The story
This woman steals 40,000$ and goes to a mysterious motel
Who directed Psycho
Who is Alfred Hitchcock
The large Gothic house overlooking the motel represents this aspect of Norman’s mind.
What is his divided or layer personality
Hitchcock banned theaters from admitting late audiences for this reason.
What is to preserve the films shocking twist
He runs the Bates Motel and has a very complicated relationship with his mother.
Who is Norman Bates?
They used this fruit to create the stabbing noises during the icon murder scene
What is a Melon?
This recurring theme explores the dark, hidden side of ordinary people.
What is duality
This early murder scene broke all Hollywood storytelling rules.
What is killing the (apparent) main character
Where does Marion take her final breath?
What is the Bates Motel Shower
The director chose to shoot Psycho using this color style to save money and decrease the violence
What is black and white
The shower scene symbolizes this vulnerable state for Marion.
What is exposure (loss of control)
Psycho helped shift horror movies from monsters to this kind of terror.
What is psychological horror
This happens halfway through the movie that changed film history
What is Marion Cranes murder?
Hitchcock financed Psycho using this personal method instead of relying on the studio
What is using his own money
The bird taxidermy in Norman’s office symbolizes this about him.
What is his desire to preserve his mothers legacy / the desire to maintain control
The film is now preserved here for its cultural significance
What is the US National Film Registry
Norman explains that his mother isn't quite herself today, what does he imply?
What is the hint that Norman Bates and his mother are the same person
This editing technique/trick made the shower scene terrifying without showing any actual stabbing
what is rapid cutting (montage editing)
Norman’s personality disorder causes him to switch between two identities.
What is Dissociative identity disorder
This twist ending reveals who really committed all the murders.
What is Norman Bates and his mother being the same person