Psycho (1960)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Robert Bloch (novel)
Joseph Stefano (screenplay)

Release Date:

16 June 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Thriller

Tagline:

A new- and altogether different- screen excitement!!!

Plot:

A young woman steals $40,000 from her employer's client, and subsequently encounters a young motel proprietor too long under the domination of his mother.

Plot Keywords:

Psychopath | Recluse | Controversial | Phone Booth | Hidden Corpse

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 5 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Anthony Perkins	...	Norman Bates
Janet Leigh	...	Marion Crane
Vera Miles	...	Lila Crane
John Gavin	...	Sam Loomis
Martin Balsam	...	Milton Arbogast
John McIntire	...	Sheriff Al Chambers
Simon Oakland	...	Dr. Fred Richmond
Vaughn Taylor	...	George Lowery
Frank Albertson	...	Tom Cassidy
Lurene Tuttle	...	Eliza Chambers
Patricia Hitchcock	...	Caroline (as Pat Hitchcock)
John Anderson	...	California Charlie
Mort Mills	...	Highway Patrol Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fletcher Allen	...	Policeman on Steps (uncredited)
Prudence Beers	...	Extra (uncredited)
Muriel Bradley	...	Extra (uncredited)
Kit Carson	...	Extra (uncredited)
Francis De Sales	...	Officer (uncredited)
George Dockstader	...	Extra (uncredited)
George Eldredge	...	Chief James Mitchell (uncredited)
Harper Flaherty	...	Extra (uncredited)
Sam Flint	...	Officer (uncredited)
Margaret Furrer	...	Extra (uncredited)
Virginia Gregg	...	Norma Bates (voice) (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)
Paul Jasmin	...	Norma Bates (voice) (uncredited)
Myra Jones	...	Extra (uncredited)
Lee Kass	...	Extra (uncredited)
Frank Killmond	...	Bob Summerfield (uncredited)
Ted Knight	...	Guard (uncredited)
Pat McCaffrie	...	Police Guard (uncredited)
Jeanette Nolan	...	Norma Bates (voice) (uncredited)
Lillian O'Malley	...	Extra (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	...	Extra (uncredited)
Chief Tahachee	...	Citizen / Ned Place (uncredited)
Helen Wallace	...	Hardware Store Customer (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Robert Bloch		(novel)
Joseph Stefano		(screenplay)

Produced by
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
John L. Russell		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Tomasini

Art Direction by
Robert Clatworthy
Joseph Hurley

Set Decoration by
George Milo

Costume Design by
Rita Riggs		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Jack Barron	....	makeup supervisor
Florence Bush	....	hair stylist
Robert Dawn	....	makeup supervisor

Production Management
Lew Leary	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hilton A. Green	....	assistant director

Art Department
Saul Bass	....	storyboard artist (uncredited)

Sound Department
William Russell	....	sound recordist
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound recordist

Special Effects by
Clarence Champagne	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Aldridge	....	grip: Phoenix (uncredited)
Jack Austin	....	grip: Phoenix (uncredited)
Eugene Barragy	....	key grip: Phoenix (uncredited)
Walter Bluemel	....	assistant camera: Phoenix (uncredited)
Robert Burkett	....	camera operator: Phoenix (uncredited)
Norman Cassidy	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
William N. Clark	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Eugene Cook	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bill Craemer	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Alan Davey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bobby Greene	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Frank Harper	....	key grip (uncredited)
George H. Merhoff	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Saul Selznick	....	second company grip (uncredited)
Jim Sloan	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Leonard J. South	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Richard Sutton	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Tommy Wilson	....	electrician (uncredited)
Rex Wimpy	....	director of photography: Phoenix (uncredited)
Rex Wimpy	....	second camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Colvig	....	costume supervisor
Theodore R. Parvin	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	pictorial consultant
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Virginia Boyle	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Everett W. Brown	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
John 'Bud' Cardos	....	bird handler (uncredited)
Frank da Vinci	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Myra Davis	....	body double: Janet Leigh (uncredited)
John Drake	....	stand-in: Anthony Perkins (uncredited)
Margo Epper	....	body double: Mother in shower sequence (uncredited)
June Gleason	....	stand-in: Vera Miles (uncredited)
Melvin Hilgenfeld	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
William T. Hurtz	....	director: animated titles (uncredited)
Richard Kindelon	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Harold Lockwood	....	stand-in: Martin Balsam (uncredited)
Paul Mathews	....	stand-in: John Gavin (uncredited)
Jim Merrick	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Marli Renfro	....	shower scene double: Janet Leigh (uncredited)
Peggy Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Hitchcock (uncredited)
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Herb Steinberg	....	publicity director (uncredited)
Dolores Stockton	....	secretary: Mr. Hitchcock (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Shamley Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Les Films Paramount (1960) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Film Service (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Universal Pictures (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1988) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Action Gitanes (1999) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2005) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks
• Universal Studios  current copyright proprietor

