PSYCHO (1960) Movie REACTION!

For Film Friday #92, Madison watches Psycho for the first time.
#psycho #alfredhitchcock #firsttimewatching
Watch the FULL LENGTH reaction HERE: / psycho-1960-full-90840895
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Edited by Daniel Pulliam.
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[@myoung7654]

It's so great that still today, an intelligent, well read young woman like yourself can be so fooled by Hitch. Truly brilliant film making. One of your very best reactions to date Madison ❤

[@nornog]

the best past is they tell you she is dead, and you do not believe them that is a master stroke

[@PedroCastillo_1980]

"A boy's best friend is his mother" The famous iconic line

[@charlessheifer2264]

Trivia: 1. The actor who had the $40,000 for his daughter's wedding present is Frank Albertson. Frank Albertson played "Hee-Hah" Sam Wainwright in "It's a Wonderful Life". 2. Marion's office co-worker was played by Patricia Hitchcock (the daughter of Alfred Hitchcock). Patricia Hitchcock plays a pivotal role in another of Hitchcock's classic films "Strangers on a Train". 3. Marion's boyfriend's name is Sam Loomis. Director John Carpenter, a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock, used the last name of Loomis for characters in his films "The Thing" and "Halloween". 4. "Halloween" stars Jamie Lee Curtis", the daughter of Janet Leigh (Marion Crane) and the equally famous actor, Tony Curtis. 5. And yes, the actor who played Arbogast is Martin Balsam, juror #1 in "12 Angry Men". Martin Balsam also received an Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for the film "A Thousand Clowns" in 1965.

[@hungryewok1684]

#6 first movie to ever show a toilet flush

[@dontherealartist]

Well THERE'S the least important comment about this masterpiece. @@hungryewok1684

[@atlasrunner8206]

#7 Don't Forget Ted Knight who played One of the Police Officers at the Police Station....

[@janthony721]

Thank You!!

[@HuntingViolets]

In _Halloween,_ he uses the full name of Sam Loomis for the psychiatrist character.

[@BlueShadow777]

Anthony Perkins was one of the 'new breed' of actors of the "method" school, along with his contemporaries such as Brando, Clift, Dean, Steiger etc. For me, Perkins's performance is up there as one of the best of any actor ever on screen. The complex, yet skilfully subtle, nuances of his characterisation is a captivating delight to behold. Couple this with Hitchcock's superb directorial insight and a celluloid thriller classic was created.

[@user-kg7co9vi5r]

I think this really effected AP career, I've seen him in a number of other roles, but after seeing Psycho he always felt uncomfortable to watch

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

He did another GREAT job of playing another troubled character in the cult classic Pretty Poison, with the beautiful Tuesday Weld. Well worth a watch!

[@sparky6086]

Anthony Perkins was great as the photographer & Diana Ross' lover in "Mahogany" as well.

[@antrimlariot2386]

When Anthony Perkins was not nominated for an Oscar, Hitchcock told him he was "robbed."

[@BlueShadow777]

@@user-kg7co9vi5r “affected”

[@kinokind293]

You are correct: Martin Balsam was Juror #1 in Twelve Angry Men. One of the many fine actors of that generation.

[@NemeanLion-]

Yeah, that’s a really good catch by her. I knew it very well, but I’ve seen each of these movies probably more than a dozen times lol

[@joycegibbs5267]

he’s been in so many classic films. Absolute legend !!

[@user-dp3iu3hz7u]

His daughter is an actress also Talia Balsam. Was on Mad Men.

[@kinokind293]

Tony Perkins is under appreciated as an actor, although he did many great films. That conversation in the parlor where he's talking to Marion and goes from shy and likable to unstable and menacing should be required viewing for aspiring actors. Perkins was also a good director (and directed one of the sequels) and was very well liked in the Hollywood community. His full CV is remarkable.

[@christianoutlaw]

It was a truly brilliant performance all around, teasing at the insanity of the character but still leaving enough mystery that you're intrigued and want to see more.

[@rcpsammy7186]

This is one of the best reactions I've seen.... You were genuinely scared! Your reaction is exactly what made Hitchcock so good. I've seen this movie 1000 times, and seeing someone so scared to the point of tears proves what a masterpiece this movie is.

[@Steve-gx9ot]

Yes = Hitchcock at his Best in this movie. Perkins in role added immensely to end product and AH noted that Music was 1/3 of making it a true CLASSIC for all time.🎉

[@mikemike2322]

Perfect reaction! Hitchcock is smiling from beyond that his movie still scares people over 60 yrs after he made it.

[@orangewarm1]

there is no perfect reaction

[@richardevans9003]

The skull that is flash imposed over Norman's face at the end is brilliant

[@jsharp3165]

The median income in 1960 was $5.6K. And as a secretary, she was probably making less than that. The median house cost $12K. So that was a TON of money.

[@SnabbKassa]

It's the same as well over 400K today

[@Robert-un7br]

Multiply all the numbers by 10 and you’re close to the value today.

[@longfootbuddy]

well at least you didnt try to say 40 grand was 400 grand, as if people having lower salaries, paying lower prices for things, somehow made 40 grand something besides 40 grand

[@channelthree9424]

$40,000 back then to buy three houses in Phoenix. today is equivalent to that amount probably couldn’t even get you one house in some parts of the country

[@FloridaMugwump]

Would you go on the run for the rest of your life for $400,000 in today's money?

