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Psycho Details

1960 DVD Certificate 15.gif
  • Rated:
  • 70
  • from 22,030 members

Credited with inventing the genre of the modern horror film, PSYCHO has had its share of sequels and imitators, none of which diminishes the achievement of this shocking and complex horror thriller. Alfred Hitchcock's choreography of elements in PSYCHO is considered so perfect it inspired a shot-by-shot remake by Gus Van Sant .. Read more

Starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Janet Leigh
Director Alfred Hitchcock
Genres Thriller

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Psycho

Credited with inventing the genre of the modern horror film, PSYCHO has had its share of sequels and imitators, none of which diminishes the achievement of this shocking and complex horror thriller. Alfred Hitchcock's choreography of elements in PSYCHO is considered so perfect it inspired a shot-by-shot remake by Gus Van Sant in 1998. However, Hitchcock's black-and-white original, featuring Anthony Perkins's haunting characterization of lonely motel keeper Norman Bates, has never been equaled. Bates presides over an out-of-the-way motel under the domineering specter of his mother. The young, well-intentioned Bates is introduced to the audience when Marion Crane (Janet Leigh), a blonde on the run with stolen money, checks in for the night. But Momma doesn't like loose women, so the stage is set for this classic tale of horror--and one of the most famous scenes in film history. PSYCHO was initially received by audiences with shock and amazement, and it still terrifies today. Though it is now considered prototypical Hitchcock, its setting, pace, and emphasis on terror were major departures for the director at the time, coming after the more classically grand NORTH BY NORTHWEST.

Starring Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Janet Leigh, Martin Balsam
Director Alfred Hitchcock
Studio UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK
Run time DVD: 1 hr 49 mins
Certificate DVD Certificate 15.gif
Collections 100 Horror Films, 100 must-see movies
Genres Thriller
Language English
Dubbed German, Polish
Subtitles Dutch, English, Swedish
Released DVD: 28 Apr 2003
Production year: 1960
Format DVD

Psycho (1960)

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    Includes: Masters of Cinema - Alfred Hitchcock, American Film Institute Salute to Alfred Hitchcock, Production...

  • Critics' reviews (3) of Psycho

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  • 5 stars out of 5

    Containing the most famous montage sequence since The Battleship Potemkin, this is easily the most shocking film produced by the “Master of Suspense”. Yet Alfred Hitchcock always maintained it was a black comedy. Working with a TV crew, he completed the picture for a mere $800,000. But the California Gothic tale of the Bates Motel went on to become his biggest commercial success. The opening segment, involving Janet Leigh and an envelope of stolen cash, is the biggest “MacGuffin” in Hitchcock's career. But his most audacious achievement was in getting us to side with Anthony Perkins's serial killer against the authorities, Leigh's lover and sister, and his incessantly shrewish mother.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006
  • 4 stars out of 4

    Curious shocker devised by Hitchcock as a tease and received by most critics as an unpleasant horror piece in which the main scene, the shower stabbing, was allegedly directed not by Hitchcock but by Saul Bass. After enormous commercial success it achieve

    • Halliwell's Film Guide
    • Posted 02 Mar 2006

  • Most helpful member's review of Psycho

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  • 11 out of 12 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 2 stars

    Contextual genius

    You need to put this film into context to appreciate it. This was one of the first films of it's genre and largely based on psychological effect.

    By today's standards it is easily described as slow lacking in the soughtafter gore and action of our times.

    However, it is a well thought out and directed brainchild of Hitchcock and film enthousiastes should definately give it a try, although you definately need to put a night aside for it.

    it is a film essential by any means.

      • A customer from Yorkshire
      • Posted 12 Jun 2007 12:38

  • Most recent members' review of Psycho

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  • 2 out of 2 people found this review helpful

    Rated - 4 stars

    ***TESCO NOT WORTH IT***

    is anyone else sick to death of never getting new releases delivered? i've not had one dvd delivered that was released this year. it's a good job i also like old films and have a big list but ALL new titles are in my priority list and i NEVER get any. sort it out Tesco or i'll be cancelling.

      • A customer from STOKE
      • Posted 29 Dec 2006 23:51

  • News and features

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    Rosemary's Baby

    The Shining tops frightening film list

    • 29 Oct 2009

    The Shining has been named the most terrifying film of all time in a new poll. The 1980 Stanley Kubrick classic, starring Jack Nicholson as a deranged writer, topped the list of the world's scariest movies ahead of Rosemary's Baby, directed by Roman Polanski. The original Wicker Man from 1973 came in third in the Totalscifionline.com poll, which was dominated by horror classics. The top ten also included Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 thriller Psycho, John Carpenters slasher Halloween, and Night of... Read more

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Rating breakdown

22,030 Member ratings
  • 100
3,638
  • 90
2,855
  • 80
4,829
  • 70
4,055
  • 60
3,191
  • 50
1,640
  • 40
804
  • 30
483
  • 20
360
  • 10
175

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    • Psycho

    • Psycho
      Credited with inventing the genre of the modern horror film, PSYCHO has had its share of sequels and imitators, none of which diminishes the achievement of this shocking and complex horror thriller. Alfred Hitchcock's choreography of elements in PSYCHO is considered so perfect it inspired a shot-by-...