Media Coursework: Psycho

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Media Coursework:

Psycho

        The film 'Psycho' was produced by Alfred Hitchcock (1899-1980), a British-born American motion-picture director. He was noted for his technically innovative and psychologically complex thrillers. The film 'Psycho' was produced in the year 1960 and screened in New York. It was a groundbreaking film as by the end of its first year 'Psycho' had earned $15 million-over fifteen times the amount it took to make the film. The film created a lot of tension and anticipation for the audience. It violence, sexual content and the flushing of a toilet onscreen broke the ground for a mainstream Hollywood film. It was the first time a woman had ever been shown in a bra. This type of film was called "madman with a knife" or a "slasher". This film influenced suspense films such as Fatal Attraction. The film was controversial and was blamed for many murders in America. It was reported the Hitchcock pretended to re-edit the shower sequence as the film industry thought it was too violent. Hitchcock actually re-submitted it unchanged. He got away with it! Hitchcock wanted his audience to get right into the film. He did this by making it very tense, and adding a lot of suspense. "The point is to draw the audience right inside the situation instead of leaving them to watch it outside from a distance."

        The title 'Psycho' itself builds up tension and anticipation. This is because you know that it will be a horror film. Psycho means mad so therefore leads us to believe there will be starring a "madman with a knife". Psychos are unpredictable so you are not quite sure how bad the violence will be. You have the nerve to know that someone is definitely going to die.

        The music in the opening titles build up tension, as it has fast and sudden beats. It has ascending and descending beats, which creates and excitement, like you are on a roller coaster. The ascending and descending differences are within one whole. This is like Norman and his mum. They are both the same person but really they are two different people. This makes our heart beat faster, which creates tension. The music is played by the violin family. The music is done by strings; these strings are made out of the guts of animals. They are living things and this represents the fact that there is violence.

        When Marion decides to flee, Hitchcock wants to focus on a few things in particular. These things include the camera angles used and the way in which they create suspense for the viewers. The type of camera shot which is used to frame the money is a close-up shot. This particular shot is used as it tells us that it is one of the major parts of the film. If Marion didn't choose to take the money then she wouldn't have died. The shot of the money then moves to the suitcase, and it is here we know that she is planning to run away. However, the close-up of the money moves to one of Marion's packed suitcase. This reveals to the audience that she is planning to run away with the money. Marion seems to panic when she does take the money, and put it in her bag. This creates suspense to the viewers as they want to know what she will do with the money. The 'Psycho' is not yet introduced so the viewer focus' on the money.

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        When the police drive past Marion's car, a long shot is used. This is mainly used to show the location and to say how isolated it is, where there isn't much around her. It makes the audience think that Marion has got away with not getting caught by the police. The police then reverses and parks behind her. This is also why a log shot is used; to tell that the policeman reverses.

        Two types of camera shots are used when the policeman is talking to Marion. These shots are big close-up for the policeman and low-angle shot for ...

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