[@johnmoreland6089]

The character of Norman Bates was based on real life killer and ghoul Ed Gein. Gein also served as the inspiration for Leatherface in The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Buffalo Bill in The Silence of the Lambs. Three iconic characters in three undisputed classic films. An unexpected legacy for such a disturbing example of humanity. Also, John Carpenter named the doctor in Halloween Sam Loomis as a tribute to Psycho, a second link between that film and this one, along with Jamie Lee Curtis.

[@michaelt6218]

This is one of those great movies, Madison, that can be re-watched again and again, and every time you do you'll see something or catch something that you'd missed before. It has so many layers of meaning, and has been studied and analyzed by academics for more than 60 years now. A true masterpiece -- and thank YOU for a fabulous reaction!

[@davidhuggan6315]

Exactly. Great point. The last time I noticed Norman is putting his jacket on after he'd killed Marion and was running back from the house. It's because he had just got changed.

[@drdavid1963]

Probably the best horror film ever made. Practically invented the modern version of the genre. My parents went to see the new Hitchcock movie in 1960 not knowing anything about it. There were people running screaming from the cinema. I have seen this so many times and it's still brilliant. The filmmaking is unmatched.

[@melenatorr]

Norman was played by Anthony Perkins, a wonderful, talented actor, whose career is, of course, pretty much defined by this role. But he did plenty of other stuff, and could be truly vulnerable. One of my favorite roles for him is in the bleak, thoughtful movie "On the beach", and remember one little conversation with his wife in the movie. They talk about how they first met. He remembers how beautiful she was. "I thought you were so underfed," she returns, gently.

[@phila3884]

I saw On the Beach recently and was reminded of his range as an actor. Years ago, I remember seeing another of his, Pretty Poison, also starring Tuesday Weld and liking it, although I can't remember anything about it except it was suspenseful and good. Need a rewatch.

[@melenatorr]

@@phila3884 I haven't seen "Pretty Poison" but will put it on my list! "On the Beach" is such an elegiac, strange, eerie work.

[@Steve-gx9ot]

Perkins good in "Tall Story" also = funny film

[@zedwpd]

The girl taking the tranquilizers is Hitchcock's real life daughter. $40k back then is worth $403,800 today. 18 year old daughter was getting quite the house. And Marion stole much more than people think. Marion wanted to switch cars because back then the tags were tied to the vehicle and not the owner. Once the cop showed up there was no reason to go on with the transaction. Sandwiches and milk wasn't really for company. He said he was fixing himself dinner and she could have some. Everyone younger is weirded out by the "you eat like a bird". It means you eat little or daintily. It was quite a common saying and said as a compliment. Opposite of you eat like a pig. The first cinematic toilet flush in history was in this movie. They used the word "friend" in the 50-60s like we use the word "Bro". The studio made Hitchcock add the psychiatrist monologue because they didnt think they would understand why Norman killed. He didnt want to and said audiences are smarter than that. Most people dont get it until the monologue, so I think the studio was right on this one. Anthony Perkins wife died on the plane that struck the Twin Towers on 9/11. They have two boys, Elvis and Oz. Arbogast is actually a real name with Germanic origins. The name means "bright guest" or "glorious guest," and it's derived from the Old High German words "ar" and "gast." And well done! He was in 12 Angry Men.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@BlackavarWD Police communicating with each other is still a problem and one reason a lot of serial predators are not caught for a long time.

[@tehawesomeface1337]

My late mom introduced me to Alfred Hitchcock’s films. My sweet and gentle mom was a big fan and showed me every Hitchcock film when I was just 15 years old. She would talk throughout each film, saying: “Watch his eyes. He’s lying and just making it up”. “Listen to her again. Read between the lines”. “She’s blonde. She’s going to die. Hitchcock hates blondes”. I inherited my mom’s love of thrillers and detective films. She prided herself on solving riddles and twists before a film ends, often ahead of the heroes in the film. I miss her very much watching new thrillers. Your reactions were just perfect. ‘Mother’ would have loved your reactions. (Wink, wink). (Key the ‘Psycho’ theme music here).

[@HuntingViolets]

I don't know; a lot of his heroines who live and have happy endings are blonde. They often suffer first, but everyone does.

[@dirtcop11]

Anthony "Tony" Perkins really nailed the psycho look. Janet Leigh was covered with chocolate syrup to replicate blood. That was the benefit of a black and white movie. Yes, she was Jaime Leigh Curtis's mother.

[@MsAppassionata]

That should be spelled Jamie Lee Curtis. I think she changed the spelling because people would sometimes mispronounce her mother’s last name (which can be pronounced either Lee or Lay). In her mother’s case it was pronounced Lee.

[@davidgilchrist9009]

Fabulous reaction, one of the best that I have seen for Psycho. You watched the film exactly as it should be seen, not knowing the twist, and you got the full Psycho experience. Bernard Herrmann's score is phenomenal. What makes this film so frightening is that it could happen in real life (and was loosely based on the real life Ed Gein). There is nothing supernatural, no ghosts or zombies, just a boy whose best friend is his mother. Subscribed!

