Psycho (1960)
Today's movie is the original Psycho directed by Alfred Hitchcock in 1960 and brilliantly acted by the one and only Anthony Perkins. This movie has become so famous, that it's really my own opinion for a review, rather than an actual review. I'll try to get past my feelings of worthlessness and give you a review anyway. But dammit, there are going to be SPOILERS. Ahem. For the 0 of you who have not seen it. Chin up... keep reviewing...
The movie starts off with Janet Leigh as Marion stealing $40.000 from her boss (that's like $100.000 today... I'm guessing, I don't know...) and then flees. She intends on marrying her boyfriend but never gets the chance. Why not? Well, of course, she ends up at the Bates Motel. She arrives and meets the owner, Norman Bates, who invites her to dinner at his house which overlooks the motel. However, Marion overhears Bates having an argument with his mother, who states that she doesn't want "strange women" in the house. Instead, they eat sandwiches at the motel and talk about many different things. Upon learning that his mother has a mental illness, Marion suggests putting her into an institution which greatly upsets Bates.
He almost looks like that cowboy cardboard cutout that some people have in their yards. Not nearly as scary now, is he?!
Marion returns to her room after ending the discussion with Bates, in which they both realize that each of them is living in their own trapped existence. Marion decides she is going to return the money, but not before she counts it and takes a shower. Bates decides to spy on her undressing through a peephole. Later, as she steps into the shower, the shadow of a female is in the bathroom beyond the curtain. Marion is brutally murdered in the shower, making showers from hereafter feel unsafe. Not seeing past that curtain? Creepy!
Well, that shadow looks like nothing. You know, the Nothing? From the Neverending Story?! The Neverending Stoooo-rrrryyyyy... ah-aw-ah, ah-aw-ah, ah-aw-ah.
So, we then hear Norman shout to his mother, worried about the dead body and all the blood. In an attempt to hide the crime he assumes his mother committed, he takes Marion's body and everything she had with her, including the money, in the trunk of her car and dumps it in a lake. Lila, Marion's sister, and Private Investigator Arbogast call Sam, her boyfriend, to see if he knows where Marion is. Arbogast tracks her down to the Bates Motel and arrives to question Norman. P.I. Arbogast says that he needs to speak with Bates' mother, though Bates refuses. Informing Lila and Sam that he is going to question the mother, Sam heads up to the house where he is murdered by the same mysterious, female figure.
After several days with no word, the two head to the Sheriff who informs them that Norman Bates' mother died 10 years earlier after killing her lover and then herself. Lila and Sam then decide to go investigate on their own (because that always works out well... oh... well, in this case it does). They pretend to be a married couple checking into the Bates Motel. They discover a note in the room, and Sam decides to distract Norman while Lila goes up to the house to investigate.
Hmm. This old woman is awfully still. And quiet. She must be sleeping, I'll just tap her gently on the....
YYAAAHHHH!! OMG... she has been sleeping for way too long.
Sam accuses Norman of killing Marion for the money. Bates, however, realizes that Lila is gone and knocks Sam unconscious before heading off to the house in search of her. Meanwhile, she sees him coming and hides in the basement (where Norman has dragged his mother to "keep her safe"). She sees the woman in the rocking chair and tries to talk to her until she realizes the woman is in fact a mummified corpse.
Norman then tries to attack Lila dressed as his mother, complete with a wig, but is stopped by Sam. We later find out that he has been living as his mother since her death. In fact, he killed her and her lover. For those of you interested in psychoanalysis, specifically Lacanian psychoanalysis, this is a classic/perfect example of a psychotic subject. Not only is there no foreclosure, there is no disavowal. Therefore the child does not recognize that his mother desires anyone other than him. Anyhoodle... that's getting into intellectual conversation, and we're just here to talk horror movies!! You want to discuss more, send me a message, my friend!
Go forth in fear!
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