Alfred Hitchcocks Psycho

For help with creating my media essay I watched Psycho and managed to gather ideas to help me for when it came for me making my thriller.

Psycho was created in 1960 and stars Janet Leigh as Marion Crane the femme fatal, usually the mainipulative dominant female. It was filmed in Black and white to add to the idea of a nightmare situation as well as paying tribute to 1940's Noir thrillers.

Psycho is famous for it's use of sound to create tension, this is used straight away in the opening credits and sound graphics are also added to highlight the tension. The use of sound is quite similar throughout and helps the audience to feel unease and wouldn't have nearly the same effect if the music wasn't added, for example as Marion Crane begins her get away we are constantly being reminded by the sound used that the situation she has put herself in is unlikely to end well and highlights her as the victim. This sound also is always creating that motion of sudden quick movements which already can give the audience the idea of murder.

These quick sound references are the only pieces of music throught the film heard as Hitchcock went with a much simplisitic idea to create a sinister atmosphere through simplistic events showing that it doesnt always have to be about CGI and special effects.

Sound becomes very important as we get to the famous shower scene as when Marion has left Norman Bates all that is heard is her turning the shower and the sound of running water. It isn't until we see the shadow image pull back the curtain that we here the famous music that creates the most amazing tension and fear within the audience as it's so simplitstic and striking.

Mise-en-scene used within psycho is very important as the location of this is always giving reference to Marions fate. In the opening shot we see it crane shot along Phoenix giving the date of the day we are about to witness, this is generally used within a crime therefore already gives clues to whether or not a murder is going to be taken place. We see a voyouristic view as the camera cranes into the window as we begin to be looking into her life. The window is also a very important aspect into a thriller. We see Marion coming across as the femme fatal as she's laying on the bed in just her underwear. We are also already seeing Marion as the victim as she's used by the dominant male as he see's her as his sex object where as she's wanting more, this is showing her naivety.

We see in the opening scene Marions underwear is white where as after she's stolen the money and is planning on running away her Underwear is now black showing her descent as she thinks the money will buy her happiness.

We are always seeing close up's of her hands holding the money which is all the audience need to be able to establish what it is that Marion has done and what it is she's about to do. These simplistic actions make it much more effective and give a better sense of ambiguity as the audience are left to figure it out.

Later on there is perfect use of Mise-en-scene as Marion has arrived at Bates motel and is sitting in the hotel office talking to Norman Bates. Throughout there conversations we see shots of birds surrounding either Marion or Norman. The birds are representing the symbol of death and are showing Marion as prey, therefore insinuating that she is about to meet her fate. This is also ironic to both Marion and Normans names as Crane is a type of bird and Bate is what people use when trying to lure there prey. A bird is also seen falling to the floor to also help in signifying her death.

The use of lighting when they are within the study is very noir showing it as very morbid and sinister as well as having the typical whether conditions of heavy rain regularly used to create a more sinister environment.

This is also helping the idea of Marions naivety and sense of entrapment withing the hotel as we see a desolate location and the idea that she has nowhere to go.

These are just a few important points in the first 30 minutes of psycho as we see the fall of Marion Crane and the way in which Hitchcock has portrayed her as a character as psycho is massively famous thriller in the way it gives off these conventions as a genre.

A review from the San fransico times describes it being

" blended the real and the unreal in fascinating proportions and punctuated his film with several quick, grisly and unnerving surprises."

And an audience response

The movie has arguably the best mid-plot point and climactic twist in thriller history, and certainly the best-directed ending. The last few shots are chilling and leave a lingering horror in the viewer's mind.

I personally give this film a 10/10

Thriller questionnaire!!

I've written a questionnaire to fin out what people look for in thrillers to help give me an idea about what sort of things I should be using so copy and paste it as a comment and let me know!!

Media studies thriller Questionnaire!

1) What is your age?
15-19
20-25
26-30
30+
2) Are you male or female?
Female Male

3) Which thriller film do you enjoy the most?
…………………………………………………………….
4) What do you enjoy most about thriller films?
- Gangsta
- Violence
- Storyline
- Action
- Suspense
5) Do you prefer to watch a male lead role or female lead role in a film?
Male lead Female lead Dont Mind

6) Do you enjoy ambiguity or a give away plot line? E.g psycho where you don’t find out until the end who the killer is or Kill Bill bit more giveaway.

……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….


7) Do you prefer classic or modern day thrillers if so why?
Modern day Classic Dont Mind

Why? ………………………………………………………………

8) Do you like films in colour or films in black and white?
Colour Black and White Dont Mind

9) Where do You most like to watch thriller films?
………………………………………………………………………………………………………..

10) What’s your preferred length of a film?
60-90min 90-120min 120+

Advert analysis

The advert for the clothing brand ‘Longchamp Paris’ suggests that buying the clothes will lead to a more glamourous and successful life with very minimal effort.

The image shows a medium shot of supermodels Kate Moss and Gasperel Ulliel, with Kate Moss looking seductively into the camera, while Gasperel Ulliel looks upwards at Kate.
Kates stare and body language suggests the idea of seduction in the way that females can aspire to be her when wearing the clothes and that men will instantly finds them attractive. She’s also shown with her arm draped over Gaspriel, this shows she is the more dominant between the two and the gentle resting of her arm is suggesting that he is her man and no one else’s saying that when your men are wearing these clothes you have to keep a close watch. This aspires to the male audience in the sense that when wearing these clothes you can have a supermodel girlfriend and that many other females will want you at the same time.
There’s a large statement handbag to the left of the shot.
This gives the audience the impression of money and glamour in the shot as the handbag is the place for expensive things such as phones, purses etc so to have one that size makes you wonder what would need to be inside. It also backs up the point of the female dominance as she’s placed her bag there covering the whole table leaving little room for his possessions suggesting that in these clothes you can get your own way.
Kate is also seen holding a cup of coffee, this also shows glamour as it’s seen as the fashionable thing to do is to drink coffee in Paris and wear black, this suggests money as you have to have class and sophistication to be able to do these things, this picture is very money orientated with the statement handbag and black and white as these are the more fashionable expensive items
The shot is shown in black and white to link with the retro glamour of Paris, with the idea of less is more. The shot can be seen as very sophisticated in the way its shot in black and white with no colour whatsoever as they sit there drinking coffee in the fashion capital of the world

My media studies blog

My names Isobel Winstanley and this is a blog I have made to looking into aspects of producing and creating a thriller, showing what aspects are needed and why, as well as looking into the ways other directors have created thrillers to help give me ideas. I'm also looking at audience response and will carry out a questionnaire to give me more of an idea about what the general public like to see in a thriller so keep reading! : )