Reacting to PSYCHO (1960) | Movie Reaction

[@tec52]

This is the earliest that I have EVER seen anyone figure it out, CONGRATULATIONS!!!

[@will-x9c]

You weren't the first one to crack it but you cracked it the earliest. Bravo! You also noticed that Tony Perkins was "a good actor". Brilliant actually. The pressured speech, the stammering and stuttering, the forced and desperate attempt to appear normal, was the best portrayal of crazy in the history of cinema

[@jasonward1470]

Poor Tony. Great actor, but totally type-cast after this film. My understanding is, he had difficulty finding work after this, because all people could see was Norman Bates.

[@prescottlange]

Cracked what? She, like everyone else on planet earth, already knows what this is about. Whether they've seen it or not. Don't be so naive.

[@will-x9c]

@@prescottlange Geez Prescott, who pissed in your Cheerios this mornin' ? Shut up and go away

[@Wigfield84]

More than that even, he was so nuanced in his sweetness, vulnerability, sensitivity, etc. That entire parlor scene is a Masterclass!

[@gamexsimmonds3581]

I think she cracked it because this won a poll called plot twist movies or something, that's why she's watching it, do she knows that at some point there is a huge twist that the audience shouldn't see coming. With that in mind and a movie called Psycho you're best guess is the twist wouldn't be about who this psycho is. And with the main seemingly main protagonist just being taken out. She knows that she can't be the Psycho, and the mom is too obvious, so it's Norman playing the mom. Still impressive it all clicked so quick for her but still, the pieces were ladies out for her by knowing a huge twist was coming

[@fannybuster]

The secretary talking about her pills is actually Alfred Hitchcock's Daughter

[@THOMMGB]

Patricia Hitchcock.

[@EShelby2127]

In Strangers on a Train too...

[@clarkness77]

He must have seen my wedding ring...😅

[@ComedicPause]

Wow, I've seen this movie many times and never knew. She has a memorable couple minutes of screentime, good comedic line reading.

[@davidmckie7128]

The shower scene is a masterclass of editing and music score. You never actually see the knife touch the body, but the rapid cuts and the music and your imagination do it all for you.

[@garryiglesias4074]

All thanks to Madame Hitchcock...

[@richardburdon3241]

unlike horror movies of today where the stabbing would be the focus.

[@chrisbiebel6205]

Fun bit of trivia: The boyfriend's name was Sam Loomis. The doctor in John Carpenter's Halloween was named: Dr. Loomis. Carpenter named the doctor after the boyfriend in Psycho. That and Jamie Lee Curtis being Janet Leigh's daughter are at least two ties between the two movies.

[@alistairkentucky-david9344]

Yep. And then Wes Craven names the killer in Scream Billy Loomis after the doctor from Halloween, so the chain continues.

[@SFOlson]

@@alistairkentucky-david9344 Thank you, at least there is someone else here who was going to comment on that.

[@pete_lind]

And that awful woke 😀 Disney banned Hitchcock from Disneyland for making this movie , also he opted out his normal salary and got 60% of this movies profits. Small list of not at all famous director have name him as influencer of their work, including Steven Spielberg, Brian De Palma, John Carpenter, Sam Raimi , Martin Scorsese, George A. Romero, David Cronenberg and Quentin Tarantino .

[@user-mg5mv2tn8q]

@alistairkentucky-david9344 Billy Loomis might also harken back to Willy Loomis, a character on the old Dark Shadows gothic horror soap opera. He might be intended as a reference to Sam and Willy both.

[@blairhatton3066]

First ever on-screen toilet flush as well I believe

[@xbfdx988]

"why do I feel sorry for him" He's a nice guy. See Psycho 2.

[@kenb51960]

this is Jamie Leigh Curtiss ,mother Janet Leigh and Tony Curtis is Jamies Dad

[@aberration3869]

I’m sorry but this is Janet not Jamie.

[@andyholmes6380]

@@aberration3869 That's what he said, lol. Just bad punctuation.

[@Ceractucus]

Also it's Jamie LEE Curtis.

[@michaelhartsell6566]

Who gives a shit?

[@MsAppassionata]

@@michaelhartsell6566 😂😂😂 I’m sure Jamie does.

[@johnnehrich9601]

If you check in without any bags: 1) You could be going there for an illicit tryst. (Sex outside of marriage was pretty taboo at the time and everything tried to prevent it. In many places, you might even be forced to show a marriage license. The person running the place could be given a morals charge, being accused of running a "house of ill repute." In a dorm or boarding house, when a member of the opposite sex came to visit, you had to keep the door open at least a bit, and both people had to have at least one foot on the floor at all times.) 2) It would be easy to leave in the middle of the night or first thing in the morning without paying. (This was in the era before credit cards were so common and you could just give them the card to process without putting a charge on it to keep from skipping out.)

