Psycho (1960) is AWESOME!! FIRST TIME WATCHING Reaction

[@lethaldose2000]

Hey Shree, "Psycho" brought many firsts to cinema: you never saw a toilet in an American movie before this, seeing Janet Leigh in a bra was also not the norm, and the entire shower sequence, of course, legendary. And of course, this was one of the first movies to kill off the main character (ala GOT)halfway through the movie. Now you see why Hitchcock is called the Master of Suspense!

[@garyclarke9685]

The film Hitchcock goes in to much detail regarding the making of psycho & goes through the points you just made.

[@anniethenonnymouse]

Not to mention the opening scene with the lovers lying in a passionate embrace on the bed. That stuff was scandalous! 😲

[@LilRocker2005]

Hitchcock actually was the first to do that, which shocked audiences back then! To bring in a huge star at the time like Janet Leigh, only to kill her off at the end of the first act! I could just imagine what was going through people's minds watching that movie! It was also the first movie that truly made people get to the theater when you were supposed to be for your showtime because Hitchcock made it so that the theaters wouldn't let anyone in once Psycho had started! Even if you were just arriving at the opening credits, you weren't getting in and would have to wait for the next showing, IF you were lucky because every showing was sold out!

[@TequilaToothpick]

It was the toilet flush that was the first.

[@LilRocker2005]

@@TequilaToothpick so was killing the lead actress in the first act and making sure that the theaters didn't let anyone in once the movie started. I can imagine that more people in the theater were shocked by Janet Leigh being killed off at the end of the first act

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

A masterpiece. Hitchcock never won an Oscar for Best Director, but his body of work is nothing short of a masterclass. I went to film school, and when it comes down to it, all most filmmakers are doing is trying to catch up to Hitchcock. As for other Hitchcock films, take your pick. The Birds, North By North West, Vertigo, Shadow Of A Doubt, Notorious, Rear Window, Rope, Rebecca. You can’t go wrong.

[@ShreeNation]

Damn. Its a shame he never won an Oscar :( And thank you for the recommendations!

[@marlonthemarvellous]

Northby Northwest is my Fav, followed by Rear Window and Vertigo

[@Harvest991]

Dial M for Murder is fav of mine as well!!

[@skanecmt]

I'm so glad you mentioned Shadow of a Doubt. It's one of my absolute favorites. I think it has a similar feel to Psycho. It can be so creepy at times. The Trouble with Harry is another one of the more obscure Hitchcock movies... and yet it's weirdly light-hearted and kinda cute.

[@christopherleodaniels7203]

@@skanecmt …Shadow Of A Doubt was often cited as Hitchcock’s favorite.

[@richardcramer1604]

Multiple personalities/split personalities were widely known before this 1960 movie came out. Such as: The Three Faces of Eve a 1957 American mystery drama film, based on the book of the same name about the life of Chris Costner Sizemore, which was written by psychiatrists Corbett H. Thigpen and Hervey M. Cleckley, who also helped write the screenplay. Sizemore, also known as Eve White, was a woman they suggested might have dissociative identity disorder (then known as multiple personality disorder). Sizemore's identity was concealed in interviews about this film and was not revealed to the public until 1977. Joanne Woodward won the Academy Award Best Actress for playing Eve. Also the very popular "Lord of the Rings" books came out in 1954 with a central character Gollum/Smeagol having a split personality.

[@brandonflorida1092]

Hitchcock is always great like this except for a few movies at the very end of his career. My favorite is "North by Northwest," but many of his films are very great. I always felt that Anthony Perkins (Norman) should have won an Academy Award for this.

[@ShreeNation]

He didn't?! That's a shame :(

[@BigGator5]

"She needs ME. It's not as if is she were a maniac, a raving thing. She just goes - a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?" "Yes. Sometimes just one time can be enough." Fun Fact: Director Sir Alfred Hitchcock was so pleased with the score written by Bernard Herrmann that he doubled the composer's salary. Up Close And Personal Fact: In order to implicate viewers as fellow voyeurs, Sir Alfred Hitchcock used a 50 mm lens on his 35 mm camera. This gives the closest approximation to the human vision. In the scenes where Norman is spying on Marion, this effect is felt. Subtle Visual Cues Fact: In the opening scene, Marion Crane is wearing a white bra and has a white purse because Sir Alfred Hitchcock wanted to show her as being angelic. After she has taken the money, the following scene has her in a black bra and black purse because now she has done something wrong and evil.

[@ShreeNation]

Nice! Thank you for this in-depth explanation 😍

[@BigGator5]

You're very welcome! Have a great week!

[@Dylan_Platt]

Wow, never heard that about Hitchcock paying a 100% bonus for the score before, very cool. Even at double the original fee, he got a bargain, the score is so memorable and iconic.

[@glennwisniewski9536]

More context: back in the 1950s, the interstate highway system was just starting to be built. Frequently, businesses found themselves bypassed and had to move, or in some cases, go out of business. Some folks couldn't afford either choice and tried to make a go of it. The Bates Motel is a example of the latter.

[@Ninnative]

I love how some of the older movies take their time, building up tension and paranoia- Jaws and The Thing are good examples of that. Also, that final scene with Norman smiling into the camera is still chillingly effect, even to this day 😮

[@ShreeNation]

Agreed 👏👏

[@kevinmcfarlane2752]

I remember watching this back in the day as a teen, having never heard of the film in advance. Freaked me out!

[@glennwisniewski9536]

Hey Shree, some context: Janet Leigh was one of the biggest stars of her day, married to another big star, Tony Curtis. People came to Psycho to see a Janet Leigh movie. When she dies early on in the film, it would have been absolutely shocking to the audience. Kind of like going to a Tom Cruise movie today and he's dead in the first 20 minutes.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the info :)

[@Fedorevsky]

The parents of Jamie Lee Curtis another famous actress. Got her start in horror movies like Halloween and The Fog (in which her mother also had a role).