[@treetopjones737]

The novel was inspired by real killer Ed Gein, the film is an adaption from that. Tangent, "Buffalo Bill" in Silence of the Lambs is also, Ed really did that.

[@brigettekorenek8135]

Oh yeah. This could happen. My ex’s best friend was “Mother”. Still is. Mother killed our marriage.

[@miketocci]

Watch "Deranged" from 1974, another fun movie based on Ed Gein. Roberts Blossom plays the psycho very well in it, inspiring sympathy and dread in equal measures. Deranged is an underappreciated horror film.

[@markhawes6000]

The indented bed in the mother's bedroom is a clue that she doesn't move in the bed...because she is dead. Creepy.

[@vytallicaq.6881]

Spielberg used that same technique. Never revealing the face of the villain, in his great TV movie "Duel". You're right, it's a very effective choice. The movie is nothing more than an extended road rage story, but Spielberg displays great talent at keeping it suspenseful all the way through. And Dennis Weaver was great in it! That was the first time I had ever heard of Spielberg, but soon after, he proved to be far more than just a one-hit wonder.🎞🎥🎬

[@SG-js2qn]

Before "Jaws," "The Exorcist," and other well-known soundtracks, the "Psycho" music was a classic reference for a mental breakdown.

[@infonut]

IMO the best film score ever created.

[@torbjornkvist]

Private Investigator Milton Arbogast was played by Martin Balsam, and yes, he was Jury No. 1 in Twelve Angry Men.

[@danielstartek1497]

And "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3"

[@athos1974]

He did a lot of guest star work in TV in the 60s & 70s. I remember seeing him a lot on reruns on cable TV in the 80s.

[@anrun]

He was in many films; a great character actor who won an Oscar for his performance in A Thousand Clowns.

[@zedwpd]

Audiences were already familiar with Anthony Perkins and he was known for playing the sweet boy next door parts so that set the audience up too.

[@jamesbattista1466]

Madison, your next Hitchcock movie: “The Birds”!!!!!!!❤ Picking your favorite is actually quite the task. Hitchcock made over 80 movies, from his early films made while still in England, all the way to coming to the United States, there’s hardly a bad one among them. There are many many more that you would be absolutely thrilled to watch. I’m sure many of your viewers will be glad to list them for you from this point on. Hitchcock is truly the master. By the way I loved loved loved your reaction.

[@bradsullivan2495]

The shower scene has long been ranked among the most iconic moments in movie history.

[@davidwilkins5932]

Great reaction to a classic! Love watching your reactions. This is such a beautifully photographed film, no matter the genre. The camera angles, the compositions, the fantastic gray scale, and inky blacks. And they’ve done an outstanding job of restoring from the original negatives. It’s so crisp and fresh, like it was shot yesterday.

[@theroadrunner8300]

The nervous finger tapping when Sam is talking to him.

[@christopherschafer7675]

No superheroes, no space travel, no CGI, just stuff that could actually happen. Good story telling exists without the multiverse. Glad you enjoyed it.

[@georgemartin1436]

A great movie without explosions...people running...it's UNHEARD OF!

[@pairofpints]

No men in tights....maybe

[@keithabney4665]

lol only a dress

[@Notepad37]

🤡

[@geraldmcboingboing7401]

Great reaction, Madison!! I've always liked how Norman actually gives it all away in his parlor when he tells Marion that his mother is as harmless as one of those stuffed birds. Kudos for Joseph Stefano!!

[@michaelwalsh2498]

Fine reaction and an excellent edit job! You'll know the sister, Vera Miles, from some of your previous watches: The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Searchers. The supporting cast was wonderful, Martin Balsam as the PI, John McIntire as the Sheriff, John Anderson as the used car dealer, Simon Oakland as the forensic psychiatrist. That was Hitchcock's daughter Patricia, playing the other secretary in the early office scene.

[@RReneeS]

And yes, Madison recognized Martin Balsam from his role in 12 Angry Men. Another fun piece of trivia, Martin Balsam's daughter was married to George Clooney briefly.

[@michaeldmcgee4499]

I've always thought that Vera Miles was one of the most beautiful actresses ever!

[@markdenio4537]

It’s only from watching reaction videos that I found out Vera Miles was in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance. She is luminous in that movie.

[@HuntingViolets]

@@michaeldmcgee4499Hitchcock planned to use her as one of his major-star blondes, but she decided to have a baby instead. She appeared on his anthology show at least once that I recall. Possibly more times.

[@justinplayfair4638]

Great reaction! Anthony Perkins played Norman, and he returns in the terrific sequel, Psycho II, which is HIGHLY recommended!

[@johnzavala333]

I absolutely Loved this reaction! It's always great to see someone who knows absolutely nothing about the big reveal ending watch this. 😱😂 Great job, Maddie. Keep it up! 😊🍿👍💕

[@jasonsypsa7074]

There is no reason for the private investigator to suspect she was killed. He just thinks there is something suspicious to indicate that she is maybe hiding there with Norman’s help.