[@wyldhowl2821]

All true. Motel people have probably seen every variation of it, even back then.

[@deltabravo2678]

no men above the first floor

[@DR_DOOM_3298]

You have to keep in mind that you, or anyone, watching it for the first time now have the benefit of having watched countless movies & TV shows influenced by Pyscho for their entire lives. In case you weren't aware Janet Leigh is Jamie Lee Curtis' mother.

[@tranya327]

Norman’s biological father died when Norman was five. There was no foul play by anyone in that death. Years later, Norman’s mother, Norma, met a new man who became her lover. Norman did kill both of them, and a weighted coffin was buried, to deceive others into thinking that the coffin was occupied. Afterwards, Norman killed the two ‘young girls’ that the sheriff referred to. Finally, Norman killed Marion and then Arbogast, for a total of six killings. •••• Birds figure very prominently in this film: - The story begins in the city of Phoenix, a fabulous bird of legend; - Marion’s last name is ‘Crane’; - Norman’s parlor contains stuffed birds; - When Norman first “discovers” Marion’s corpse, he accidentally knocks a picture of a bird off the wall. - Norman tells Marion, “You eat like a bird.” - Finally, when Sam leaves Lila at the hardware store, for a moment, Lila is juxtaposed against the store’s upside-down rakes. The effect is to render Lila’s overall shape as some kind of strange human-bird hybrid, with the fans of the rakes registering as bird plumage. (When Hitchcock did his next picture, it was three years after 'Psycho'. The picture was 'The Birds' (1963). Both films feature "Hitchcock blondes" who are headstrong, a bit sassy, inclined to 'do everything a little differently' and who get in over their heads. •••• Hitchcock went to extreme lengths to keep the twist about "Mrs. Bates" a secret. There are photographs of an empty chair reserved for "Norma Bates" on the film set. Hitchcock reportedly called up casting agencies, indicating he was seeking the right actress to play Mrs. Bates. He knew that word-of-mouth would begin to circulate, confirming a perception in people's minds that Norman's mother was part of the cast, and was a living character. •••• Hitchcock took a HUGE gamble with 'Psycho' -- The studios found the subject matter (based on the real life murders by Ed Gein) so morbid that they declined to finance it, and only agreed to distribute the film. Hitchcock financed the film himself: He mortgaged his house, and used the (less expensive) crew for his TV series 'Alfred Hitchcock Presents' to shoot the film. He also shot in black and white (partly to save costs, partly to make the film less gory so as to pass the censors). Hitchcock bet everything that American audiences were ready for a wildly different kind of suspense-horror film, at a time when there was no guarantee that his instincts would be proved right.

[@JedHead77]

I had the pleasure to meet Janet Leigh at a signing event, and she not only signed a Psycho laserdisc, but an 8x10 photo, and addressed it “To Norman”, and changed it to my real name. 😎 🔪

[@desbarry8414]

Psycho 2 is pretty good too

[@jasonward1470]

best sequel ever! (well, except for The Godfather II, but best sequel ever)

[@funnyml3356]

Psycho 2 is really enjoyable. And I had a huge crush on Meg Tilly after watching it.

[@biguy617]

All 4 movies are very good

[@edpublic]

...."We all go a little mad sometimes"...

[@markcatanzaro9699]

I live in Phoenix and many of these buildings are still here standing strong! The opening scene apartment is one of them

[@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. 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. 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 was selected for this part because all of his previous movies he play the sweet boy next door and Hitchcock would use the audiences prior knowledge to his advantage. Plus Hitchcock somehow gets us to root for Norman. When the car stops in the swampy, everyone thinks, "oh no" but then when it continues to sink, the audience gives a sigh, not realizing that is sympathy for the bad guy. Anthony Perkins' wife died on the plane that struck the Twin Towers on 9/11. They have two boys, Elvis and Oz. Hitchcock liked the bird theme. From the movie, The Birds, to Norman's hobby, to Marion's last name. Hershey's syrup was used for Marion's blood. They tried other things, but it stood out the most on black and white. Speaking of The Birds, Tippi Hedron said the Hitchcock was controlling and ruined her career and that she had to endure weeks of being attacked by live birds. The movie was shot in 16 weeks. was only there for 5 of those weeks. Live birds were only on set for 5 days and they built in enclosure around the set to keep the birds in. If you went into the enclosure you knew you were filming with live birds. This nonsense about Hitchcock releasing birds on Hedron unexpectedly is just that, nonsense. Hedron was paid $500 per week for her 5 weeks of work. All totalled comes out to $25,400 today. She was an unknown before this and after this got plenty of work and also got to attach her name to a masterpiece we are talking about 50 years later.

[@RichardSchaefer-zx9ig]

Suzanne Pleshette + Tippi Hedron were the female protagonists in "The Birds".