[@mars-jr5uu]

@@ShreeNationhii

[@joeschwartz1009]

$40 thousand is about 325 thousand in today's value

[@joey_dangerously]

Norman Bates, Leatherface from Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and the killer from Silence of the Lambs are all based off the real life killer named Ed Gein.

[@jamesalexander5623]

Cute Fact : Marion's Co-Worker at the Office is Pat Hitchcock .... The Director's Daughter! She also has a pivitol part in "Strangers on a Train'!

[@applcinamn]

Sometimes an actor is so memorable in a role that it's both a blessing and a curse. The shadow of Norman Bates loomed large over the rest of Anthony Perkins' career (and he did play the role again in several sequels). Sadly, he passed in the 1990s and his widow died on one of the planes that hit the World Trade Center on 9/11.

[@ShreeNation]

So tragic, rest in peace to both of them 😢

[@JosephRGrych]

Three Faces of Eve (1957) was another movie, a mystery/drama, about a woman with split personalities, starring Joanne Woodward in the titular role. It was supposedly based on a true case.

[@RobAGabor]

Split personalities were pretty well know back then. In 1957, Joanne Woodward won an Oscar for playing a woman who had three personalities. The movie was called The Three Faces of Eve.

[@williammatthews693]

I always liked how Hitchcock explained suspense. Suspense is 2 people sitting in a restaurant having a conversation. That's all it is, except there is a bomb under the table and it's about to go off. The audience knows this but they don't know if the two people in the restaurant know it. Maybe one of them knows. Maybe both of them know. Maybe neither of them know but where the suspense comes from is seeing what happens between now and when the bomb detonates. That is suspense!

[@ShreeNation]

That is brilliant👏

[@lethaldose2000]

Hey Shrere, when "Psycho" was first released, Alfred Hitchcock and the studio gave a unique order to theaters showing the movie: once the movie started, nobody was allowed to enter the theater showing it. That was to keep anyone from giving away any plot points, keep the secrets a surprise, and get the fullest response from the audiences. There were screams, fright, and stories of some people passing out. It was definitely a different time for movie audiences.

[@ShreeNation]

That is fantastic. And those poor people lol, i bet they had no idea what they were signing up for.

[@lethaldose2000]

@@ShreeNation Hahahaha

[@nancycottone2155]

@@ShreeNation You should watch the sequal in 1983 one of the best sequals

[@Fedorevsky]

@@nancycottone2155 Great film!

[@ottocarson]

The movies of Alfred Hitchcock are all masterpieces. The films of those years were incredible. In many cases because the scripts were just perfect, like The Apartment, by Billy Wilder. I could see that you were impressed first by the dialogues, second by the use of the camera, third by the performance of the main actor, and four by the whole story, the script. The mix of all that was called cinema and was a true art. Now times has changed, the goal is making money, it doesn't matter the story too much.

[@stevenruvolo499]

janet leigh is the first lady who was killed in the shower. she is the mother of jamie lee curtis

[@TurbidTG1]

The others I recommend are Rear Window, Shadow Of A Doubt, North By Northwest, Vertigo, The Birds, Rope, Frenzy, and Family Plot.

[@Greenwood4727]

I love his Dark Comedy The Trouble with Harry.. its got to be one of my ALL time favs

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendations :)

[@santaonthecross]

When you said The 2 of them are going to get the detective, I kept thinking how you were technically correct, which we all know is the best kind of correct.

[@ericjohnson2137]

This movie was almost in color, but they couldn't get the blood to look realistic so they switched to black & white and I believe they used Hershey's syrup

[@ShreeNation]

Haha awesome!!

[@jamesharper3933]

A great installment in the evolution of the modern slasher movies. Great reaction. Another film worth checking out from this era is the 1961 Deborah Kerr film The Innocents. It's a great example of less is more and can be creepy or spooky just on ambience alone. Nobody on KZbin has reacted to this classic yet.

[@ShreeNation]

I can't wait😍

[@marinamartinez6886]

Yes, The Innocents is totally different but amazing. Based on the book The Turn of the Screw.

[@paulinegallagher7821]

The bit where Debra Kerr sees the woman in black across the lake is chilling.

[@andyb7942]

"Vertigo" is by far my favorite Hitchcock film. It is not the 'crowd pleaser' that Rear Window or North by Northwest is, so recommend seeing either of those first as those are perhaps more entertaining. However, "Vertigo" is on a whole different level in terms of symbolism and the craft of film, as well as one of the best explorations of the human psyche ever put to film. "Vertigo" is also currently ranked as the best film of all-time by the most prestigious and oldest film criticism journal (Sight and Sound).

[@ShreeNation]

Vertigo sounds amazing, will give it a watch😍

[@Fedorevsky]

@@ShreeNation I second that recommendation. Vertigo is amazing!

[@BlueShadow777]

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. Not surprising, really, as he's of the same method acting provenance as the likes of Steiger, Dean, Brando, Clift etc. Couple this with Hitchcock's superb directorial insight and a celluloid classic was created.

[@amitychief3061]

"Without a doubt, one of the best movies I've ever watched." I said the same thing the first time I saw it. This movie is still head and shoulders above most everything in cinema.

[@auapplemac1976]

Multiple personalties featured in 1957's "3 Faces of Eve" with Joann Woodward was based on a real story of a women with 3 different personalities.