[@Stogie2112]

It's wonderful how you went into this film knowing almost nothing about it. It's quite rare to have no spoilers these days. 👍👍

[@Lue_Jonin]

😃 The Arbogast murder scene was like seeing a spider's web, an insect caught in the web. You know the spider is going to rush out for the kill , but it still makes you jump when it happens. The music , camera angle, the hidden identity , all perfect aspects of the "jumpscare". Shame you hid your reaction with your blanket. Still, an enjoyable reaction video. 👍 💘 😱 🎥 I highly recommend a film called "Hitchcock" . It is the story of Alfred Hitchcock and the challenges of the making of "Psycho". Best of the film is that Hitchcock is portrayed by Anthony Hopkins .

[@andrewr311]

I hope you watch Birds, Rebecca and Rope too. Yes, Janet Leigh was Jamie Lee Curtis' mother and was a big star, so no one imagined she would die so quickly in the movie. $40, 000 is now worth $400,000. Yes, the PI is in 12 Angry Men, Martin Balsam

[@josephmayo3253]

Great reaction Madison. It's so much fun to see a person who doesn't know the twist, discover movies that I've known for years. It's like watching it fresh again. Hitchcock's reason for taking this on was that during the 1950s, low budget horror movies were making a ton of money, though the quality was inferior. He wondered what would happen if someone with real talent, (meaning himself), made one. You saw the result. He decided the budget would be under $1 million. This was the last movie under his contact with Universal, and they were not happy with the idea. Until opening weekend, and the money started rolling in. Your next Hitchcock should be Notorious. I won't spoil anything for you. I'll just say I think it's his best movie. Anthony Perkins was an excellent character actor prior to this movie. Unfortunately, he did such a great job, nobody in Hollywood could see him as anything else any more, so he was stuck in horror for the rest of his career. Some good movies of his to see are On the Beach, Murder on the Orient Express, and Fear Strikes Out Again, great video Madison.

[@jeffreyjeziorski1480]

And Catch 22...

[@goldenager59]

One excellent non-horror role which Perkins tackled was as Inspector Javert in the CBS-TV (I think) production of *Les Miserables* in 1978. Emotionless, hateful and terrifying, I had to stop watching by the first commercial break (I was eight at the time). 😎

[@wolandbegemotazazello]

black and white and the brilliance of the swinging light floating across the eye sockets..

[@thunderstruck5484]

This movie scared the crap out of me as a kid in the 60s , still holds up beautifully! Thanks Madison!

[@gsparkman]

Loved the reaction, as usual. I recently saw a reaction to Psycho by a couple so young that they knew absolutely nothing about the film. Never heard of it or of Hitchcock. Their reaction was as close to those of the original 1960 audiences as is possible in 2023. It’s amazing how different the effect of the film was on these two, with no cultural guidance or expectations, than witnessed in most modern viewers that typically of some awareness of the film. They were in shock and baffled until the very end. Closest thing to a time machine that I have experienced.

[@parsifal40002]

Janet Leigh is Jamie Lee Curtis' mom. Anthony Perkins was absolutely brilliant as Norman Bates! Fantastic actor!

[@tomstanziola1982]

5:50 - The woman who said "I declare!" is Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia.

[@Stogie2112]

Janet Leigh was Tony Curtis's first wife. They were married from 1951-1962. They had two daughters - Kelly and Jamie Lee.

[@StereoSpace]

Norman Bates smiling in the end scene...I remember watching an investigator who worked for the police, a woman, I think she was a psychoanalyst, giving a talk on interviews and interrogations. She mentioned a crime where two children disappeared. The mother was interviewed, and she saw the video afterward. She described how after the mother described the day of her children's disappearance, when she'd wrapped up the whole story, she saw a fleeting smile on the mother's face. OMG, she thought, she did it! No normal mother would have any reason to be smiling after describing that, unless she thought she was getting away with something. After a long investigation, the mother was charged with killing both children and disposing of them in a lake. People do a lot of communicating with their body language.

[@Stogie2112]

Less than 10% of the information we give to others comes from our words. The tone of our voice, pauses and hesitations, facial expressions, body posture, hand gestures, etc.

[@NemeanLion-]

Notice when Bates smiles, Hitchcock superimposed a skull over his face as the camera was fading out. 36:01

[@StereoSpace]

@@NemeanLion- I hadn't noticed that. Wow.

[@HuntingViolets]

Sometimes people smile because of nerves, so that is hardly a definitive rule, even if the investigator was correct in that case. This is also true of watching to see whether their eyes go right or left for remembering or imagining (and, anyone, you could be remembering what you had already planned out to say). I put this in a story of mine once because of an article I'd read with a police investigator but then found out it had been debunked and took it out. It was a lovely idea, though.

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

A great reaction, Madison. This is such a masterful film, by a master who is often copied but never bettered. Yes, the actress who played Marion, Janet Leigh, is the Mother of, Jamie Lee Curtis, her Father being, Tony Curtis. A bit of trivia for you, the 'blood' in the shower scene was actually chocolate sauce, this was used as it contrasted better against the white of the bathroom is the shots, also you never see the knife enter Marion's body it just appears so due to the way the scene is cut and the use of different camera angles your mind does the rest. I hope that the recovery from your accident is still going well, Madison?

[@kinokind293]

Yep, "Bosco" chocolaté syrup - it's all we used when I was a kid. You can still buy it. It was also blood in "Night of the Living Dead".

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

@@kinokind293 Thank you, I didn't know what brand it was, or that it was used in 'The Night of The Living Dead', I'm from the U.K. so it's not a brand which I'm familiar with.