[@shawnmiller4781]

And Simon Oakland did a good job of giving the Explanation. He was good in “The Sand Pebbles” as well And I remember him as General Moore in the TV show Black Sheet Squadron

[@tranya327]

Janet Leigh was not an unknown before 'Psycho'; she was a famous actress (star?) before Psycho came out. She had a leading role in the film "Touch of Evil" directed by Orson Welles, years before 'Psycho.' You likely have Leigh confused with someone else.

[@zedwpd]

@@RichardSchaefer-zx9ig Corrected.

[@zedwpd]

@@tranya327 I did. I was thinking Tippi Hedron and typed Leigh. I corrected it

[@aaronhusk]

In college (university) I took a class called “The Films of Alfred Hitchcock”

[@capstan50g]

Hitch rarely disappoints. What I find amazing about this movie is the feeling of dread that ramps up from the very beginning, before any horror elements are even introduced. An amazing film.

[@nsasupporter7557]

The twist is too easy to figure out though

[@billolsen4360]

@@nsasupporter7557 Given the movies that followed it, yes. But, in 1960, when my mom saw it, no one expected Norman and his mother Norma to be the same person.

[@MrGpschmidt]

The film that changed Hollywood forever in cinema. Groundbreaking & iconic in every way and making Perkins a horror villain for eternity. My dad said when it was released in NYC he & his buddies drove over from NJ one late night (back in the day the films ran nearly 24/7 in the city) and when the shower scene played out they got so scared they spilled all their popcorn & Cokes from their balcony seats onto some poor bastard below!) Nice job cracking the surprise Dawn ;d

[@gluecement]

The fact that this was on a "plot twist" poll, I knew Dawn would figure it out early on.

[@andyrooiam]

Few things spoil a movie quite like knowing there is going to be a twist in it

[@Kevonutube303]

Yeah, find really annoying after awhile. Sometimes they are only thinking ahead and not just enjoying the movie for what it is....shame, I think, but to each his/her own.

[@grife3000]

Did you watch til the end? Dawn still thought the mom was alive.

[@genghispecan]

​@@grife3000Yeah well, what can you say other than that's Dawn for ya. 😂

[@jstube36]

And now that you're familiar with Hitchcock films. Now it's time for a great follow up to this. It's a film called High Anxiety-1977.

[@EdwardGregoryNYC]

Yes, but she should watch The Birds too before High Anxiety.

[@randybass8842]

High Anxiety is a Mel Brooks movie 😊

[@jstube36]

@@randybass8842 It's a Brooks film that is a homage to Hitchcock.

[@thomasoa]

Back then, unmarried people were not supposed to have sex. You could get fired, or, if you had sex in a rented home, be evicted. It was ridiculous. You get hints of that in Rear Window, too, when the cop friend gestures to Grace Kelly's case with the "night gown" and says, "does **your** landlord know everything **you** do?"

[@BarryHart-xo1oy]

That’s really creepy and depressing-the USA in 1960 was a truly repressive and unpleasant place.

[@MarkPriest-v6u]

​@@BarryHart-xo1oynot really. Americans and the country as a whole was much happier. Today? Its depressing and full of crime and drugs. Hell...people can't even look at another person in the eyes. All from spending soooo much time staring down at a pointless phone.

[@Brunoburningbright]

Those moral restraints were alot like Prohibition in the 20's; there was lots of wiggle room for most people most of the time.

[@JS71143]

One is for sure, this girl loves old movies!

[@michaeldmcgee4499]

All Hitchcock movies are worth watching, but my favorites are "Rear Window" with Jimmy Stewart and Grace Kelly, "Shadow of a Doubt", "North by Northwest" with Cary Grant and James Mason, and "Strangers on a Train".

[@sansabark]

Fathom events will be showing Rear Window on the big screen on 8/25/24 and 8/28/24.

[@uberduberdave]

Although not considered often, I'm a fan of "The Trouble With Harry. "

[@tremorsfan]

When Hitchcock read the original novel, he loved to book so much that he had his assistant buy up every copy so that the ending wouldn't be spoiled.

[@KernowWarrior]

Love that your 'taking notes' at the beginning because 'that will be important later.'

[@holbrookgd]

Dawn Marie, thank you, thank you, thank you so much for watching/reacting to this movie! I would have been 4 years old when Psycho was first released; back then there was no way our parents would have let us go to the theater to watch it. By the way, I am the dude that made the personalized Top Gun Maverick paracord bracelet, just for you. Enjoy. GDH

[@JimmyVanHeste-fc8td]

This is what makes Hitch the master. If you know what’s coming or not… he doesn’t care. He’s still going to have you on the edge of your seat.

[@Sarah_Gravydog316]

he said something like, "You sit 2 people at a table, eating & talking... ...but what if you pan the camera down & there's a bomb under the table...?"