[@thishappybreed6505]

Such a very polished and intelligent reaction! The real life case of Ed Gein, which first brought the psychotic underbelly of US society to mass public attenion was the inspiration for the novel 'Psycho', on which the film was based.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you so much 🥲

[@nedvva]

Janet Leigh, the first victim of the film, is actually the mother of another great actress, Jamie Lee Curtis

[@TheHulk2008]

The reveal at the end is one of the best reveals in Hollywood history.

[@deansmith2790]

Watch the "Caine Mutiny". I was blown away by the psychological analysis of Humphrey Bogart by Fred McMurray in this movie which was made in the 1950s.

[@ShreeNation]

Sounds interesting, will check it out 😍

[@anthonyloudermill3393]

I'm 35 years old and this movie still scares the hell out of me. Lol. Anthony Perkins. Killed it lol. Get it guys. Haha. I'm here all week.

[@ShreeNation]

Glad to have you here

[@anthonyloudermill3393]

@@ShreeNation I'm glad to be here. 😉 ❤ I love your channel reactions and your. Beautiful smart.i Haft to say.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you🥲

[@anthonyloudermill3393]

@@ShreeNation your welcome.

[@anniethenonnymouse]

Hey Shree-- loved your reaction to this amazing film! Just to let you know, there have been many films even before Psycho to address mental illness. A couple of my favorites: The Three Faces of Eve (1957) starring Joanne Woodward, and The Snake Pit (1948) starring Olivia de Havilland. If you're interested in falling down the Hitchcock rabbit-hole, please do check out his rather cheeky comedy, The Trouble With Harry (1955)-- it's a classic comedy of errors. I appreciate all that you do and all that you are 🐝 Blessed Bee

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendations and for your lovely words❤🥲 Have a great day!

[@joeciorciari1114]

Your post movie commentary got it right. You surmised that there might have been a case of split personality because it's a conceivable outcome. But in 1960, it was inconceivable. Again, you're right; this film was so far ahead of its time.

[@andrewmatthews1083]

Multiple personality wasn't new in the movies in 1960. Check out The Three Faces of Eve, a true story brought to screen in the mid-50s. Joanne Woodward won an Oscar.

[@dr.burtgummerfan439]

Don't forget "Glen Or Glenda?" 😁

[@ShreeNation]

Will do :)

[@Fedorevsky]

@@dr.burtgummerfan439 lol

[@glennwisniewski9536]

Some Hitchcock films to watch: North by Northwest (fast-paced with outdoor locations), Rear Window (Grace Kelly!), Vertigo (a different kind of Hitchcock movie), The Man Who Knew Too Much (1950s version, Doris Day at her finest), Strangers on a Train, Foreign Correspondent (frequently overlooked) and for a newer one, Frenzy (a bit of a comeback and a return to his "British period"). And, there's plenty more.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendations :)

[@draskang]

Love when old movies undeniably establish their timeless dominance to new viewers.

[@lethaldose2000]

Hey SHree. You've now finally experienced the Master at work. ALFRED HITCHCOCK. You think this movie was amazing. Wait till you see his TV series Alfred Hitchcock presents. or Rear Window. or Vertigo. He has lots of great movies, "Strangers On A Train" and "Shadow Of A Doubt" as far as suspense and riveting stories are concerned.

[@ShreeNation]

I'm so excited😍

[@paulinegallagher7821]

Youre the only reactor i can think of who actually credited Anthony Perkins unbelievable performance. For an actor in 1960 to know how to affect the mannerisms and ticks of someone who is mentally ill or disturbed, right down to basically going catatonic when hes brought down by Loomis is oscar worthy.

[@jilliank6379]

Also he was a closeted gay man in the 50s/60s, so he especially knew what it was like to have a “dark” secret that would ruin his life if discovered.

[@paulinegallagher7821]

@@jilliank6379 His wife died in 09/11 too, on American Airlines flight 11

[@MsAppassionata]

Actually, this was not the first movie dealing with the subject of someone with a split personality disorder. There was at least one film which preceded this one. It was called “The Three Faces Of Eve” starring Joanne Woodward and came out three years before in 1957.

[@roberthaines1227]

Bate’s Motel was indeed a show based on this movie.

[@andrewe2057]

It's great that you were able to watch it through the eyes of the era and recognize how ahead of its time it was. But it honestly holds up. When they remade the movie in the 90's, they kept every line of dialogue and every camera angle the same, they just updated the amount of money.

[@Finians_Mancave]

I've seen this movie many times and this was the first time I noticed the cop @ 47:40 was Ted Knight, who played Ted Baxter on the Mary Tyler Moore show! Also an interesting factoid: Hitchcock chose to make the film in black & white because for one, in the shower scene, with b&w he could show the blood flowing in the water (Apparently showing red blood was not yet allowed in films).

[@TTM9691]

This has to be one of the best reactions I've ever seen you do!!!!!! Oh my gosh, I got goosebumps!!! You didn't miss A THING. Everything from being aware of how ahead of it's time it is, everything from the camerawork to the acting to the SCRIPT. Because you're a writer, your reaction to some of the dialog was spectacular! From beginning to the end, all of your post-film remarks, everything you said during the film: spot on. SPOT ON!!!!! And although I don't expect you to turn into the silver screen era channel, there are fantastic movies from all time periods (like any other art form!) So feel free to dive in to the older classics from time to time, you can go right back to the original King Kong, you can even go into the silent era, hit Buster Keaton or something.....you have proven yet again you are a one of the best reactors doing this!!!! LOVE YA, SHREE!!!! THANK YOU THANK YOU!!!!

