Psycho (1960)

Great DVD of a great classic

What more can I say than what the review title says? I've seen Psycho several times over the years on T.V., and enjoyed it very much. Now having it in my DVD collection to watch anytime I want is a great bonus. For those of you who love this movie very much, and want to have it on DVD, don't hesitate to add it to your collection!
January 6, 2009

Great features

The movie is of course a classic, not much more to say about it.
The features add new information I'd never run across as a Hitchcock fan.
Great special edition January 6, 2009

Great extras for a fabulously wicked film

Hitchcock and a shower. That's all you need to know to identify this film classic and this special edition is phenomenal with great extras and commentary, The delivery was swift, and it is now a more than welocme ediition to my Hitchcock collection. The Master of Suspense does more with less... less gore and less camera trickery along with great storytelling and a wit that is dark yet strangely humorous at times. I could not be happier... even though I may take a bath after watching! December 21, 2008

Hours of Entertainment!

This is how a DVD should be done. The packaging, the film, and the extras are done perfectly.
Disc 1: *Psycho in great quality.
*Trailers
*Newsreel footage
*Posters and Ads
*Commentary
*Storyboards for the shower scene
Disc 2: *A Making of Psycho with the actors of the movie looking
back on the the film.
*A segment with famous directors discussing the influence of
Hitchcock.
*An episode of Alfred Hitchcock presents: Lamb to the
Slaughter. This episode is fantastic it reminds you of Psycho
except a douche of a husband gets what's coming to him.
This set will keep you entertained for about six hours and you'll be watching it over and over again.Psycho (Special Edition) (Universal Legacy Series)










December 17, 2008

The story of the ultimate mama's boy!!!

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Early in this movie the viewer is told that a boy's best friend is his mother. Is this true??

This movie is a suspense/horror/the first psychoanalytic thriller directed by the "master of suspense" himself, Alfred Hitchcock. It is based on the novel "Psycho" by Robert Bloch, which in turn was inspired by the crimes of Wisconsin murderer Ed Gein.

Briefly, this film depicts the encounter between secretary Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) who is hiding in a motel after embezzling from her employer, and the motel's owner, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), and the aftermath of their encounter.

Look for Hitchcock's traditional cameo that appears early in the story. (Note that it is difficult to find.)

The now famous motel mentioned in the summary above is called the "Bates Motel." It's sign is first seen just over 24 minutes into the movie. We learn later that business is bad at the Bates' Motel since it has "twelve cabins, twelve vacancies."

About 28 minutes into the movie, we encounter Norman Bates. He lives with his mean, emotionally unstable, possessive, invalid mother in a now famous sinister-looking house (dubbed the Bates' Mansion) on top of a hill near the motel. His hobby: taxidermy (that is, "stuffing things."). He also stutters when under pressure.

This movie has several scenes that are legendary but perhaps the most famous is the shower scene. It occurs 46 minutes into the movie. This unforgettable scene took seven days to film and required about seventy camera set-ups. It lasts three minutes.

The performance given by Anthony Perkins (as Norman Bates) is incredible. Janet Leigh (as Marion Crane) also gives a decent performance. In fact, both performances were so good that they both suffered from typecasting after this movie was released. (Also look for Hitchcock's daughter Patricia and Ted Knight, best known for "The Mary Tyler Moore Show," in bit parts.)

This movie is open to many interpretations especially psychoanalytic ones. For example, the Bates' Mansion has three floors paralleling the three levels that psychoanalysis attributes to the human mind: (1) superego (first floor) (2) ego (ground floor) (3) id (basement).

The background music is incredible. It effectively adds to each scene.

This movie had four Academy Award nominations. It also spawned several sequels and a remake, all of which are generally seen as works of lesser quality.

Finally, the DVD itself (the one released Oct. 2008) is perfect in picture and sound quality. It has many interesting extras.

In conclusion, you have to see this movie to see why it's regarded as one of Hitchcock's best films and highly praised as a work of cinematic art by international critics!!

(1960; 1 hr, 50 min; wide screen; black and white; 27 scenes; 2 discs)

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December 3, 2008

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