[@angelomaurizio1668]

LMAO @ 18:57. Hitchcock liked to make cameos in his movies. His cameo in Psycho occurs about five or six minutes into the movie. He can be seen as a man in a cowboy hat standing on the sidewalk outside of Marion's office. Hitchcock said he wanted his cameo to be very early in the film, otherwise the audience would be distracted constantly looking for his appearance.

[@RichardLBanville]

Thanks!

[@62rowley]

The lady who died in the shower scene is Jamie Lee Curtis’s mother. She appears in the 1980 movie “the fog” along with her daughter, and the original car she drove in this movie.

[@navagate1900]

They used watered down chocolate syrup for the blood in the shower scene.

[@harryrabbit2870]

When Hitchcock was a boy, his father sent him to a police station with a note. Young Alfred gave the note to a policeman who put him in a cell for 5 minutes and left him alone. The cop came back and said, "There. That's what we do to bad little boys." Hitchcock claimed that episode (if true) gave him a lifelong fear of the police and a fascination with crime. Hitchcock was the UK's greatest gift to film. For all his faults and eccentricities, he was a brilliant filmmaker.

[@StoneKendricks]

Yes, and that experience inspired Hitch to make "The Wrong Man". The movie is based on a true story and is one of my favorite Hitchcock films.

[@Do0msday]

This is one of the greatest movies in cinema history. It has some terrific acting and one of the most iconic scores ever made. A lot of movies have copied the style of this movie, but this was the first and it was groundbreaking. This movie is extremely re-watchable even if you know the twist and you definitely deserve an award for recognizing it so early.

[@guitarman8462]

" Cool Hand Luke " is a must watch !

[@robabiera733]

I never expected to actually have fun watching somebody react to "Psycho", but there's a first time for everything!

[@eeeen]

Great reaction! One of my all-time favourite movies, and Psycho 2 is actually really worth watching as well.

[@ElliotNesterman]

Hitchcock made a new rule that’s now commonplace at premium cinemas: In those days, people entered a theater whenever they wanted, even if it was long after the movie’s starting time, and would stick around to see what they had missed. Thus the phrase, common at the time, "This is where I came in." Hitchcock didn’t want late-comers wondering where Janet Leigh was, so dictated that no one would be seated after the film started. Hitchcock’s dictum became a marketing hook and helped reshaped America’s moviegoing habits: It became more important to see a film from the beginning. For your next Hitchcock? I think it's time for Mel Brooks's _High Anxiety._

[@Dularr]

The start of viral marketing.

[@AndyMakesPlaylists]

Not true. This rule had been introduced five years previous by Henri-Georges Clouzot with the movie "Les Diaboliques" / "Diabolique" / "The Fiends," which was a huge influence on "Psycho."

[@shawnmiller4781]

It is Mel’s tribute to Alfred

[@LadyIarConnacht]

The movies were often played continuously front to back and back to front, so you might come in a bit late, and stay a bit late to make up for it.

[@ElliotNesterman]

@@LadyIarConnacht Of course, you would have to sit through two cartoons, a boring short, and the second feature.

[@dolf370]

"I'm so friggin clever sometimes", yep, deary Dawn. You really are, and you sure deserves the award. But, I think you'll still get a little surprise at the tail end.

[@rnw2739]

No she's not. She's been told there is a massive twist so she's just guessing. If she wasn't aware of any twist she would never have made her prediction.

[@MoMoMyPup10]

@@rnw2739 Because human beings can't shut their trap -- they just _have to_ give hints and blab to everyone what they know ---- it's a disease

[@Kevonutube303]

I just found out there was actually a poll for favorite movies with the best plot twist or surprise ending!!!!! And people actually sent in requests? Dumbest thing I ever heard. Never even would have started to watch this, had I known that. Now I wonder how many movies were sent in, potentially ruining them. Kinda takes the point of "Reacting" away doesn't it? Oh well, just just sayin.....

[@Littlepea2890]

@@Kevonutube303 agreed. plus, i kind of don't like it when she's always trying to guess the plot anyway. like, ok - if you guess right whats the point in me watching?

[@Kevonutube303]

@@Littlepea2890 i do like clever, but just keep to yourself....I guess if you went to a theatre and someone next to you was throwing out every possibility with non stop talking, would you ever invite them again or change seats if you didn't know them? I really like Dawn but something has changed....saw it in Tombstone, to busy trying to figuring it out and/or not understanding some of the plot line mostly because she was blabbering when all her questions were being answered, through the dialog. Sure hope this is not a trend, but unfortunately, it appears a lot of patrons like it and encourage that type behavior. Oh well, Fun while it lasted.....Just Sad, IMO.

[@vojtanick738]

Please react to Psycho II from 1983, it is good sequel.

[@helicoptersrkool]

💯

[@DaVic133]

Way to go Dawn , you figured it out real quick. Oh well at least you finally got to watch it. Great reaction Dawn thank you.

