Research: Thriller opening analysis (Psycho)

Thriller Research Task

Psycho
Psycho is a 1960 psychological thriller-horror directed by Alfred Hitchcock staring Antony Perkins and Vera Miles, John Gavin and Janet Leigh. The film was made iconic by the infamous shower scene where Leigh's character is brutally murdered by being repeatedly stabbed to death, and when the film was released, it caused a huge thrill amongst audiences and also created a irrational fear of showers.

Clip duration- 1.57 (opening credits)

The clip begins when it fades from the old fashioned paramount film company's logo with the mountain and stars to the long opening credits that were common in films during this time period, the harsh, scratchy music written by Bernard Herrman, that is similar to the sound used during the stabbing in the shower scene. The music is high pitched and very unsettling which is what Hitchcock wanted to portray in this opening section, that the film itself is very unnerving and unsettling. The credits are very simple, grey and black lines (as the film was featured in only black and white as technology had not yet evolved to have colour television) crossing over each other in time to the tempo of the music and very plain white credits for the names of actors and people who worked on the film, which stands out against the dark black background. The title 'psycho' is shown on screen and then almost glitches and shifts and becomes disorientated which perhaps is a link to Perkins' characters schizophrenic persona.
The music builds quickly and becomes fast and the pitch remains high which also builds tension and intrigues the audience to what might happen in the film, it is a very bold and gripping start to the film.
Similarly to the way the title Pyscho text shifts and glitches, the same effect is used again when Alfred Hitchcock's name is repeated as the director, his name changes shape as well, and grey lines move outwards away from his name in time with the music before the credits fade to an aerial shot of a city, which in contrast seems very dull and simple after the opening credits but also creates perhaps the sense of fear that something horrific and creepy might be about to take place in a very normal everyday location, which would have been very thrilling and seat gripping for audiences watching this.