[@ShreeNation]

I'll be smiling all day after reading this comment, thank you so much for all the love and I'm so glad you had a good time 🥲❤ I'm definitely going to start paying more attention to older movies from now on! Its gonna be fun😍

[@stevetheduck1425]

Hitchcock didn't want to have the psychologist explain everything before the end: he felt it was all obvious in the dialogue. The end of the film could have played out from the perspective of the mother, Norma Bates, looking from out of Norman's eyes, while her son whom she hates for getting temporarily out of her control 'takes the rap' and protects her yet again. By the way, Robert Bloch's original book makes it clear that there are three personalities at work in this story. Norma the mother, Norman the teen-aged boy fascinated with beautiful women but controlled by his mother, and 'Normal' Bates, who is the one the customers at the Motel are talking to, and hiding the bodies. Watch closely, and you can see Anthony Perkins switching quickly between those two much of the time. The one who sees the body and acts terrified is Norman. The one who smirks after Arbogast leaves is 'Normal'.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the info, now I can't wait to read the book!

[@bintheredonethat]

Hitchcock also had a TV series, Alfred Hitchcock Presents & The Alfred Hitchcock Hour, 1955-1965. Like a precursor to shows like Elvira's Movie Macabre & Mystery Science Theater 3000.

[@Madbandit77]

It was more like an anthology series, like "Playhouse 90", "The Twilight Zone" and "The Outer Limits".

[@bintheredonethat]

@@Madbandit77 Not really familiar with Playhouse 90. But I will agree with you on the other 2 as they relate to Hitchcock. Hadn't thought of that. I remember watching those as a kid. Some of the episodes could be disturbing.

[@Dreamfox-df6bg]

You are right about mental issues not very well known back then, but also not very well explored. That's why we get the explantation in the end. Hitchcock could have build it more into the movie, but people would not have understood what they saw, so the explanation would have been necessary anyway. Just for example, PTSD in soldiers was first acknowledged in WWI as 'Shellshock' as it was mostly attributed to the effects of the artillery bombardments. The first time that was addressed in movies was in the first Rambo movie 'First Blood' (1982). Small spoiler, that movie is not what you think it is, but it shows how late PTSD was even acknowledged, much less treated. So yes, 'Psycho' was way ahead of it's time. One thing about 'Psycho', I wish someone would do a reaction to the trailer to the movie. Because as I see it, it shows the genius of Hitchcock. He breaks nearly all the rules a trailer should follow and yet, he succeeded in getting people interested in the movie. That's the one rule of a trailer he does not break, he achieves the goals of a trailer.

[@ShreeNation]

Totally agree about First Blood, i did a reaction on it recently and was blown away by the final monologue and how well it addressed the mental health issues and the treatment faced by soldiers who came back 👏 i will try and do a trailer reaction on my second channel, thanks for watching :)

[@walterfechter8080]

I viewed "Psycho" in the 1960s. With "Psycho," Hitchcock used a formula that Roger Corman and Quentin Tarantino would use -- bad people on the lam run afoul of someone (or something) far worse than them.

[@markr1354]

Excellent reaction. It is perfect that you picked Psycho as your first Hitchcock. You'll get many suggestions on which ones to watch next. I'd pick Rear Window for your next one. You would enjoy reading facts about Psycho. Lots of interesting things. An example: people used to just walk into theaters in the middle of movies. At any time really. But with Psycho, Hitchcock forced theaters to only let them in before the start.

[@ShreeNation]

Rear Window sounds good, can't wait😍

[@billolsen4360]

3:31 The other stenographer in the office is Pat Hitchcock, Alfred's daughter. Ten years earlier, she was in her dad's film "Strangers On A Train" which is a pretty suspenseful picture with a wild finish. $40,000 back then was like 1/2 million now.

[@joepalomo6984]

Want to see you react to the movie 🎥 the Bird’s by Alfred Hitchcock 👍😎great reaction on this movie 👍

[@ShreeNation]

Can't wait :)

[@SarahManley]

I second that…with Rear Window, too. Suspense is the name of the game!

[@AubreySciFi]

This is a masterpiece and one of my favorite Hitchcock films. The Psycho house and motel isn't actually a real location. They scratch built the whole thing on the Backlot at Universal studios here in Los Angeles. The house was empty, the interiors being sets on a Soundstage, but the motel room scenes were shot there with the first two rooms (the Office and cabin 1) being the only finished spaces used. Both the Bates motel and the house are still on the Backlot to this day and if you ever visit Universal Studios Hollywood you can see them, as they are maintained as part of the Backlot tram tour experience. The only time you can actually approach the house on foot is if you attend the yearly Halloween Horror nights event in October, and go on the "Terror Tram". The tram drops you off near the Bates motel and you can walk past it and up to the house where a lookalike of Norman Bates is waiting there on the porch with a big knife. It's a hell of a photo op! There's lots of other things to see on the Terror Tram walking tour, but the chance to get up close to the Psycho house is the only part of it that stands out as a fan of this film. Other films I can strongly recommend from Hitchcock's filmography are: "North by Northwest", "The Birds", "Frenzy", "The Trouble with Harry", "Vertigo", "The 39 Steps", "Notorious", "Rear Window" and "The Lady Vanishes". About 23 years after this film was made there was a sequel done called Psycho 2. It was not made by Hitchcock as he died in 1980, but I think it was still a great sequel all things considered.The excellent Anthony Perkins is back as Norman, who's just been released from the asylum. The sequel succeeds in keeping you guessing just as the first one did, and delivers a twist at the end too. Worth a look for Halloween season.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the info :) If I'm ever in Hollywood I'm definitely touring the Bates property! Also can't wait to watch Psycho 2😍

[@MrGhostt88]

Funny that she thinks that the law was more relaxed back then. No the wall is a lot more relaxed now.😂

[@anthonymunn8633]

I love how he frames the police officer in such an intrusive way.Hitchcock once said the only thing that scared him was a policeman,because they're the only person is civilized countries who can walk up and say "come with me" and you have no choice.