[@Bfdidc]

Enjoyed the reaction. Norman Bates is partially based on the real life murderer and mama’s boy, Ed Gein. Gein was, if anything, even more disturbed than Bates.

[@SFOlson]

@@Bfdidc My grandma actually knew Ed. And yes, he was even more disturbed than Norman.

[@user-mg5mv2tn8q]

Norman stuffed birds. Ed ate pieces of his victims and made mementos out of their skin. So, yes, more disturbing.

[@jackmessick2869]

The four Hitchcock classics you haven't reacted to are "Strangers on a Train", "To Catch a Thief," "Notorious," and "Rope." You will like the first two that combine either creepiness or a mystery with Dawn-type humor. Two other of his better films are the 1956 version of "The Man Who Knew Too Much" and 1942's "Saboteur." Another interesting one is "Lifeboat" which takes place completely in a lifeboat. Also, you should watch his mystery/murder/adventure film about 1930s Scotland, "The Thirty-Nine Steps"

[@rubensalvador9422]

Those are all great recommendations! I would also like to through in Shadow of a Doubt and Birds. The main reason is that Dawn still needs to see Mel Brooks homage to Hitchcock, High Anxiety (1977). But to get the references, she still needs to see all of these classics. ;)

[@jackmessick2869]

@@rubensalvador9422 Yeah forgot Shadow. Humor, murder, and family.

[@creech54]

Don't forget 2 of his best, "North by Northwest" and "Vertigo".

[@rubensalvador9422]

@@creech54 yup. Those are essential Hitchcock viewing. I believe Dawn has already reacted to those two, as well as Rear Window and Dial M for Murder. They are fun reactions. ;)

[@creech54]

@@rubensalvador9422 Yeah, I couldn't remember. Better safe than sorry! 😁

[@sluglife9785]

😂 You're the first reactor who has recommended knicking the money before there's even a hint that she's going to do that. Nicely done.

[@custardflan]

The sister is played by Vera Miles who stars in 2 of the greatest westerns ever, The Man Who Shot Liberty Valance and The Searchers.

[@BeeWhistler]

I also enjoyed her Columbo episode.

[@Sarah_Gravydog316]

@@BeeWhistler i saw her on tv the other night on the Twilight Zone she was waiting for a bus, & there was a double of her trying to take over her life

[@DerekRobertson-rw6rh]

Janet Leigh was the big star draw of that movie. Imagine the surprise when she gets bumped off so early in the story. Brilliant move by Hitchcock.

[@edpublic]

More B&W films for Dawn,,,she seems to dig the noir

[@deano007]

Sin city then 😁

[@sheryldalton8965]

The cop with the sunglasses looks like the evil prison guards in "cool hand luke" & "oh brother where art thou".

[@lttlgreg]

Or the chauffeur in Burnt Offerings.

[@MikeWood]

50 points to Gryffindor for getting it right from the beginning AND still enjoying it right till the end. :)

[@TRK-up2zw]

That's how great a director of suspense Hitchcock was. You guessed the situation and ending but were still "petrified."

[@larryairgood4320]

"Foreign Correspondent" (1940) is one of Hitchcock's top five espionage movies which you need to see. And for Hitchcock's dark humor side, check out the 1955 in color dark comedy with Shirley MacLaine "The Trouble With Harry'.

[@michaeldmcgee4499]

Dawn, the reward for your genius is the love and loyalty of your subscribers!😎😎😎

[@rnw2739]

What genius?!! She was told about a twist so she was looking for it from the start. True genius would have been her guessing the end without being warned beforehand.

[@KevinHollisWI]

I’m from Wisconsin, and this is based off of Ed Gein, from Plainfield, WI. He was the Plainfield butcher who dug up graves and made human furniture, gloves and even a female body suit. Ed Gein was also the inspiration for Texas Chainsaw Massacre.

[@lexentropy]

Also the inspiration for The Silence of the Lambs and others.

[@wyldhowl2821]

And the Slayer song "Dead Skin Mask". \m/

[@SFOlson]

My grandmother actually knew Ed, said he was a bit of an odd guy.

[@davidgibson9405]

@@SFOlson She's very lucky that he didn't kill her.

[@joelwillems4081]

I live in Wisconsin. Once saw a horrible tourist shirt with Gein's and Dahmer's image on it. 'Welcome to Wisconsin, we eat people.'

[@THOMMGB]

I seem to remember the Psycho movie trailer where Alfred Hitchcock himself is talking about the movie and shows where a character dies. That’s all I remember, but even though you know what’s going to happen, you’re still freaking out and on the edge of your seat. That’s a filmmaker who knows his craft.

[@creech54]

That trailer is on YT.

[@jasonward1470]

Hitchcock frequently did that. Very clever, witty man. There's also a great introduction to "The Birds" - similar to the one you're talking about for "Psycho"

[@banjoman101145]

You question being secretive about the love affair…it’s just a product of 60’s mores. No sharing of - - - before marriage.

