However, many things are still the same. Genres, for example, are still very much as they use to be in the 1960s. However, the genres then sometimes were not as obvious as they are now, meaning that they were a little more restricted on the content and material that they dared use.
The content in “Psycho” would have shocked the audiences of the ‘60s, because they were all so unused to seeing such reality on screen. The reality of schizophrenia would have shocked, but it might have also fascinated the audience of the time, whilst the subject of necrophilia would have just disgusted them very much like it still very much does today. The effect of a mental illness would certainly have frightened and would have left the audience slightly dumbfounded. This might have been what scared the audience the most; the fact that mental illness and conditions such as schizophrenia are actually real.
The somewhat old fashioned audience would have also completely disapproved of the Marion Crane character sleeping with Sam, as they were not married. The topic of sex before marriage used to be more than just frowned upon in the 1960s. However, some people could have actually related themselves to Marion’s character, as situations like hers most definitely occurred. Hitchcock probably knew this very well, so decided to show what so many people tried to ignore in those times.
However, “Psycho” did have to its restrictions as Hitchcock very well knew. He wanted to terrify the audience, not disgust them to such an extent that no one would want to see the film. In a way, the content in this film went as far as was possible considering the time it was made in. Going too far would have been showing the actual stabbing, all the wounds and more than just the naked arms of Marion Crane. This would have been something that the 1960s audience would not have been ready for. This also meant that Hitchcock had to depend heavily on the illusions that the audience conjured up while watching a knife stab furiously at air.
Now-a-days, films are very different – the sky’s the limit when it comes down to content. It almost contradicts the films of the 1960s. One of the reasons for this is of course the fact that technology has developed dramatically since “Psycho”, so directors are now able to show things exactly as they would be just by using computers (special effects), almost disregarding the efforts that Alfred Hitchcock put in. However, the main reason for this sudden change is the fact that people are more aware of the situations that arise in society today. Some of these situations we “accept” but refuse to like such as murder, paedophilia, depression, mental illness, death and suicide.
Sex is now just another normal day to day thing, which we are no longer embarrassed about talking. This means that ratings are now very different than what they used to be, in that they are no longer so strict. This is due to the fact that children “grow up” a lot quicker than what they used to, meaning that they are more aware of the dangers that occur in society today due to the interests in media. We are also so used to hearing depressing events in this day and age, so it is not surprising that “Psycho” moved from a certificate 18 to a certificate 15.
Audiences’ reactions towards the film are also very different to what they used to be. Humour is one thing that springs to mind in many parts in the film, like when the detective “falls” down the stairs. However, others still actually jump at this scene because the camera angle is incredibly misleading. The fact that this made the modern audience jump makes one wonder how the audiences of 1960 felt.
Techniques in modern filming
The techniques in modern filming are very different to those of the ‘60s. The attempts of making a film look as realistic as possible are almost effortless when compared to the efforts that Alfred Hitchcock had to go through. The editing in modern films is also more effective, in the sense that they are professionally done which gives a film a different flow to it. However, as important as lighting was to “Psycho” it is not something that modern directors concentrate an awful lot on. This is mainly due to the fact that modern films are very rarely black and white, so the use of lighting would not have a major impact. However, other modern films, like Darren Aronofsky’s critically acclaimed “Pi”, still use the black and white technique, which makes you see things in a totally different perspective; a contradictory perspective.
The usage of camera has also gone that one step further. Cameras are now used to represent a characters mood and sometimes even reactions. A perfect example of this is, of course, the “Blair Witch Project”, where they used the camera as a “point of view”. The use of right angled shots and cameras actually attached to the person that is being filmed is successful on providing a very effective “swing effect” and, again, Aronofsky’s film “Requiem for a Dream” represents this very well.
Music is something that has changed incredibly since the 1960s. Of course, the development of music through out the years can be blamed for this, but many scores used in films have actually been created using computers. This type of effect enables a director to spend less time and money on actually trying to find an orchestra. By using synthesisers, producers are able to manipulate and distort all sorts of music to give the maximum effect. However, music is still very much used to mislead, taunt and even manipulate an audience, just as it did in the time of “Psycho”. Many directors also have the habit of making films as over complicated as is possible which makes it all very exhausting and tiresome to see.
Techniques used in “Psycho”
The techniques used in the 1960s “Psycho” are absolutely remarkable to watch. The ingenious effects have been proven to be superb in more ways than one. The fact that Hitchcock had so little to go by in terms of special effects should actually inspire the modern directors. Unlike these directors, Hitchcock actually had to work incredibly hard to make his masterpiece look as realistic as possible and had to depend on illusions. A perfect example of this is the famous shower scene, where we are pretty sure that Marion is getting stabbed, but we don’t actually see the knife puncturing the skin or any wounds. All we are in fact left with is the sound of the knife slicing up a watermelon (although the audience then wouldn’t have actually known this). We are also left with the frantic arms of Marion, her ear piercing screams and spectacular close ups of her hands and lifeless eyes. The rest is just up to the audiences’ imagination.