[@MadisonKThames]

Thank you, Adam! Glad you enjoyed the reaction😊 Yes, still a ways to go, but I’m doing better, thanks!

[@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.]

@@MadisonKThames Well, I'm glad to hear that you're still on the mend as we say in the U.K. Take care and much love, Madison.

[@kinokind293]

Don't feel bad, most people in the States wouldn't have heard of it either. It's an old brand that was more common 50 years ago, but is apparently still available.@@Adam_Le-Roi_Davis.

[@MadiBendy]

I’ve seen this film three times and it still terrifies me. Just shows how powerful film can be

[@lmsossi6501]

What a fantastic reaction! I found your comments during the movie thoughtful but not intrusive and really enjoyed your more in-depth commentary at the end!! The acting is superb with all the characters so believable! I love how Norman stumbled over his words with the detective, barely able to articulate the word "invalid." Yes, that last shot is terrifying! What is remarkable, too, is that the violence is never shown; we never see Marion or the detective stabbed, but most first-time viewers have said they actually thought they had seen Marion stabbed in the shower when all we get are shots of Marion screaming and the knife plunging down and blood (actually chocolate syrup) going down the drain but no actual wounds. The violence is all simply suggested, but the effect is so horrifying. Hitchcock was so brilliant!!

[@porflepopnecker4376]

I love the moody black-and-white photography in this film, which I think is ideal for such a dark, nightmarish story. Hitchcock wanted to prove he could make such a film on a low budget, so he used the same facilities as his television show, "Alfred Hitchcock Presents." Also in keeping with this is the supporting cast which boasts several dependable, familiar character actors such as Vaughn Taylor (Marion's boss), Frank Albertson (Mr. Cassidy), Mort Mills (cop), John Anderson (car dealer), Martin Balsam (Arbogast), John MacIntire and Lurene Tuttle as the sheriff and his wife, and Simon Oakland as the psychiatrist. Future "Mary Tyler Moore Show" regular Ted Knight does a bit part as the cop who gives Norman a blanket. Hitchcock's daughter Pat plays Marion's coworker Caroline.

[@HuntingViolets]

Patricia Hitchcock was quite a good actress, although I've only seen her in a few things and always related to her father's work. She seems to have not been interested in making a career out of it, but she was good.

[@michaeldmcgee4499]

Another terrifying movie from the same period is "Cape Fear" with Robert Mitchum and Gregory Peck. Mitchum's Max Cady character is one of the most terrifying monsters in film history!

[@brentharker7868]

This show was the 1st modern Horror movie. My mother, who had been a big Hitchcock fan, saw this on opening night said she was traumatized for days. She refused to watch any new Hitchcock films for the rest of her life it had such an effect on her. The real life back story was inspired from the real life ghoul Ed Gein. Gein was one of the first serial killers who came into public prominence during the 1950's and it's speculated he may have been murdering people for decades on his farm in rural Wisconsin. He was a butcher by trade and the mind boggles at the fate of his victims. His horrific actions are the basis of many Horror movies and movie characters, such as Leatherface from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Buffalo Bill from Silence of the Lambs. Hitchcock launched a entirely new movie genre tapping into this type of insanity with the release of Psycho.

[@user-cr5mq9lz8r]

Wonderful reaction!!! I do enjoy you emotions, comments, and post-insight so much! Your "Does the apple fall from the tree?" comment blew me away as I said the exact same thing near the same moment when I saw this classic so many years ago. I, too, never saw the twist coming. Hitchcock is definitely a top 10 director, perhaps top 5. The sister, Lyla, is played by Vera Miles, one of Hollywood's golden era icons. She was also in John Ford's, "The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance" & "The Searchers". She also appeared in another Hitchcock classic, "The Wrong Man" with Henry Fonda, based on a true story. She was a fantastic actress! He last work was in 1995 & since retired! She is 94 years old.

[@StevenJBosch]

Alfred Hitchcock had a 30 minute anthology series “Alfred Hitchcock Presents.” One of the episodes he directed himself featured Tony Randall as an ad executive who wakes up from a three day binge in a house not his. The episode turns on his search for what happened He eventually finds his home. Searching for his wife, who threatened to leave him if he didn’t stop drinking, he finds no sign of her. He does see a corner of the scarf he bought for her to prove he was sober. The corner of the scarf is sticking out from behind a locked door. He opens the door and finds the scarf tied around his dead wife’s throat.

[@snookyookum]

I really enjoyed watching you go through the changes Hitchcock put you through in this absolute gem. There are multiple layers and themes in this film that people have been mining for decades. I want to touch on a couple more obvious ones: I loved when you mentioned The Birds as a trope connecting to that future film because it's so true. Norman 'Bates' is a bird of prey surrounded by stuffed images of himself. . He 'baits' his prey. Marion 'Crane' is the obvious prey and Hitch puts a highlight on it when Norman looks into the murder scene in the bathroom and recoils knocking the picture of the bird to the floor, a songbird now dead. A fun one is that odd shot of Norman looking up as he bends over the desk chewing his candy corn, he's a wild bird in a nature show. I think those examples are fun examples of what hitchock does in many of his movies. Another one you might think of on a rewatch is Marion's slow journey from honest living to giving in to one bad impulse and traveling from the light into the darkness of her 'id' where she 'repents' from her deed and takes a cleansing shower where she even folds her hands like in prayer before being summarily slaughtered by a permanent dweller in that dark 'id'. Watch for the part as she's dying where she reaches her hand out to the camera (us) and we recoil from helping her.