[@stevenwoodward5923]

You may have noticed in most sitcoms of the 50's and 60" married couples slept in seperate beds. Phycho was also the first American film where we here the sound of a toilet flushing.

[@BeeWhistler]

Yeah, this was on the brink of a lot of social no-nos being broken. Shoot, they didn’t even show belly buttons on tv until the late 60s.

[@user-mg5mv2tn8q]

You know who were the first married couple to be depicted as sleeping in the same bed on American TV? Believe it or not ... Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

[@stevenwoodward5923]

@@user-mg5mv2tn8q It's true the Flintstones was the first cartoon. The first tv sitcom was actually, the very first sitcom on tv, that was Mary Kay and Jonny in 1947 It was also the first show to deplict a woman's pregnancy on tv. They got away with it was because they were married in real life and she became pregnant so they wrote it into the show.

[@christopherdale1745]

It always makes me laugh when you proclaim how smart and clever you are.

[@GranpaMike]

Anthony Perkins was perfect in this role. Such a classic film, my favorite from Mr. Hitchcock.

[@joecarr5412]

Anthony Perkins was on the other side of the country when shower scene was filmed.He says when on Johnny Carson Show- youtube

[@shawnmiller4781]

Must have been back on Johnnys New York days. I assume that interview is one of the tapes that NBC destroyed after the show moved to LA

[@joecarr5412]

​@@shawnmiller4781 had to be in Calif.,he says he was in "NY" time of shower scene,its on yoitube& Carson plays funny stunt on him after he's introduced.😊

[@joecarr5412]

​@@shawnmiller4781Had to be in Calif,..he says he was in NY at time of shower scene ,its on youtube & Carson plays funny stunt on him after he's introduced.😊

[@rayname908]

Bates exposes his throat while the investigator sees the signature in the book. Anthony Perkins suggested Norman should be eating candy corn like one of his stuffed birds.

[@waterbeauty85]

20:36 "I told you! I told you! I told everyone!" Dawn is so excited about being right.

[@davewhitmore1958]

and I'm excited for her :)

[@redviper6805]

Other Hitchcock thrillers you must react to: Rear Window, Dial M for Murder, Strangers On a Train, Spellbound, and North by Northwest. Also, WAIT UNTIL DARK and Charade. Both With Audrey Hepburn. Even though Hitchcock didn’t direct them he might as well have. The former has one of the top 10 scariest moments in film history

[@dolf370]

Think she's done Rear Window and North by Northwest, but I might be wrong. What I think would be the most fitting to do after Psycho is Spellbound, which is one of my absolute Hitchcock favourites.

[@jrasicmark1]

Marion and Sam were meeting in secret because back then premarital sex was still very much frowned upon. I think she beeped the horn because nobody was in the motel office and I think it's unlikely ringing the bell in the office would have sent a signal to the house in those days. Back then, newspapers could sometimes be much thicker than they are today, so it might not be that unusual that Norman wasn't suspicious that the paper felt thick.

[@psionicdreams]

Wow. That was the quickest I've seen anyone figure it out 😳 Excellent work, Dawn 😊

[@Packard63]

I can see why this one surpassed the best movie ever award to reach the dizzy height of best ultimate movie ever and although you guessed what was going on plot wise i was pleased to see it did not spoil your enjoyment of this absolute classic Dawn.

[@egglady]

I love how enthusiastic you were about this masterpiece! It has influenced just about every horror movie that came after it. And nice mention of Santa Sangre - that great movie was definitely playing around with elements of Psycho!

[@TheRedDevil-1968]

The music in this film, by Bernard Herrmann, is one of the most iconic in cinema history. It shares similarities with John Williams' score for "Jaws," in that the music / score, identifies the title characters with their own unique "theme." The "Dunn Dun, Dunn Dun" for "Jaws ("Bruce" the shark) and the "SCREE SCREE SCREE SCREE" for "Mrs Bates." Also, I've also felt sorry for Norman Bates. If you listen to the psychiatrist (played by the late, great Simon Oakland) towards the end of the film, and the reasoning behind Norman / "Mrs. Bates" actions, if you think about it, Norman is as much of a victim as the ones "Mrs. Bates" killed. For those reasons, Norman became a victim of circumstance, the loss of his father, his domineering Mother he lived with for years, the new man Mrs. Bates met and fell in love with, Norman being both shunned by his mother and her new man, they were all things Norman neither asked for, or indeed wanted. He became the "Victim of circumstance" and, at the end of the film "Mrs. Bates" killed Norman too...for now !😉

[@randyhodges8782]

That, sir, is an excellent comment.

[@Sarah_Gravydog316]

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

[@TheRedDevil-1968]

@@randyhodges8782 Thank you.

