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Psycho on DVD (1960)

Psycho cover art
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Average rating: (76%)
1112191320612
3.5
 
Starring: Anthony Perkins | Vera Miles | John Gavin | Janet Leigh | Martin Balsam
Director: Alfred Hitchcock
Studio: UNIVERSAL PICTURES UK
Run time: 109 mins
Certificate: 15
Collections: 100 Horror Films | 100 must-see movies
User collections: 14 greatest films i have ever seen | Greatest Horror Films. | The very greatest films ever made. | Excellent Films | Crabsticks | MAD MEN, PSYCHO'S, SERIAL KILLERS AND BOOGEY MEN | The Greatest Films by the Greatest Directors | The best Horror ever | The Best Films. | 5 star films
Genres: Thriller
Languages: English
Dubbed: German, Polish
Subtitles: Dutch, English, Swedish
Released: 28/04/2003
Also Available on: Also Available on: DIGITAL

Brief synopsis of 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.

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Critics Reviews

Rating of 5 stars out of 5 Radio Times

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.

Rating of 4 stars out of 4 Halliwell's Film Guide

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

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Members Reviews

Reviews Voted Most Helpful

Rated - 4 starsHitchcock rewriting of the horror genre

Adam Thomson from Dover England , 12/03/2006

Hitchcock was helped by having a first-class screenplay with intelligent dialogue. He worked his magic to produce a definitive resetting of the style of the genre; in my opinion he was not to reach such a height in his subsequent work. We are blessed to have this, which is a rich reference for all who are students of the art of film-making.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 2 starsContextual genius

A customer from Yorkshire , 12/06/2007

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.

  4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsAmazing

Joseph Hawkins from Cornwall , 12/02/2006

Even now 46 years after it was made it still has that twisted magical X factor

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Rated - 5 starsTimeless Masterpiece

A customer from Kent , 06/10/2006

My father warned me that this filmed had aged considerably. He was wrong!

I have started to watch all of Hitchcock's films and this is brilliant. Quite different to any of the other ones I have seen so far, it focuses on individual's inner thoughts.

The acting was excellent as was the screenplay. Tension was built and the chilling horror scenes made me feel a bit uncomfortable as they were more realistic than modern day scenes with blood and gore. They used the camera angles to great effect as Hitchcock did in all his films.

I thoroughly recommend this movie to everybody. It is a classic.

  3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
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Most Recent Reviews

Rated - 5 starsPure Genius

Moviebabe from London , 27/08/2008

I was so sad to hear they were actually remaking this movie a few years ago........why try and mess with perfection??This movie represents everything a psychological thriller should be.Clever.Disturbing.Simple.....in its entirety.Watching the modern day 'thrillers' after seeing this, you realise just how brilliant this movie is.Theres no reliance on big name actors, complicated storylines or special effects.Just fantastic movie making.Enjoy

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