[@agutterfan]

Great review Madison. Notice the change from white lingerie to black when Marion decides to run off with the money (black being 'sinful'). Notice the eyes motif throughout the film (the menacing highway cop has none, and the 'accusatory' because blinding headlamps coming towards her as she plays out in her mind what the other characters are saying about her, the birds, the shower head etc), and the final shot where there's a quick superimposition of mother's skull over his face. Hitch followed this with another 'horror', THE BIRDS (1963), highly recommended. Yes, the detective was from 12 Angry Men, Martin Balsam played the foreman. Bates Motel was indeed made into a TV show. Trivia fact, the house was built quarter size (to save costs and deceive the eye as to scale as it's much nearer the motel) and as far as I know still on the Universal backlot and part of their tour. The scene that caused most offence with the censors was the shot of a flushing toilet, a first in American film.

[@johnnehrich9601]

Didn't know the house was to scale. It was based on a famous 1925 Edward Hopper painting, House by the Railroad, which in turn was based on a house still standing in Haverstraw, NY. The painting was also the inspiration for Charles Addams cartoon, Addams Family. People are probably most familiar with another of Hopper's painting, of an all-night cafe with just one customer sitting there. As far as I know, too, the house still stands on the backlot. It was used in many movies and tv shows, where it is obscured somewhat by different versions of trees and shrubbery. It was a constant on Murder She Wrote to represent a home in different locations. I used to get tired of seeing it, alternated with the same overuse of the Munsters house.

[@cpete2976]

For the change in lingerie color I always thought it was interesting that she is wearing white (purity and innocence) when she is having premarital sex in a crummy hotel that they checked into for a few hours. And then, as you said, she's wearing black (evil) lingerie when she decides to steal.

[@porflepopnecker4376]

@@johnnehrich9601 One of Robert Bloch's sequels to his book "Psycho" was called "Psycho House."

[@chuckvelten5337]

Enjoyed the reaction. Obviously a classic. Rosemary's Baby, definitely should be a movie on the list for the Halloween season. Take care and be well always.

[@louremington6975]

I saw this movie, sitting in the front row, when I was 9 years old. I had nightmares for days. Who lets a 9 year old see this movie. Luckily, it became my fascination with horror movies. Especially, Alfred Hitchcock.

[@darrenwatkins7896]

After this you need to see Psycho 2, it continues 20 odd years after when Norman (still played by Anthony Perkins) is released and goes back to the motel. Great reaction.

[@lesgrice4419]

Theres a really good movie out there called 'Hitch' starring Anthony Hopkins as Hitchcock and Helen Mirren as his wife which dramatises how they made the movie Psycho, very interesting, humorous in a black comedic way and quite sweet at times but it shows his genius for getting the movie done...

[@brianwalley2131]

A bit of movie trivia for you. Psycho is the first Hollywood movie in which we can see a toilet.

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

"We all go a little mad sometimes." One of my favorite movie quotes!

[@BlackavarWD]

Cheshire Cat: “Most everyone’s mad here” -Disney's Alice in Wonderland

[@Cbcw76]

Eight months after this reaction, I note that this is a most rewatchable film although I really can't in quick succession. Even once a year feels like 'a lot'. For folks living near film-festival towns, this film is jam-packed and seeing it on the big screen AND in a jammed theater, it is so much more powerful, so electric. Rewatchers usually comment, "It's like I'd never seen this film before."

[@dompy1]

I loved watching your reaction! My mother told me that she and my Dad went to see Psycho the theater the year it was released and she was traumatized for days afterward! This film introduced the "slasher" genre so I can imagine how frightening this must have been to maiden audiences. It scared me too when I first saw it in the 70s? I'm so glad this film is still enjoyed by younger generations because it does deserve its place as one of the greatest thrillers in filmdom! Cheers!

[@ZachBonnell]

Love the spooky setup! And the outfit. Some of the Psycho sequels are super cool too even though they're a little different and not quite critically acclaimed.

[@anrun]

There are so many other great Hitchcock films (Notorious, Strangers on a Train, Rope) but at some point, you might try one of his last films, Frenzy. It is very much in the Psycho vein, but also with a nice little humorous sub-plot.

[@conureron3792]

I’m surprised this iconic film is just getting reviewed now…but this is always a treat to see someone new view this film for a first time!

[@hughring]

In the final shot with Norman smiling, his face blends into the face of his mothers corpse.

[@coreyhendricks9490]

This movie ranked at #4 in the 100 scariest movie moments on Bravo, cool reaction as always Madison, you have a great weekend sweetie 🥰❤️

[@shawnmiller4781]

Yes, Janie Leigh was Jamie Lee Curtis’s mom Yes, Martin Balsam (Abagahst 21:54 ) was the jury foreman in 12 angry men

[@jackmessick2869]

You nailed it about Martin Balsam, he was in 12 Angry Men, the jury foreman. And your reaction to the main character's death at mid-film was the same in 1960. It astonished everyone in the critics' circle back then.