[@Hey_Jamie]

This is my favorite movie of all time. It’s the best. There’s a company in Los Angeles called Cinespia that holds screenings of iconic classic (mostly horror) movies at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery and projects them on the wall of a huge mausoleum, and you bring blankets and alcohol and food and it’s such an amazing time and I ALWAYS go when they screen Psycho

[@EmmaRiddle543]

I love this film, glad you reacted to this one. You should watch The birds and Rear Window. 😊

[@TheRedDevil-1968]

FACTS: Two things. ONE: The "corpse of Mrs. Bates" in the fruit cellar towards the end, well, there were three or four different ones. The one that poor Vera Miles reacted to the most, was the one Hitchcock used in the finished film. TWO: If you play the very last shot of Norman / "Mrs. Bates" after the "she wouldn't even harm a fly" speech, if you look VERY CLOSELY, you will see the "corpse skull" of Mrs. Bates being superimposed over Norman's face. 💀😜

[@beowulfthedane]

Before this movie was released, movie houses would show the movie over and over again and some people would walk into the movie in the middle and when it reached, in the second showing, the part where they came in then they would leave. This movie changed that because of Janet Leigh. Janet Leigh as the star and if anyone came in after the shower scene, they would not even see her. So, no one was allowed to enter the movie after the first 20 minutes. That's even how it was advertised.

[@uberduberdave]

The standard was three showings, a news reel, a short film, a serial, a cartoon and a feature film. It would run continuously from about noon to 11:00. Once someone paid to get in, they weren't charged again, if they had a ticket stub for that day. Also, most small town theaters were only open on weekends and were the only place in town with air conditioning. So, many would stay until closing time.

[@THOMMGB]

Dawn, Amazing that you got it so early. Best reactor ever! You should open a detective agency.

[@boomieboo]

Must react to the Psycho sequels. They're great (admittedly I forget if the second and third are great or just the second). They add to the lore and you'll see more of how Norman came to be while developing more empathy for the character than you already have.

[@JohnSmith-fm3pn]

Yeah , part 2 is great 4 has key flashbacks of him and his mother years before and the ending sums up the franchise well 3 doesn't really dive into the lore . its almost a stand alone flick . Just a solid classic 80s slasher directed by Perkins and he did a good job . Great for a random October night

[@mildredpierce4506]

I have seen this movie and reactions to it for several years and I’m just now noticing that Norman says that he was about to have dinner but then when he fixes dinner for Marion, he doesn’t eat.

[@natividadrodriguezjr9425]

Love your accent! ❤ Love your laughter! ❤

[@BenjWarrant]

Well done for spotting the twist so early. What was the movie you were referring to, sounds like 'Santa sangri'? The psychology is - in RL terms - bunkum. But it goes like this: Norman and his mother were reliant on each other, she found a man, being with him triggered Norman's obsessive psychopathy and he killed them both, but could bear to be alone and so he dug her up and 'stuffed' (taxidermy) her so that he could interact with her. He kept her body in her room on her bed and slept in his little boy's room. When Marion came to the Motel, Norman's psychopathy made him think that his mother would be made with jealousy and so it arranged for 'mother' to kill her.

[@tommarks3726]

The scene when Bates is talking with, the woman in the parlor was acted so well. The way Bates attitude and mannerism changed when conversation turned to his mother in an Institution. I have never seen anyone who laughed throughout this movie. HAHA You are beautiful and funny Dawn.

[@BrodieVickers-tk9sd]

A few years ago I watched the 1970's movie adaptation of 'Murder on the Orient Express'. In that Anthony Perkins (Norman Bates) plays a suspect, and Martin Balsam (Arbogast) was Poirot's friend, Bianchi. I know that cinema be like this sometimes, but at the time it felt SO bizarre seeing those two sharing scenes together.. especially when one of them brutally murders the other in something else😂That's coincidence for you.

[@routemaster19]

These days it can be hard for many people watching Hitchcock to appreciate how much of an impact he had on film and cinema then and today. Some films have badly dated and some of the twists and "shocks" might seem tame now but in many cases he was the first to pull these off and for a new film going audience at the time the cinemas were incredibly tense and electric - people would shout, scream, gasp and even cower and look away. He gave them a thrill and pushed expectations of what could be achieved. Psycho still works because of it's story and narrative in a generally modern setting. Recommendation of a similar vintage and feel - "Les Diabolique" (1955)

[@70selvisfan]

If you felt bad for Norman, you should check out part 2. It came out about 23 years later, and tells more of the story. You'll enjoy it.

[@nealrepetti2396]

By the way Dawn, the girl holding the pill bottle in the office scene is Alfred Hitchcock's daughter Pat . Just a piece of trivia for ya.

[@flarrfan]

She had an even bigger role in Strangers on a Train, one of my favorite Hitchcocks...