[@TTM9691]

Holy smokes!!!!! I'm not going to be able to see the premiere, but it will be the FIRST thing I watch when I get home tonight!!!!! Woo-hoo! Something to look forward to! Shree meets Hitchcock; I'm there!!!!!! (And you should do "Rear Window" as your next Hitchcock. From then, you'll be hooked! He's got a million movies, some of them super great, many of them really good, and a few duds. But you can't go wrong with "Psycho" and "Rear Window"!). Ok, see you tonight!!!! (your morning, lol)

[@ShreeNation]

Yay, I hope you have a good time 🤗 Also can't wait to watch Rear Window!

[@monsterkhan3414]

Psycho is my favorite Hitchcock film. It's a true masterpiece. Other great Hitchcock films worth checking out are "Marnie" (1964), "The Birds" (1963), "Rope" (1948), "The Lady Vanishes" (1938), "North by Northwest" (1959), and "Strangers on a Train" (1951). As far as my favorite murder mystery goes it's a tie between "Murder on the Orient Express" (1974) and "Clue" (1985).

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendations :)

[@guitarman8462]

She's the mother of Jamie Lee Curtis . Another Hitchcock film is : The Birds🐦. I went to the actual motel at Universal Studios. And the hotel is at the top of the hill. If you look closely when visiting , you see the mother's skeleton by the window.

[@ShreeNation]

Nice! I'd freak out if i ever see that skeleton haha

[@guitarman8462]

@@ShreeNation if you ever go to Universal Studios on the tour , they let you walk up to the house take pics all around the motel. And of course JAWS is there 🦈. But I highly suggest " The Birds " 👌👌👌🐦

[@MingoWayama]

In response to your question, my favorite Hitchcock movies are: North by Northwest, Vertigo, Rear Window, Rebecca, To Catch a Thief, and Spellbound. But really, they're all good.

[@Ceractucus]

Thanks Shree for a bloody fantastic reaction! The scene in the beginning with the policeman was because Hitchcock, master of fear and suspense was quite afraid of policemen and they are sometimes used for fear. Before this movie came out, Hitchcock was thought to be beyond his prime and nobody wanted to fund another Hitchcock movie with a big budget and big stars. Hitchcock tried to get the studios to invest in this small budget film Psycho. After shooting a bit of footage, Hitchcock held a screening for prospective buyers and served very rare roast just to freak the investors out. It worked but Hitchcock had to exchange his directors fee for 60% of the profits. This soundtrack was done by Bernard Herman who is one of my absolute classic movie conductors, second only to Ennio Morricone.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you so much, I'm glad you enjoyed 🥲 Hitchcock is a legend!

[@skanecmt]

Psycho is considered to be one of the first slasher flicks. Hitchcock also made a few movies that have a little comedy thrown in, like To Catch a Thief and The Trouble with Harry. Even Rear Window has some fantastic light-hearted moments. Alfred Hitchcock is one of the best rabbit holes to go down. Have fun!

[@fynnthefox9078]

Though Peeping Tom came out a few months before Psycho. May not be an amazing movie, but it was the first to put the audience in the killer's point of view.

[@Madbandit77]

​@@fynnthefox9078 I think Peeping Tom is unnervingly brilliant because it makes you emphasize with the killer. Like Psycho, it's ahead of the curve, but unlike Psycho, it challenges the human psyche.

[@donkfail1]

My favorite part of the movie is something I don't think you even mentioned; that who we think is the main protagonist is suddenly murdered and gone. Sure, they are still looking for her, but we know she's gone. This just wasn't done back then. We, as an audience is not only stunned by this, but also literary left alone in this movie where anything obviously can happen. You have reacted to Rear Window. (probably my favorite Hitchcock movie), Rope (1948) is another one location movie that is the other way around. We know who have been murdered and by whom. The suspense comes from other elements. Underrated! James Stewart in a small key role. If you like to find Alfred himself in his famous cameo appearances, my favorite is in Lifeboat. (I didn't find him without a hint, but it was so clever I still love it.)

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendations ❤

[@ozmaile7938]

Spellbound and even earlier Hitchcock film also delves into the mind sciences.... A man with sever amnesia,.... Has some sets designed by Salvador Dali ... and of course the stunning Ingrid Bergman

[@AlexandriPatris]

My favorite Hitchcock movie is North By Northwest. Despite it being a suspense/thriller movie, Cary Grant is pretty hilarious in the lead role as an unintentional spy.

[@ShreeNation]

Thanks for the recommendation :)

[@LuisOrtiz-xo5kc]

Psycho, Texas Chainsaw Massacre and Silence of the Lambs have something in common: all this three movies are kind of inspired in Ed Gein, a real life psychopath.

