Vertigo [DVD] [1958] [Region 1] [US Import] [NTSC]

Hitchcock's mischievious camera work places the viewer at the voyeur end of the action from the first shot which enters a lover's mid-afternoon tryst in a hotel room through an open window. The implicating camera later witnesses Janet Leigh's undressing through a peephole (notice that the peephole is covered by a painting of a rape) and the violent and ultra-voyeuristic shower scene which compels viewers to intently watch for any glimpse of nudity that the quick editing might provide. This infamous shower scene rivets the viewer with guilty glimpses (that reveal nothing, though many viewers may recall differently, further exemplifying Hitchcock's brilliance for audience manipulation), but this scene also horrifies with its brutal stabbing which is seemingly viewed from the killer's point-of-view. The vulnerability and nakedness of a common shower as a murder scene is a mischieviously calculated event meant to involve and effect the viewer to full capacity. Surprisingly, no matter how many times the scene is parodied or viewed, the scene is still breathtakingly brilliant in its purveyance of fright....

Hitchcock goes beyond a common suspense yarn to implicate the viewer in the action by making the audience sympathize with the crimes of the characters. For instance, Janet Leigh's theft and subsequent flee is not met with repulsion by the audience. Instead, it is a realistic crime by a common person easy to relate to. Thus, the audience feels anxiety when the state trooper follows her progression. The same is nearly true of Norman Bates' clean-up of the bathroom-murder scene. While that is not nearly so easy to relate to, the idea of a loving son cleaning up (and hiding) his "mother's" crimes is. Most viewers would almost certainly react the same as Norman Bates if their mother were to commit such a heinous act. And how many viewers are prone to irritation at the fact that Norman Bates did not discover the newspaper containing the stolen cash when he dumped the murdered girl and her car into the swamp?

Some of the great minor touches of "Psycho" are the symbolic stuffed birds in Norman's office and the "pecking" conversation that highlight the impending chaos of the film (including the film's beginnings which occurs in Phoenix and Leigh's character named Crane), and the double image of Norman Bates reflected in the hotel window during a conversation. These are coupled with the splendidly frightful shower scene, the detective's murder in the Bates mansion and the discovery that Mrs. Bates is not quite who she appears to be. In retrospect, "Psycho" is magnificently well-written with witty symbolism and subtle sinister conversations setting up the horror magnificently. Of course, the greatest aspect of this film is the echoing observation that "We all go a little mad sometimes" after the implicating voyeurism of this dark and disturbed masterpiece.

Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates has rightfully conquered an irreparable spot in American movie-viewing psyches with this dazzlingly schizophrenic performance. The Bates mansion is perhaps the most memorable movie prop ever placed on film, and is darkly forbading in its shadowy abode above the hotel. Bernard Herrmann's shrieking violin theme is unforgettable and starkly effective in accentuating the terrors of the shower scene and the detective's murder. "Psycho" is a rare classic that deserves its rich reputation without question. Audience implication and manipulation has never been bolder or more effective than the master of suspense's astounding accomplishments here. Read more ›

First of all, if you like action films, comedy's or any of the mind-numbingly bad "blockbuster" films that have been released in recent years, you will likely not like this film. However, if you prefer character an plot driven movies and also enjoy classic movies, then I would recommend that you definitely watch this.

The film itself is split into two very distinct parts. The first half of the film is a mystery / romance that is really just a setup for the second half of the movie where the real meat of the story lies. It is in the second half of the movie where the real drama is and it is handled superbly by Hitchcock, James Stewart and Kim Novak. You will notice that I'm not giving any details of the actually story itself, this is for good reason, you really need to see it yourself.

There are several things which makes this film really special for me, mainly the emotional turmoil between both James Stewarts and Kim Novak I the last half of the movie. However, there is one aspect of the film which I have always though was quite ingenious. The twist in the story is not revealed at the end of the story, but actually about 2/3rds into the film.... Now rather than spoiling the movie early, this just heightens the emotional anguish when you know the secret that Kim Novak is hiding and makes the tension and drama more powerful.

I could list a hundred different reasons why this is film so great, but this would turn into a 20 page essay if I tried. I will simply say that this film should be watched by anyone who truly loves films. Read more ›