[@cydrych]

“You’re a creepy smell” 😂😂

[@missk8tie]

His delivery of that line was brilliant

[@Sarah_Gravydog316]

for the record, I stink good.

[@RunicMike]

4:44 Mario Balotelli was stopped with a load of cash in his passenger seat. When asked why he had it he said "because I am rich"

[@-R.Gray-]

I think the fact that you already knew there was a plot twist beforehand helped you figure it out. People who watched it in theatres didn't know what type of movie they were in for, so the surprise factor was extreme. The actress who played the victim was Jaimie Lee Curtis's mother.

[@TheRedDevil-1968]

FACT: John Gavin was actually signed to play the role of James Bond in 1970 /71. His first outing as 007 was to be "Diamonds Are Forever." However, Sean Connery (later Sir Sean Connery) had a change of heart, and, with a better contract, agreed to play 007. John Gavin had to be paid off by the producers as a contract had been signed.

[@creech54]

Hard to believe. Gavin isn't even British.

[@TheRedDevil-1968]

@@creech54 It is true though. I wouldn't have posted otherwise. Other American actors considered for the role of Bond include; Adam West ("Batman") Burt Reynolds and James Brolin (who also got as far as a screentest) for "Octopussy" which was filmed in 1982 / '83. Sam Neill ("Jurassic Park," "In The Mouth Of Madness") also got as far as a screentest, yet he is a New Zealander.

[@creech54]

@@TheRedDevil-1968 Well then, I'm glad they came to their senses! "Bond. James Bond. Howdy partner!"

[@prescottlange]

And his real name is Juan Vincent Apablasa II.

[@alanmackie6180]

I was only just watching this yesterday on BBC4 and now I'm watching it again. I must be crazy.

[@chotzrary]

You're the first reactor to compare Santa Sangre to Psycho. That's awesome. Great reaction! What I love about a lot of new contemporary reactors is how more than half have no idea about the music, the twist, and Albatross stair scene. That stair scene got me back in the late 80s, since we GenX were bombarded with Psycho. Not only the movie, but many of us were told the movie was a dark comedy by Boomers who were too cool for it. So going in, man oh man, Psycho got me so bad. The 30 minutes are pure thriller/horror. I was left in sweat. Alfred Hitchcock knew his craft. God bless.

[@JJgibson1]

Check out the movie Misery(1990).

[@pcl8993]

This is such a CLASSIC, Dawn! Not sure if anyone has brought this up, but they had to make this in black and white because they were told that it would have been too “graphic” for audiences to deal with. 3:24

[@cliffordwaterton3543]

As you say, there are many Hitchcocks but for me the best is 'Spellbound' with Ingrid Bergman and Gregory Peck. No other reactor has been there, be the first! It even has a crazy dream sequence designed by Salvador Dali.

[@aberration3869]

The stair scene shocked the heck out of me this time, nice edit Dawn.

[@MLJ7956]

Great reaction Dawn....I do hope that you watch the underrated sequel Psycho II (both Anthony Perkins & Vera Miles reprise their roles from the original) & it is a very decent follow up (and also has its own twist ending that even Hitchcock would have approved off).

[@MisterItchy]

I've seen a few reactions to this wonderful movie and some have guessed it but then second-guessed themselves. You were bang on and stayed there!

[@edpublic]

The Blood in the Shower was Chocolate Syrup

[@izzonj]

Former motel desk cleck here. If a couple checks on without baggage you assume they are just there for some "afternoon delight" and will be gone before morning

[@Mike-wr7om]

Many good crime suspense movies in black and white. I think you'd enjoy A Place in the Sun (1951).

[@billolsen4360]

And also "Anatomy Of A Murder" made about the same time. Stars Lee Remick and Jimmy Stewart.

[@agarven1]

The woman that gets killed in the shower scene is Janet Leigh who her daughter is Jamie Lee Curtis daughter of another famous horror movie is Halloween.

[@glen1ster]

2:15--Alfred Hitchcock's daughter. 18:32--"I love this music": en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bernard_Herrmann At the last moment, there's a skull superimposed over Norman's face,

[@michaelschroeck2254]

I love how her inner thoughts while she is driving is a question: is this what is actually being said by the others itvis this what she THINKS is being said by the others!

[@louispaulter8733]

Ok Dawn, your next Hitchcock movie should be “ To Catch A Thief “ with Cary Grant from “ “ North By Northwest.” Detective Dawn will have another mystery to solve on the glamorous French Rivera !!! Please react ASAP !!! 😃😎👍

[@raycornell5102]

Alfred Hitchcock said "if a couple of people are sitting at a cafe table and a bomb explodes under the table that is not as suspenseful as seeing the bomb and they continue talking".

[@SijoArtLapham6381]

Dawn Marie, Hitchcock was a master director and diving into his films is an amazing rabbit hole you would love.