[@Daniel24724]

My favorite Hitchcock's movie (after "Psycho") is "ROPE" (1948). It's a murder party in a single room, filmed in a one shot. Amazing ! 👍

[@ShreeNation]

That sounds brilliant👏

[@tranya327]

@@ShreeNation ROPE is a brilliant work of art, but Daniel oversimplified a bit: Hitchcock wanted the film to LOOK as though it was told in ONE single, long, continuous shot. At the time, that was impossible: Film magazines at the time could only hold slightly over ten minutes' worth of film. So, Hitch used various tricks to simulate it. James Stewart is a main character in the film, the first of four films that Hitch used him in a film. (In each case, Stewart was a main, or THE main character). From the comments he's made afterwards, my conclusion is that Hitchcock didn't like the film himself - he called it a 'stunt' - relative to many of his fans. 'ROPE' I think began with a premise: "can I tell a story from one apartment - one interior location - in real time/near real time, and make it suspenseful? After ROPE, he succeeded better, with "REAR WINDOW," which also takes place from one single location but (unlike ROPE), the story takes place in scenes that occur over a period of days. Separate, but connected: 'PSYCHO' was, by far the biggest financial success of Hitchcock's career. Studios declined to participate financially, as they perceived the subject matter as too gruesome. Hitch believed in the project so much that he mortgaged his house, to raise the money to finance it himself, then used the (lower-budget) TV crew (for "Alfred Hitchcock Presents') to shoot the film, to keep costs way down. He had his agents purposely buy up all the copies they could find of Robert Bloch's novel 'Psycho', on which the film was based, so that future would be film-goers would not be able to read the book, and learn of the various plot twists before seeing the film (and would also not be able to tell other people about it.) He also went so far as to leak word to casting directors, that he was looking for the right actress to play Norman's mother - so that it would become generally known by backdoor channels that, yes, Norman's mother was going to be a real character in the film; that's how determined he was to throw people off with false information!

[@Dylan_Platt]

What a fucking flick, right? You did a great job piecing it together in the second act and still being taken aback at the finale reveal. Don't know if anybody ever said it, but $40,000 in 1960 dollars would be about $130 million today. Great reaction!

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you so much ✌🥰

[@hebneh]

When Marion’s driving, the voices we hear are purely her imagination. First, on Friday afternoon, she hears her boyfriend as if she’s just unexpectedly shown up at his hardware store in California. Then on Saturday night she imagines her coworker and her boss and the obnoxious client all conversing on Monday morning when she doesn’t show up at work. None of this has happened yet.

[@matthansen1561]

Watching people react to this film for the first time when you’ve seen it and know what’s coming is the best. “I guess if he likes a girl the mother just shoos her away.” Me: …yeah, you could say that…

[@HappyValleyDreamin]

Hi Shree, the scene when she was leaving town, there were big gold Christmas decorations in the background going across Central Ave, I remember those decorations when I was a child. I was born and raised in Phoenix Arizona. My favorite Alfred Hitchcock movie is probably The Birds. Love your reactions!

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you so much ❤ Will definitely watch The Birds!

[@mikkomfi8643]

Answers to your question: 1) Liking this film - It goes beyond liking. I saw this as kid, so it is kind of cult classic that has always been there. Like aghost story form the childhood. Music is very important in it 2) Other Hitchcock movies: A) My clear number one is "Marnie" from 1963. Extremely mystical atmisphere, again with a lot of psychological matters. Tippi Hedren and youngish Sean Connery are excellent in it. B) I love "Spellbound" from 1942. It is a Freudian suspense movie, it has very unique atmosphere. The young Gregory Peck and so lovely Ingrid Bergman star in it. C) Strangely, the third Hitchcock movie to me is his last one from 1976: "The Family Plot". Very mystical film - and funny! D) "The Birds" - Finally the movie, that also other people might share with me as being excellent. This is a sort of world's end film, really threatening. Other people here will ask to you watch "The Rear Window", "Vertigo" and "North By North West", which are all also great films, but those A-D are my ultimate Hitchcock greats, even surpassing "Psycho". 3) Other murder mystery movies? Ilke the director Sidney Lumet: "Murder On The Orient Express" 1974 is a great murder mystery by him. His best film is "12 Angry Men" 1957, but it is not a thriller, although it is about a muder. The movie called "Sleuth" 1972 is a great film, that might interest you (although not by Lumet). Maybe also "Three Days of the Condor" 1975. Maybe also The Wicker Man 1873

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the unique film recommendations, i will add them all to my list :)

[@DiceRollen]

Not a bad pick for your first Hitchcock film and well done on figuring out the twist. If you're so inclined I would highly recommend checking Psycho II. It explores Norman as a character some more and is quite well made.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendation :)

[@DiceRollen]

@@ShreeNation You're welcome!

[@hebneh]

The concept of multiple personalities was first made known to the American public in the 1950s, not long before “Psycho” was made, through a book called “The Three Faces of Eve”. This was an account of a real woman who had three identities.

[@petercofrancesco9812]

I occasion revisit this movie after many years and I've forgotten most of the details. I'm always surprised how modern the topics are. It feels very real. Hitchcock doesn't need all the special effects and fancy stuff in today's movies to keep you engaged and in suspense the entire time. So much to admire, the writing, dialog, acting, cinematography... It's a classic for a reason.

[@Layne618]

I would actually recommend the three sequels to this film that were made in the 80's. All three of them feature Anthony Perkins reprising his role as Norman, and Psycho II, especially, offers a very unique twist on this already twisted story. Don't bother with the 1998 remake. It's scene for scene the same movie, just in color and with different actors, as well as needless, crude additions (like Norman beating off while spying on Marion).

[@chrisgreen8803]

Fun fact . The scene where Norman pushes Marion’s car into the swamp. Hitchcock had a hydraulic device hidden under the water. It was designed to let the car sink half way , pause for a few seconds, and then sink the car fully. But why go to all that trouble? It was Hitchcock playing with the audience. You find yourself wanting the car to sink fully. You are scared it will stick half way and Norman will get caught. Hitchcock has got you siding with the bad guy. Hitchcock was a genius

[@ShreeNation]

Nice! What a genius move 👏

[@LilRocker2005]

"Bates Motel" is a prequel series to Psycho up until the last season which is 3/4's their version of the original "Psycho" but ends it differently. It's so hard to get into without going into spoilers but the actor they got to play Norman Bates, who was Freddie Highmore from the remake of Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, knocked it out of the park. And Vera Farmiga from The Conjuring gives a great dual performance as Norma Bates aka "Mother". I will say that when they get to their version of the original "Psycho" in the last season, they bring in Rihanna to play Marion Crane!

