Alfred Hitchcock set a new standard for movies when Psycho came out in 1960. Psycho was a ground breaking movie and pushed the boundaries known in the film industry. Hitchcock use many film techniques beautifully to make Psycho a movie that is still often watched and enjoyed.  The movie should be held in the highest regard for its use of symbolism, editing, and how sensitive subjects such as romance and violence were handled in the film.

Water is a symbol commonly used in films to represent cleansing or a new birth.  Hitchcock used this symbol in Psycho to a great degree.  The first time that it is observed is when Marion Crane is leaving town with the $40,000 she is driving in a torrential down pour.  Rain water is seen again when Marion arrives at Bates Motel and repeatedly after that when other characters go visit the motel.  Possibly the most prominent use of water in Psycho is in the famous shower scene.  Marion Crane flushes the calculations about the money down the toilet and then gets into the shower shortly after deciding to return to Phoenix with the money that she stole.  In this scene the water is meant to show the audience that Marion has decided to cleanse herself of the crimes that she committed and go back to living an honest life.  As she is beginning her new life Norman Bates, dressed as his mother, comes in and brutally murders Marion.  We then see the water run and wash all of the blood down the drain.  This exemplifies Normal being cleansed of the murder that, in a sense, his mother committed.

The shower scene is not only memorable because of the symbolism used with the water.  It also utilizes phenomenal editing techniques that walk you through the experience.  Leading up to the famous murder scene there are long takes of Marion contemplating what to do with the money and then making a decision to flush it down the toilet.  This shows viewers that an important decision has been made and forces them to pay very close attention to what she is doing. Similarly there is a long take of the shower head directly before the fateful murder scene.  This is our last peaceful moment before the murder, the calm before the storm.  When mother comes in to kill Marion there are quick, one or two second cuts that rotate between the knife, Marion, and the shower.  This creates a feeling of frenzy among audiences and often adds to the fear factor of a scary scene, as it does in the shower scene.  Hitchcock also used very effective camera angles in the other murder scenes such as the point of view shot from the killer's perspective as the private investigator is falling backwards down the stairs after his stabbing.  This also creates an eerie sense of suspense.

The violent scenes that Hitchcock did such an amazing job of editing were a groundbreaking aspect of Psycho.  Nothing like this had ever been pictured in theaters before.  The way that Hitchcock handled the delicate topics lead to the success of the film.  He did not show too much blood and gore but still managed to portray his message.  This gave the audience a more real feel when watching the movie and allowed them to relate better than some of today's outrageous horror movie scenes.  Also, the sophisticated manor that he handled violence with allowed it to become the normal in certain movies, making Psycho even more influential and worthy of appreciation.

In conclusion, Psycho is a film that has been remembered and appreciated for 60 years after its release and will continue to be enjoyed for years to come.  It also broke new ground in the film industry due to Hitchcock's willingness to push boundaries and his ability to orchestrate this in a delicate manor that audiences can connect with and appreciate.



**Sorry I forgot to publish. Im glad I checked tho**