'Psycho' Analysis

Describe and discuss some of the ways Hitchcock creates tension and suspense in Psycho.

Alfred Hitchcock's name is synonymous with suspense. He has produced many films and short television serials that go down in history as the bench mark for directors. To many he is the master of suspense, no one before or after him has been able to weave intricate plots using dramatic lighting, music full of dynamics, long pauses, and unexpected events that have made generations of viewers so convinced of his talent. The groundbreaking film 'Psycho' was produced in the 1960's by Alfred Hitchcock. It was called 'mother of the modern horror movie'.

The title of the film itself builds up tension and suspense. "Psycho", means mad, insane, one who is mentally disturbed. The title of the film is quite unusual; it has a powerful and deep meaning, it makes the audience think about the word and imagine things.
The film starts with an everyday situation. So the viewers feel safe and at ease. Hitchcock knew why people are drawn to a darkened theater to absorb themselves for hours with images on a screen. They do it to have fun. In the same way people go to a roller coaster to get thrown around at high speeds, theater audiences know they are safe. As a film director you can throw things at them, hurl them off a cliff, or pull them into a dangerous love story, and they know that nothing will happen to them. They're confident that they'll be able to walk out the exit when it’s done and resume their normal lives. So Hitchcock plays with this in the ‘Psycho’, he allows time for the audience to settle, to let them get to know the characters. By showing an everyday scene, he allows the audience to get an insight into what Janet Leigh is like. Therefore by doing this they may expect a certain reaction from her when tension builds, because they have been given knowledge about her character, its gets the audience involved.

Hitchcock creates false suspense making shocks more shocking because we never know what will happen. Hitchcock creates false suspense in a number of ways. When Marion has been sleeping in the side of the road in her car, a cop comes and wakes her up. The audience feels tense and wonders if she is going to get caught with the $40,000. Marion is very nervous and we are afraid if the cop is going to search her bag. Her uneasy behavior adds to the tension. The cop’s sunglasses also add to the tension because he is staring right at Marion’s face, and Marion feels guilty and anxious.

Also Hitchcock then creates suspense by using dramatic irony. He uses an eyelevel medium long shot in which there is a dark shadow on side of the screen. Marion is in a completely private place, but in this shot we know that there is someone behind her, Hitchcock makes us feel uncomfortable and tight as if we are trapped in the shower with Marion.

Tension is made by mainly using music which sounds unnatural, and also shock with the exception of the diegetic sounds in the shower scene. Hitchcock also uses silence (the absence of sound) to make the audience feel uncomfortable; this builds up tension, causing the audience to think that something is on the brink of happening.

Hitchcock creates suspense and shock in the way he uses cinematography: camera position, angles, shots, colour, lighting, sound and music. All of theses aspects make psycho a very successful thriller, by involving the audience and making them care about the characters which helps them become more emotional attached and so when something dramatic happens in the film they are drawn in.