55 - Psycho – (87%)

I remember other people talking to me about this film and they told me that it was the scariest film they'd ever seen. For them it would have been seen in the cinema and on the big screen and brand new and the first time this type of movie would have been seen and you have to sometimes bear that in mind to appreciate certain films and this might be the case. This Hitchcock classic was released in 1960 it spawned three more films and a reboot? If you could call that a reboot. This is a black and white psychological horror which was produced and directed by Alfred Hitchcock the screenplay was by Joseph Stefano and based on a novel which was released in 1959. It stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin and Martin Balsam and was made on a budget of $806k it went on to make $50m and terrified a world so not ready for it. I feel the need to mention the music, which was from Bernard Herrmann, as the soundtrack still spikes fear in people and has been stolen and used many times. The critics loved it even IMDb gave this an 8.5 out of 10 with Rotten Tomatoes giving this a complimentary 96%. There are not many people I know that like horror or suspense type movies, that doesn't like this movie. It is loved and it is a classic and I shall get to the plot, but not too much as I don't want to give spoilers away.

The problem with this film is it changes direction more than a racing yacht trying to speed round corners or bouys to reach that finishing line ahead of the rest. So, to give this plot justice will be difficult to do. The setup is that in Phoenix. Arizona a secretary for a real estate agent, by the name of Marion crane is trusted with $40,000 as cash payment on a property to be taken to the bank. Marion had seen her boyfriend during lunch break and uses the excuse of a headache to leave for the day whilst dropping the money to the bank on her way home. Always honest always trustworthy never given this opportunity before, now the chance is presented she decides to pocket the cash and run. Driving through the night she becomes too tired to drive and falls asleep on the side of the road where she is questioned by a police officer in the morning. Deciding to make the change she sells her car and trade in for a new one to continue her drive with less trails leading back to her. the following night in the middle of a rainstorm she sees a sign for a motel called the Bates Motel. She gets a room and she's the only guest in the entire motel the proprietor a gentle man by the name of Norman Bates invites her for dinner as the only two people in the motel. Well, that's what she believes. She overhears Norman's mother criticising Norman for spending time with a strange woman in the office, his mother is clearly jealous and doesn't want her boy fraternising with women. Watching from the house Mrs Bates plans against Marion.

I think that's enough to set the story up. it's not like anyone reading this will have not seen this film already. It is black and white, it is old, it is crusty, it is grey around the edges, it is dated, (especially the special effects), but and this is the important thing, it is a great movie. The story does not follow a straight line, it doesn't follow a curved line, it takes straight line 90 degree turns when you least expect them and then takes another sharp turn in another direction. Just when you think you have this movie licked and you are in full knowledge where this is going it takes you in another direction. To think this was in 1960 and I can fully appreciate why this movie scared the pants off of so many people. I could argue that I was lucky enough to see it when I was old enough to see these movies, which made this not as scary as it probably was for many people seeing this for the first time. The journey of the story just doesn't go how you think it should, with the many films that followed, it is possible that many of the big shocks have already been revealed so my advice is don't find out too much info and go and watch this, if you haven't already seen it. If you have seen it before, go watch it again, there is something you missed. I don't know what it is but each time you watch it you find more; they were clues throughout and there are hidden points of interest throughout. The cover picture (If I have uploaded it correctly) Is of the Bates house which sits on the Hill above the motel, which is a row shaped like an ‘L’ of 10 cabins, which are always empty. You have to be unlucky to stumble into them and be very unlucky to be on the run and leaving no trace of where you have come from or where you are going. Hitchcock could weave a story like so few others, I remember watching one of his old movies before psycho which had a scene the freaked me out it was so scary. Although the scene itself was not out and out scary, it was just a normal scene of slightly raised action compared to the rest of the movie but the black and white and the tones and the shadows just made it spooky. Hitchcock could do that with this movie the fact is black, and white makes it spooky makes the shadows darker makes the eeriness of the house more intense. Everything is on point for this film, it is dated but if you appreciate the date when it's coming from you appreciate this film more than ever. This is in my top 100 on merit because it is an excellent film and if you haven't this should be watched, alone at night with the lights off, just to scare you a little bit more.

Next up, he's a movie I desperately didn't want to be made, but they made it and it's fantastic. I do not mind admitting my mistake and I will do so with number 54 on my list…