[@ShreeNation]

That's a solid cast! Can't wait to binge the show❤

[@LilRocker2005]

@@ShreeNation I would say go into the "Psycho" film sequels first. The 2nd one is a great thriller that deals with Norman being released from the institution and returning to the Bates Motel 22 years later, and co stars Vera Miles (returning from the first film as Lila Crane), Meg Tilly (sister to "Chucky" series actress Jennifer Tilly), Dennis Franz (very pre-NYPD Blue), and Robert Loggia in what many consider to be his breakout role as right after Psycho 2 he co-starred in Scarface with Al Pacino. Even the tagline for Psycho 2 was "It's 22 years later and Norman Bates is coming home." Psycho 3 is actually directed by Anthony Perkins himself and co stars Jeff Fahey and Diana Scarwid (who a lot of people know as Christina Crawford in the film version of Mommie Dearest). The events of that one occur only a months after Part 2. Psycho IV: The Beginning is truly its own beast as it is half sequel, and half prequel and dives into Norman's teenage years with Henry Thomas (aka Elliot from ET), playing the younger Norman, and for the first time in the series, we see Norman's mother, Norma alive, and played by the great classical British actress Olivia Hussey. "Bates Motel" is great with even a lot of the side characters! Again it's so hard to not go into spoilers but I will say that I believe that if Anthony Perkins was alive today, he would have loved Freddie Highmore and his take on the character. I'm definitely subbed to your channel after today!

[@woodyg75]

Shree, so glad to see a movie reviewer do a classic black and white film. Especially this one which set new standards for on screen firsts. If interested in the ultimate true story motel creep out, check out the Netflix documentary Voyeur.

[@ShreeNation]

Will do😍

[@fynnthefox9078]

I don't get why certain movie reviewers are turned off by black and white films.

[@michaeldavis2001]

Bates Motel IS based on this movie. Marion is Jamie Lee Curtis' mother. Jamie Lee's first movie was Halloween. The doctor in Halloween is called Sam Loomis. Sam Loomis is the name of Janet Leigh's boyfriend in this movie.

[@sheryldalton8965]

This is a great book too, by Robert Bloch. He also wrote Straight Jacket which was a movie with Joan Crawford. Both audiobooks are free on yt.

[@Chromexus]

Somewhat based on the case of Ed Gein in Wisconsin in the late 1950s. Gein was much more disorganized but he did make a dress of his mother's skin etc-Robert Bloch wrote the original after reading about Gein.

[@ShreeNation]

Whoa, thats interesting! 😮

[@Gravydog316]

Hitch didn't think this was working, & was thinking of making it a 2-parter of his TV show, then Bernard Herrmann added the music, & Hitch doubled his pay & said he saved this!

[@strongdecaf3729]

Wow. The fact that you connected Hitchcock's old Oedipal Freudian ideas to modern day incels is blowing my mind. I'd always wished I could've seen this movie without having known about the famous shower scene in advance.

[@Fedorevsky]

Made me cringe in an otherwise fun reaction video.

[@geraldmcboingboing7401]

What a great reaction! The look on your face, when you remembered that Norman was into taxidermy, was priceless. If you get a chance, you might check out The Three Faces of Eve (1957), even if you have to watch it on your own. Joanne Woodward won the Academy Award for Best Actress for that film. Hitchcock made so many great films, that I can't pick a favorite, but The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956) was great, along with Rebecca (1940), Young and Innocent (1937), Notorious (1946), Rear Window (1954), North By Northwest (1959), and Vertigo (1958).

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you so much, and i will definitely check out these movies😍❤

[@KawaTony1964]

Yeah - back at that time, in TV shows, they weren't even allowed to show a 2-person bed in a bedroom. They literally had to show 2 separate beds like in the Dick Van Dyke Shown as if the married couple slept in the same bedroom in separate beds. That's how up-tight people were back then about sex. So imagine when they went into the theater and saw this, and heard the psychologist talking about Norman getting aroused and explaining what a transvestite is.

[@MaoKatz]

5:38 Here is the scene that inspired the scene of Butch crossing Marcellus in Pulp Fiction. I'm glad you watched the mother of all slasher movies and share it with us

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you 🥰

[@marlonthemarvellous]

2:12 Janet Leigh, Jamie Lee Curtis mother. Was married to Tony Curtis. WATCH Some Like it Hot with Tony Curtis and Marilyn Monroe

[@ShreeNation]

Will do :)

[@biguy617]

A John Lithgow movie, Raising Caine, also took inspiration from Psycho.

[@Jeff_Lichtman]

Hitchcock deliberately misled the audience. Up until the shower scene, the plot was a lot like other movies he'd made. He didn't reveal what the movie was really about in any of the publicity. Audiences were shocked by the shower scene because nothing to that point had prepared them for it. $40,000 in 1960 is about the same as $400,000 today. The music was by the great Bernard Hermann. It's such a good score that orchestras sometimes play it in concerts, without the movie. Hitchcock hired Hermann to write the scores for The Trouble with Harry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and Marnie. Hermann also wrote the scores for Citizen Kane, The Magnificent Ambersons, The Ghost and Mrs. Muir, The Day the Earth Stood Still, The Man in the Gray Flannel Suit, The 7th Voyage of Sinbad, Cape Fear, Jason and the Argonauts, and Taxi Driver. The Three Faces of Eve, from 1957, was an even earlier movie about multiple personality disorder. Several people mentioned in the chat that Janet Leigh was Jamie Lee Curtis' mother. Jamie's father was Tony Curtis, another movie star who had roles in Some Like It Hot, Spartacus, Sweet Smell of Success, and The Defiant Ones. Alfred Hitchcock had a long career, and made some of the most loved and respected movies. He started in the silent era in his native England before moving to the U.S. to work in Hollywood. He's known as the master of suspense. Some of his best films are The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps, The Lady Vanishes, Rebecca, Suspicion, Shadow of a Doubt, Notorious, Rope, Strangers on a Train, Dial M for Murder, Rear Window, To Catch a Thief, The Trouble with Harry, Vertigo, North by Northwest, and The Birds. Of all of these, I'd suggest you watch Rear Window and Vertigo next.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendations, and for the BTS info :)

