"Psycho" Review

 

by Daniel White

Here's a bit of Oscar trivia guaranteed to result in some serious head scratching. Composer Bernard Hermann wasn't even NOMINATED for his brilliant angst-driven Psycho score. Nope, another example of the dubiousness of the Academy Awards. Directed by you-know-who, Psycho (1960) remains an exciting, near-perfect example of expert craftsmanship. From its seedy hotel tryst opening to its daffy, yet chilling denouement, it never stumbles. Catapulting American cinema into the modern era (Is this the film that sounded the death knell for Hollywood's Golden Age?), Alfred Hitchcock, as the storied (sordid?) ringleader, has assembled a shockingly talented group of co-conspirators.

Besides the gifted Herrmann and his nerve-wracking music, John L. Russell's B&W cinematography is appropriately bleak. Toss in Saul Bass's frantic opening credits and the stage is set for the unsettling events that transpire. This flick is the ultimate film noir! Joseph Stefano's screenplay (based on the novel by Robert Bloch) is adult, literate and revealing (but not TOO revealing!). Thankfully, his tight yet descriptive script has been executed by an accomplished troupe of players, led by the amazing Anthony Perkins.

Almost as tortured in his personal life as the demented Norman Bates, Perkins is superb. Forever typecast as a sensitive, unstable man-boy because of the film, he is unbelievably good.

But the bulk of the applause must ultimately go to Alfred Hitchcock, who scrupulously supervised every step in the making of this flick (natch). Never failing to comprehend that a movie's most important function is to entertain the audience, Hitch entertains and engages us wildly.

With Janet Leigh as the ill-starred Marion Crane, John Gavin as the bf, Vera Miles as her concerned sister, and Martin Balsam as a too nosy for his own good private investigator, Psycho is currently streaming on Netflix. Oh, and a special shout-out to Ed Gein, whose commitment to self-expression made this film possible!