The thing about a Hitchcock film is that it gets better with each viewing. Universal Studios Home Entertainment realizes this, since they've just rereleased the ultimate terror film "Psycho" (1960), which broke cinematic ground in depicting on-screen violence. Before "Psycho," murders on screen were sanitized, scrubbed of the bloody and visceral. Hitchcock changed all that in the tale of a strange motel keeper and his homicidal mother. Based on a novel by Robert Bloch, "Psycho" is easily one of the most frightening films of all time.
Shot for a modest budget of $800,000, "Psycho" was to become Hitch's most popular and financially successful movie. It is the ultimate haunted-house saga, with outstanding performances by Anthony Perkins as the odd Norman Bates, a man who covers up the crimes of his deranged mother, and Janet Leigh as secretary Marion Crane, who steals $40,000 in order to run off and get married.
If you've never seen "Psycho," now's the time, because the current Universal Legacy DVD Edition fills you in on lots of juicy background info, including newsreel footage of the theatrical release of the film, behind-the-scenes production photos, a making-of featurette, and extensive analysis of the famous shower sequence. A nice treat is the "Alfred Hitchcock Presents" TV episode, "Lamb to the Slaughter," directed by Hitchcock, which sardonically illustrates how best to dispose of a murder weapon.

No dispute that Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" is a masterpiece. No argument that Bernard Herrmann's score is also brilliant, iconic. BUT, in searching here on Amazon I found this alternate music soundtrack by this group called JoKr. I was listening to the mp3's on their page on Amazon here, and it's pretty cool. It sort of reminds me of that old stoner thing they say you can do with Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wizard of Oz." The name of the 2 disc album is "PSYCHOsync." Check it out!

No dispute that Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" is a masterpiece. No argument that Bernard Herrmann's score is also brilliant, iconic. BUT, in searching here on Amazon I found this alternate music soundtrack by this group called JoKr. I was listening to the mp3's on their page on Amazon here, and it's pretty cool. It sort of reminds me of that old stoner thing they say you can do with Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wizard of Oz." The name of the 2 disc album is "PSYCHOsync." Check it out!

How I envy those who saw "Psycho" when it was originally released in the theatres in 1960. How shocking it must have been for them to learn the true identity of the serial killer. To this day, "Psycho" continues to frighten even the most jaded of horror fans. It has influenced directors around the world for decades. It established the blueprint of what would later be called the "slasher flick." It gave birth to countess imitations throughout the sixties such as "Dementia 13" and "Paranoiac." Three sequels were made. Despite it being a low budget production, it earned millions at the box office. It is no wonder that my favorite web site for historical horror, The Terror Trap, lists "Psycho" in its top ten horror movies of all time. It is a masterpiece of gothic horror.

Having the world famous director, Alfred Hitchcock, didn't hurt "Psycho." Theatre patrons saw it for that reason alone. Let's not forget that it also boasted a beautiful cast that included Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, and Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates. "Psycho" "Norman Bates," and "Bates Motel" became household terms. They became the fodder of innumerable jokes and cartoons throughout the media world. One of my favorite Far Side cartoons is the one where Norman Bates introduces Elvis to his mother. The caption reads somewhat: "What really happened to Elvis." Only in Far Side could two legends be brought together. In the hit comedy, "National Lampoon's Family Vacation," Chevy Chase pretends to stab his wife in the shower in "Psycho"-style fashion.

It was "Psycho" that made me fear large, abandoned houses, especially on Halloween night. At the same time, I was also drawn to them with a perverse, morbid curiosity. Numerous haunted houses at amusement parks were designed to be replicas of that old, decaying, fog enshrouded house on the hill.

The characters in "Psycho" feel trapped. Many of us feel that we are trapped in worlds that are not of our own design. How many times have you wanted to quit your job, withdraw all your money from the bank, and flee? Just run and keep on running? I know I've wanted to escape from the tedium of a nine to five job. Poor Marion does just that. She steals $40,000 (a small fortune in 1960) and runs to her lover. Unfortunately, she never makes it to him because she meets Norman Bates who is also trapped in his own world. He can not leave his overbearing, dominant mother. How many of us are trapped in loveless, abusive relationships?

Who can forget the creepy music that accompanied each killing? And the world famous shower scene that was imitated in countless movies? Instead of a shower stall, it is an elevator that Brian De Palma uses in his slasher film "Dressed To Kill," starring Angie Dickinson and Michael Caine. Even the Italians imitated the shower scene in their world famous gialli (murder mystery). A young girl is stabbed to death in the shower in Sergio Martino's "The Strange Vice of Mrs. Wardh." Also, a girl is stabbed to death in an elevator in "The Case of the Bloody Iris."

"Psycho" is recommended viewing for all horror fans. It is the granddaddy of slasher fare. Other groundbreaking horror movies include: "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre," "Halloween," "Friday 13th," "Suspiria," "Rosemary's Baby," "The Omen," "Black Christmas," "Carrie," and "The Exorcist." They all belong in the collection of anyone who loves good horror fare.

While i dont like the "slasher" films that i see coming out these days, I found the archtypal slasher film "Psycho" to be quite good. A few complaints aside, i can see why the film is considered a classic. Im actually quite new to Hitchcock's films but i quickly took notice to his signiture style. The film builds tension extremely well. The muisc is key in developing this. Even in scenes where the dialouge seems innocent enough the music made me apprehensive to what would come next. Hitchcock's unique cinematography is appealing to me as well. I think my favorite aspect of the film is Anthony Perkins' acting. He pulles off both sides of Norman Bates' dual personality extremely well. My only qualms with the film was that it was hard for me to follow Marrion's "motivation". In other words i didn't realize her intentions to steal the money untill she met Bates. Also, i think the psychiatrist gave to much information away at the end, taking away all the mystery that Hitchcock had so masterfully built throughout the film.