Film Classic

Psycho (Hollywood Movie Classic Review & Summary)

Psycho poster

• Genre: Horror, Thriller, Psychological
• Release Date: 16 June 1960
• Origin: Hollywood (USA); Adapted from a novel by Robert Bloch
• Film: 109 min

Cast

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

A boy’s best friend is his mother.
-Norman Bates in Psycho

This is the root of this thrilling horror movie.  Norman Bates loved his mother deeply that when she died he treated her as if she was still alive.

He left her body sitting on her rocking chair.  His life went on as normal.  He would talk to his mother’s corpse and even argues with her.

Norman runs the Bates motel which used to be well patronised but due to the main road being rerouted, it became rather a secluded place.

This film has stood the test of time. It can still bring chills to the spine every time it is watched.

Anthony Perkins was a brilliant Norman Bates.

Despite the leading actress dying fairly early on the film, the cadence did not falter.

In fact the shower scene had become such a classic in itself.  The background music as the knife came nearer and nearer to the naked Marion Crane in the shower was heartstoppingly tense.

This is one of those films that you will think about years after you’ve seen it.

A true classic.