Also Known As:

Wimpy (USA) (fake working title)

Runtime:

109 min | Germany:108 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | West Germany:16 (original rating) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1969) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1960) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Chile:14 (re-rating) | Germany:12 (re-rating) (2006) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1965) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Argentina:16 (original rating) | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | France:-12 (re-release) | France:-16 | Israel:16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1960) | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (re-release) | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:Approved (original rating) | USA:M (re-rating) (1968) | USA:R (re-rating) (1984)

Filming Locations:

4270 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Shamley Productions

Trivia:

Beethoven's 3rd Symphony ("Eroica") is in Norman's record player

Goofs:

Continuity: When the police officer backs in behind Marion's car on shoulder of the highway, no tire tracks from his vehicle are visible in the soft dirt.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Sam Loomis: You never did eat your lunch, did you?
Marion Crane: I better get back to the office. These extended lunch hours give my boss excess acid.
Sam Loomis: Why don't you call your boss and tell him you're taking the rest of the afternoon off? Its Friday, anyway - and hot.
Marion Crane: What do I do with my free afternoon? Walk you to the airport?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "ProSieben Märchenstunde, Die: Schneewittchen - 7 Zipfel und ein Horst (#4.1)" (2007)

The More I See This, The Better It Gets

When I watched this for the first time in over 30 years, I was surprised how little action there was since I had remembered this as some intense horror movie. Of course, I was young and more impressionable so I guess I just remembered those few dramatic, sensational scenes such as Janet Leigh murdered in the shower and the quick other murder at the top of the stairs. Basically, that was about it, action-wise, BUT I have no complaints because the more I watch this film, the more I like it. It has become my favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie, along with Rear Window.

I mention the lack of action, and blood, too, because younger people who might be watching this for the first time are not going to see the kind of horror film they're accustomed to seeing. A generation back, movie makers tended to build up characters and suspense, so there was a lot more storytelling and less action than you see today. Also, this movie doesn't have the shock value today for audiences, either, not after years of Freddie Krueger-type blood-and-guts seen in the past 30 years.

But, what you WILL see in this movie is (1) superb acting; (2) a fascinating lead character; (3) excellent photography, and (4) a bizarre story.

"Norman Bates" is one of the most famous fictional names in film history, thanks to this film and the great work portraying him by Anthony Perkins. "Norman" is a nutcase, as it turns out and the more you know all about him, the more fun it is to study Perkins and his character "Norman" in subsequent viewings. He really has the guy down pat. However, it isn't just Perkins' film; the supporting is just fine with Leigh, whose figure is still awesome no matter how many times you see it; Martin Balsam as the private detective; Vera Miles and John Gavin. Everyone contributes.

What makes me really enjoy this movie is the cinematography. I bought this on VHS when it became available on widescreen. Later, of course, I got the DVD. Each time, I appreciate John Russell's camera-work and Hitchcock's direction more and more. I wonder if this isn't Hitchcock's best job of directing as his camera angles and lighting are outstanding. On the DVD, the blacks, whites and grays are just super and the famous house next to the Bates Motel never looked better. That house really looks eerie.

The sound effects in here don't hurt. When Balsam is attacked, the accompanying frightening music never fails to bring chills down my spine. The music literally "screams" at you.

I went 35 years between showings but now have watched this five times in the past four years. I love it and look forward to seeing it again. Many people here think this is Hitchcock's greatest film. Add me to that list.