[@karimhicks8376]

Norman Bates, the serial killer, was inspired by the realife killer, ED GEIN. He also was the inspiration for The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, & Buffalo Bill, in The Silence of the Lambs!!!

[@marvinsarracino116]

Great movie and reaction! This soundtrack is iconic! Hearing it always brings to mind a knife slashing away! 😂 love that you are watching the classics! If you want a recommendation "The Birds" by Hitchcock is a must! Luv ya Maddie ❤💛

[@Sandy-dd4le]

A perfect reaction to the shower scene! From what I've read, audiences at the time were absolutely blown away by Marion's death not even halfway through the movie. I'm not sure if killing off your main character was something that had been done before. The Hitchcock movie I'd like to se a reaction to, is Rope. It's a wicked piece of writing that i think you'd appreciate.

[@kinokind293]

Hitchcock had the theatre not admit anyone after the start of the film (in those days, since film showings repeated and they didn't clear the theatre after showings, people often came in late and stayed on to see the part they missed), so as not to spoil the surprises. Rope is amazing, if only as an exercise in filming.

[@Sandy-dd4le]

@@kinokind293 I love how he reverses the typical murder mystery , and Jimmy Stewart is pretty good in it.

[@kinokind293]

Plot-wise, it's almost a "Columbo" episode.@@Sandy-dd4le

[@Sandy-dd4le]

@@kinokind293 haha, I'm trying to imagine Peter Falk in the Jimmy Stewart role, but it's defeating me! I take your point, though at least you didn't pick Murder She Wrote! I like Rope a lot, it's Hitchcock playing around with things he would use later in Psycho, Rear Window etc. I'm not sure if there had been a film previous to this that reverses the traditional murder mystery, plus the apparent real time thing is superbly done.

[@kinokind293]

Agreed!@@Sandy-dd4le

[@peggykunkel9180]

When I was a teenager I tried to watch this movie on TV but the music scared me so much that I never got beyond Marion getting to Bates Motel. Finally when I was 30 I watched the full film. Hitchcock is a master of suspense.

[@3DJapan]

Yes, Bates Motel was a great show, a prequel to the movie with Freddie Highmore (The Good Doctor) playing young Norman.

[@harryrabbit2870]

Excellent screenplay by Joseph Stefano (who also wrote and produced the original "Outer Limits" TV show in the mid-1960s. ) Terrific execution by the actors (and yes, you identified Martin Balsam from "12 Angry Men" correctly) and masterful work by Hitchcock. Great film, great reaction.

[@Dylan_Platt]

This is one of several classic movies whose twist was completely spoiled for entire generations of people, just due to the degree that they saturated the culture for decades on end. SO cool when people are able to come to movies like this completely fresh, and it can impact them as powerfully as possible. Great reaction.

[@periechontology]

Yep. It was spoiled for me and my peers as GenXers. It was impossible to not know who Norman Bates was during my entire youth in the 80's. But now we have generations that can watch it the way it was intended

[@NemeanLion-]

Lol, Madison would be such a fun date to go see a horror flick with. Such an awesome reaction. Btw, creepy fact: look closely at the end…….they superimposed a skull over Norman Bates’ face when they faded out at 36:01

[@fidel2xl]

Great reaction as always, Madison. Btw, here's the thing with that $40,000.00 cash in 1960. In today's dollars, adjusted for inflation, that $40,000.00 in 1960 is equivalent to $415,000.00 today in 2023

[@JC-ke7mj]

Hey there! I love this classic. Thank you for reacting to this Madison!

[@stephendeluca4479]

Perkins does such a great job. My favorite Hitchcock film. Joe Stephano wrote the screenplay. He produced all and wrote many of the first season Outer Limits episodes a couple of years later.

[@keithabney4665]

one of the best reactions, i was totally engaged like you and THANK YOU for not cranking out the 2 standard lines I hear from many young viewers - "this is the oldest movie I've ever watched" and "this is the only black and white film I've ever watched" the omission of those tired comments immediately elevated your smarts - congratulations Madison - do more reactions!

[@Gothondra]

You are one of the best movie critics on youtube, this movie and The Birds were my 2 favourite Hitchcock movies. keep up the good work.

[@tomstanziola1982]

21:51 - Correct, Madison! That's Martin Balsam, who was in "12 Angry Men".

[@carlbaldasso]

This was fun, watching your reaction as a complete "newbie" to the brilliant PSYCHO. Now, when you watch it again knowing what's what, you'll be able to catch the amusing lines like Norman saying to Marion as he brings her the dinner: "Mother - what’s the phrase? She isn’t quite herself today." HA! She sure isn't!

[@sp72929]

A colleague of mine told me how they watched this movie with his still teenaged sons. They were not happy to watch a black&white movie - not at all. He laughed how his sons had nearly their noses pressed to the screen holding their breaths by the end od it - hook, line and sinker 😂 Hitchcock was one of a kind, a master of suspension without gunfire, bombs, car-cases, explosions, SGI, and barely any blood at all and he still has you glued to the screen - that's mastery of storytelling!