A very important and significant technique used is right at the beginning, even before the actual film starts. This technique is used on the opening titles of the film. All the names that appear are sliced onto the screen and then sliced off the screen, which is designed to give the audience a clue of what they are actually about sit through, which is slightly cunning of Hitchcock. The titles merge together to demonstrate the distorted minds of characters in the film. The titles come up as white on a black background to represent the good verse evil scenario.
The most obvious technique used is, of course, the lighting. The black and white effect is probably what makes the film so fantastically thrilling, as well as thought provoking. The black and white effect depicts many contradictions, the most obvious one being right from wrong and good from evil. The use of lighting in the Norman Bates character is incredibly important. In many of his shots, half of his face is completely hidden in shadow and the other in complete light. This shows us that there is a darker side to the slightly dopey mummy’s boy, which slightly confuses the audience because they find that his character is misleading. However, it can also mean that Norman is a person torn between the two contradictory sides, which could have been a deliberate clue on Hitchcock’s part to represent the disturbing illness of schizophrenia. The use of this black and white effect is also used to represent Marion’s moods and states of mind. When she is with Sam she is wearing white underwear, which shows she is a good and innocent person, but when she is in a bit of trance and has stolen money, she is seen wearing black underwear.
The camera shots used are also particularly misleading, because they make you believe that one thing is going to happen, but it then surprises by doing the completely opposite thing. A perfect example of this is when the Detective is investigating the Bates house, which seems to dominate the motel and looks like a bird of prey. You get a clear shot of the stairs, which instantly tells you that that is where the Detective is going to go sooner or later. Then you get a shot of him going up the stairs. At this point you are almost sure the attack is going to come from behind, because the camera is focused behind the detective and because that is what generally happens. However, the attack comes from the front, which – surprisingly - even shocks the detective. However, this scene is slightly ruined in the end due to unprofessional editing.
When the camera is concentrated on Norman, its position is very significant. The right angled shots (when the camera looks up at Norman) are made to intimidate and unsettle the audience. It makes Norman look like a bird of prey himself, especially when he is surrounded by all the stuffed hunting birds on his wall. In fact, lighting and shots together play a very important part in intimidating the audience as well as the actual characters in the film.
The music in “Psycho” is all composed using string instruments. It is magnificently done and creates excitement and suspense at the same time. The music only begins when something unpleasant is to happen, which the audience pick up on straight away. This leaves the audience clinging to their seats as they know something is going to happen, but what? The music, along with everything else in this film, is also very significant and splendid to hear when put together with the film. Played by an orchestra, it has a totally different impact on the audience than it would do today. An obvious significance is, again, when the detective goes up the stairs in the eerie house. At first we hear the sustained shimmering of violins, but then we also her church bells. This immediately fixes death into a person’s mind, because church bells are played at funerals.
The music at the very beginning is also very important and very cleverly used, because it holds contradictions of its very own. We see Sam and Marion in bed, so we assume that they are happy. However, the music playing in the background is actually quite sad, which shows that even though you have two people that are in love, it does not necessarily mean that they are happy.
Performances
The performances in this film are exceptional, especially that of Janet Leigh who plays Marion. She was able to really get inside her characters mind and give a performance well worth an Oscar. Through out the film, we see her portray so many different states in her character, ranging from vulnerable, scared and even envious of women who had what she longed for. Even though it is very difficult keep a straight face for so many seconds at a time, Janet Leigh managed to do it with no problems whatsoever. The fact that she did not mind that her character (being the main character) gets killed off half way through the film, being very unusual in itself, is astonishing. She did all she could do for her confused character and that “all” has been proved to be more than good enough. The performance she gave when she was getting attacked in the shower and after the attack is one that has not been forgotten, but actually remembered as one of the scariest scenes of all time.
The performance of Anthony Perkins is, of course, no different. He, too, managed to portray such a calm but emotionally disturbed character that has left his marks in history. Though his performance was not as great as of that of Janet Leigh’s, he was very smartly picked by Hitchcock. He played a slightly dopey boy, who had everyone fooled by his shyness, that you would never have expected him to be the so called “Psycho”. He even managed to completely switch between personalities in such an incredible way that he actually left the audience confused. At times he was shy, but other times he looked intimidating and unapproachable. The fact that he had to play a psychopath could not have really been an easy thing to live with, but he gave a first class performance.
In my opinion, both of these actors took a major risk in actually taking part in such a film (in the 1960s, of course), because this film could have taken their careers in one of two ways: downhill or up. However, they were such exceptional performers that it was practically impossible to not find the film so fascinating to watch, even if the genre isn’t your cup of tea. Both Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins gave unforgettable performances, both worthy of Oscars and all credit to them for taking part in one of the greatest masterpieces in the history of film.