[@TTM9691]

PS: To answer your question: my four top Hitchcock: Psycho, Rear Window, Strangers On A Train and Shadow Of A Doubt. They are all textbook Hitchcock as master of suspense, and they all go down easy, if you know what I mean. I always say start with those four. But there are lots of great ones/good ones/worthy ones. Lately, I've been loving Rope, Frenzy and Notorious. The Wrong Man is really good. Both versions of The Man Who Knew Too Much, The 39 Steps....there are so many! But Strangers On A Train, whew, wow. That's a fantastic movie. Shadow Of A Doubt, so great. And Rear Window, a spectacular achievement. (i can say two movies I DON'T love: I can't stand The Birds and I don't love Vertigo. I always say wait on those until you've got others under your belt, but those films have their fans, especially Vertigo. Vertigo has always divided fans.)

[@ShreeNation]

Wow, thank you for the recommendations! I can't wait to watch them all 😍

[@melenatorr]

Music by Bernard Hermann, a Hitchcock partner in many of his movies, and a great movie composer in general.

[@galandirofrivendell4740]

Psycho is a perfect example of why today Hitchcock is still called the Master of Suspense. The director's filmography is filled with classic films. As a follow-up, I recommend either Rear Window or The Birds, but pretty much anything Hitchcock did turned into cinematic gold.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the recommendations :)

[@bobmessier5215]

There were three Psycho sequels and a remake. All were good, but the original here was only one directed by the Master of Suspense, Alfred Hitchcock. There was also a TV show called "Bates Motel". Two other Hitchcock favorites of mine were "The Birds" and "Rear Window". Anthony Perkins was terrific as Norman Bates and he appears in all the sequels.

[@fynnthefox9078]

And the remake is just a shot-for-shot remake in color and somewhat updated. Though in it, Norman comes off even more of a creep than in the original.

[@williamwhitecage7988]

I think you'll enjoy "Psycho 2". A couple of interesting facts: 1. As you mentioned how this is like "Texas Chainsaw Massacre" - they were both based off the same person (forgot his name right now). 2. Norman didn't do it! :P (well yes and no) - Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates) was doing a play during the shooting of the shower scene, so they had a stand in with a black veil over his face (meaning you couldn't see his nor "mother's" face) to do the killing and leaving.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you for the info :) Can't wait for Psycho 2!

[@tubularap]

I appreciate your pleasant reaction. You are right that addressing the concept of split personality was new for those times. Therefor the explanation at the end.

[@tubularap]

I suggest to watch some other classics by Alfred Hitchcock. There are many, but when you want a (relative) relaxed one then Rear Window is the one to go.

[@ShreeNation]

Thank you :) Will definitely watch Rear Window very soon!

[@McZorr0101]

Janet Leigh always had a bath and never took another shower after playing this role. Psycho was also the first ever time a toilet was seen flushing on screen.

[@Gravydog316]

1st time a toilet was on screen too

[@drrob1963]

I first saw this movie 40+ years ago, and it's still the scariest film I have ever seen, an absolute classic - Hitchcock's best!

[@deeasztalos2520]

I saw this when I was 10 back in 1967 at my Grandma's house one weekend. It just came on after something else. The end when Lila finds Mrs. Bates scared me so bad that I still hide my eyes during this scene to this day. I asked my Mom the other day if she figured out what was going on back then and she said no. The movie still gives me the creeps to this day even though I know what's going to happen. I'm glad you liked it. Check out Psycho II - there are some interesting twists in that one. Norman is in it.

[@ShreeNation]

Thanks for sharing :) Will definitely watch Psycho 2!

[@sexistatheist6464]

This film is based on the 1959 novel of the same name, written by Robert Bloch, and is a pretty faithful adaptation of that novel. Bloch also wrote a sequel, but the filmmakers didn't like the plot of that book, and decided to go in another direction with the film sequel, _Psycho II_ (1983). I recommend watching _Psycho II_ at some point; it has an inventive plot with twists of its own, rather than predictably retreading the same ground as the original. I won't say any more, so as not to spoil anything, but it's very much worth watching if you liked the first film. Quentin Tarantino has praised _Psycho II,_ for whatever that's worth. As far as other Hitchcock films go, the most iconic ones are probably _The Birds,_ _Rear Window,_ and _Vertigo;_ they're all very good, and you really can't go far wrong with any of his films.

[@ShreeNation]

Can't wait to watch Psycho 2!

[@robertjewell9727]

Psycho is definitely in my top 10. My personal favorite Hitchcock film is NOTORIOUS, but there are many great ones.

[@lumariadp]

A few movies had touched on split personalities/DID before 1960, but nothing as widely seen and explosively popular as Psycho, so you're right in that respect. The shock of the audiences in 1960 was much more pronounced than if the same movie were released today. Now we go into movies expecting twisty twists.

[@DR-mq1vn]

So glad you didn't know anything about this movie (no spoilers) going into this. Also, 1960 was not that long ago. Yes, we knew about complex mental issues back then.