[@jollyrodgers7272]

Janet Leigh was so unnerved by the finished product of the shower scene that she avoided showers for the rest of her life, unless absolutely necessary, and even then all the doors and windows had to be locked with the shower stall and bathroom door wide open! Hershey's chocolate syrup was used for the blood. Except for some location shots, most everything was filmed at Revue Studios where his TV show (Alfred Hitchcock Presents) was also being filmed (and used the same style of graphics), as Alfred produced this film independently and also financed it himself. Yes, Martin Balsam was in 12 ANGRY MEN. One of my favorite Hitchcock films (and nobody reacts to) is TO CATCH A THIEF (Paramount Pictures, 1955), starring Cary Grant and Grace Kelly (not long before she became Princess Grace of Monaco).

[@danielwellman9865]

Such an enjoyable reaction Madison! I first saw this movie when I was 13, when the movie was rereleased. It was in a theatre with a giant screen and those scenes with the butcher knife murders and the old lady's face scared the crap out of me. When the music signaled another murder was about to happen I started to shield my eyes. I also saw Hitchock's "The Birds" on that same giant screen. Alfred Hitchcock was a master film maker, maybe the best for suspense.

[@positivelynegative9149]

Yup. That moment when we see the corpse & Norman comes in is one of the best in cinema history. 😲

[@karimhicks8376]

Janet Liegh, is the mother of Jamie Lee Curtis. Her father was actor Tony Curtis.

[@THOMMGB]

Madison, $40,000.00 in 1960 is about $415,000.00 today. Wow. Can you imagine watching this in a crowded movie theater back in 1960? It freaked everyone out, big time.

[@sca88]

Another old film with one of the all time great film psychopaths is 'The Bad Seed' 1956, an 8 year old girl Rhoda Penmark. I got to meet the actress Patty McCormack this past Summer. When my late mom went back to school and got a psych degree after my sisters and I moved out, she watched the film in one of her psych classes as an example of a child who was born a psychopath.

[@steelers6titles]

McCormack, a successful actress for many years, is still remembered for Rhoda.

[@jimmyj5035]

Alfred Hitchcock's "THE BIRDS" is an Absolute MUST Watch for ANY TRUE Hitchcock Fan!

[@johnmaynardable]

Hitchcock was also producing his anthology TV series . When he decided to make this movie, he knew that he wanted to shoot it in B & W. So he hired his TV crew because they were fast and they were very experienced with B & W filming. He shot the film during the season break for the anthology series. Keep watching more Hitchcock. Try some that others haven't watched yet like Strangers On A Train, Frenzy, Rope, The Lady Vanishes and The Man Who Knew Too Much (I like the later version wit Jimmy Stewart and Doris Day).

[@garylee3685]

She was imagining what they were saying since it was the same night she went to the hotel and left Phoenix.

[@user-bl5yi4uw6j]

I remember showing this film to my young nephew years ago. He dismissed it at first because it was in b&w, but quickly became mesmerized by it. When it was over, he was like "What a great movie!" Of course I had to laugh at this. Many, if not all, of Hitchcock's films were experiments in filmmaking in one way or another. In "Psycho," the killing of Marion, the protagonist, disorients the viewer by eliminating someone the film spent some time investing itself in, disrupting the classical model of narration. The film sustains its momentum by transitioning the viewers' interest to Norman before settling on Lila and Sam. The thematic elements present in Psycho are classic Hitchcock cinema: psychotic behavior, voyeurism and motherhood. These themes are also explored in Hitchcock's Rear Window, Notorious, Vertigo and Shadow of a Doubt. Indeed, "Shadow of a Doubt" may be regarded as an early "Psycho" precursor. In "Psycho" these themes are explored in greater depth. Hitchcock's studio, Paramount, refused to fund "Psycho" because it had no faith in the source material. So, the film was an experiment in its production. "Psycho" is based on a 1959 novel by Robert Bloch of the same name. Today, both the novel and the film are considered masterpieces of the horror genre. Paramount also would not agree to distribute the film without major concessions from Hitchcock. These included Hitchcock personally financing the project himself while foregoing his usual director’s fee. For his part, Hitchcock retained 60% ownership of the film. Hitchcock mortgaged his own house to finance the film and shot it using his tv crew. Hitchcock had a popular weekly tv anthology series at the time. Clearly, he had a lot of confidence in his tv crew. This low-budget film quickly made millions and made Hitchcock a lot of money. The music for "Psycho" was by Bernard Herrmann, regarded as one of the greatest composers for film.

[@susanliltz3875]

And they later were talking about the movie, said the blood in the shower was chocolate syrup! And this was the first movie to show a toilet or show it flushing.

[@johncagnettajr344]

This movie influenced 1000 of movies and television shows. Not just the plot twists but also the camera shots and angles.

[@ticklicker11]

Vera Miles who played Marian's sister was also the woman who left John Wayne for Jimmy Stewart in The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance.

[@thepodbaydoorshal]

I've seen this film countless, and I mean COUNTLESS times... And I never spotted the 'Crane' name and the bird association. This film is just genius.

[@cpete2976]

And the picture that Norman knocks of the wall when he steps back from the gruesome scene in the bathroom is one of four drawings of birds that are hung on the wall. Also in the sandwich scene in his office "you eat like a bird".

[@snootybaronet]

Alfred Hitchcock's favorite of his own films was Shadow of a Doubt from the 40s. I hope you'll react to it when you do more Hitchcocks. An excellent study of a serial killer and people's reaction to one.