 'Friday December The Eleventh, Two-Forty-Three PM.
This is something that is seen in detective shows today as they set a new scene
and it shows how much Psycho has influenced directors of today. The fact that
the time is exact makes it feel like something important is about to happen.
The shot is in daylight which is the opposite to the way the opening credits
where shown which creates a dark,uneasy tone. This is a juxtaposition.
The main character of the film Marion Crane (portrayed by Janet Leigh) is the focus of the film for almost all of the first half with the camera also on her and often in a close up, this allows us to identify with Marion, another way we identify with Marion is when we hear her thoughts about what she thinks people back in Phoenix will say. We also get some POV shots, this is why it comes a such a shock when Marion is killed, The film does not follow Todorovs theory of narratives.Hitchcock became famous for shocks like this and they eventually became known as MacGuffins. We have become so invested in the Marion character and to see her killed in middle of the film is a twist.
At the point before she is killed, Marion begins to feel guilty and eventually decides to go back to Phoenix to give back the money and to make the situation all right. The shower is a methapor for Marion washing away her guilt, and it is at this point she is then killed. The fact that the film is in black and white makes this scene much less gruesome than it would it have been and this helps make the scene iconic, the blood kind of blends in with the shot.
In the film we very rarely feel sorry for Marion despite the crime she committed (stealing 40,000 dollas) , firstly because of the reason she did, she stole the money so she could run away with her boyfriend Sam, Its ok that she stole the money because she stole it for love, secondly because of the way we have been made to identify with Marion in the film, she is the only person we know about and thus we care about her and don't want anything to happen to her so she can escape and be with Sam, Finally because she stole it from Cassidy who says, " Im buying this house for my baby's wedding present, Forty Thousand Dollars cash! Now thats not buying happiness, thats just buying off unhappiness. He is cocky and easy to hate and we almost will Marion on into stealing the money. Secondly in response to a secretary saying "I Declare" he responded saying " I don't, that's how i'm able to keep it". This means he doesnt pay taxes making him a criminal, we now don't care if his money his stolen because it shouldn't really be his in the first place if he doesn't pay taxes
At the point before she is killed, Marion begins to feel guilty and eventually decides to go back to Phoenix to give back the money and to make the situation all right. The shower is a methapor for Marion washing away her guilt, and it is at this point she is then killed. The fact that the film is in black and white makes this scene much less gruesome than it would it have been and this helps make the scene iconic, the blood kind of blends in with the shot.
In the film we very rarely feel sorry for Marion despite the crime she committed (stealing 40,000 dollas) , firstly because of the reason she did, she stole the money so she could run away with her boyfriend Sam, Its ok that she stole the money because she stole it for love, secondly because of the way we have been made to identify with Marion in the film, she is the only person we know about and thus we care about her and don't want anything to happen to her so she can escape and be with Sam, Finally because she stole it from Cassidy who says, " Im buying this house for my baby's wedding present, Forty Thousand Dollars cash! Now thats not buying happiness, thats just buying off unhappiness. He is cocky and easy to hate and we almost will Marion on into stealing the money. Secondly in response to a secretary saying "I Declare" he responded saying " I don't, that's how i'm able to keep it". This means he doesnt pay taxes making him a criminal, we now don't care if his money his stolen because it shouldn't really be his in the first place if he doesn't pay taxes
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