Films from Literature ENG 2400, Fall 2021 OL 0550 Toggle navigation

Part I:

1a) What do you feel you learned about the scene and how it was put together?

I feel like I now really understand how they use Marion’s sex appeal to keep viewers so engaged. She is obviously a very attractive woman, and there’s this appeal of her doing something illegal, and never losing her confidence as she tries getting away with it. So the shower scene was extremely interesting because she’s anxious during her entire run, until the moment she’s showering. It was like she was ‘cleaning’ herself from her bad intentions. It was literal, sure, but she seemed much more at ease in the shower.

2a) Explain some aspects of this presentation that you enjoyed (or not) and why.

My favorite thing was that Hitchcock explains why he wanted the film to be in black and white. He thought that the shower-stabbing scene was too graphic, and the color of blood was too explicit. The black and white definitely makes the film easier to watch, since blood is really gore-ish and gruesome.

3a) Ask a question that comes to mind about the making of this scene.

Is there a reason why the scene wasn’t as bloody as it should have been? She was stabbed more than 10 times, and the amount of blood seemed too little for how many times she was struck.
Well, that is a terrific question, Gabby, but I would think with the shower on the whole time the blood would have been diluted and washing down the drain while Marion was in the tub.

Part II:

1c) Mention any things that surprised you in this presentation or the 1960 film itself.

I’m surprised about how many sort of small remakes/reenactments/references are made on/about Psycho. The book and film established themselves as classics, and even in the 21st, continues to flourish.

2c) Were there any things referred to in this presentation that you had already seen on your own
prior to seeing the film and these compilations?

I’ve watched Bates Motel (2013-2017), which was a very interesting show based on Psycho. So I had a good idea of what I was getting into when finally seeing what the show is based on.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 8 months ago by Prof. Masiello.

1a) What do you feel you learned about the scene and how it was put together?
– The directors, I discovered, had the shot where the knife actually interacted with Marion’s body reversed. The actor pressed the knife on her skin and then took it away, but the scene was later inverted to make it appear as though she had been stabbed.

2a) Explain some aspects of this presentation that you enjoyed (or not) and why.
– I liked how the directors matched the music to Marion’s heartbeat while she was being butchered. It gave it a unique feel and was quite clever.

3a) Ask a question that comes to mind about the making of this scene.
– Why didn’t they show any stab wounds when Marion’s body was leaned over at the end? She was stabbed several times, yet when it was over she seems as if she hasn’t been touched at all. The only sign we had was a small amount of blood running down the drain.

1c) Mention any things that surprised you in this presentation or the 1960 film itself.
– Seeing the ‘Psycho’ poster in other films, such as ‘A Single Man,’ and how closely they referenced the film surprised me. I enjoy how the film is so well-known that everyone has made a remake or a reference to it in some way.

2c) Were there any things referred to in this presentation that you had already seen on your own
prior to seeing the film and these compilations?
– The shower scene was something I’d seen before, and I knew the actress who played Marion was Janet Leigh, who is Jamie Lee Curtis’ mother, and Jamie performed a tribute to her mother’s iconic murder scene in ‘Scream Queens’. I’ve also heard of ‘Bates Motel,’ but I’ve never seen it and had no idea it was based on ‘Psycho.’ I only recently realized the link between the two.

Part I:
1a) What do you feel you learned about the scene and how it was put together?
It is my understanding the film maker attempts to illicit control over the audience by trying to convey sex appeal through the use of a female lead actress. The shower scene is intended to show Marion’s experience through his point of view. For this to take place many different camera angles were used to capture each scene. Some of the angles are intense enough to allow the viewer a more realistic view point.

2a) Explain some aspects of this presentation that you enjoyed (or not) and why.

I thoroughly enjoyed Hitchcock’s explanation as to his reason of wanting the film in black and white. I did not like the excessive scenes of Marion Crane being stabbed. Today’s films show you can instill fear in your viewers without the gory dramatization. Furthermore, I liked how the soundtrack interacted with different characters, the multiscreen scenes allowed a thorough visual representation which allows viewers to be connected with what they’re viewing.

3a) Ask a question that comes to mind about the making of this scene.
Is there a reason the film was not as gory as I anticipated? I assumed due to its 1960s audience the film would be gorier.

Part II:
1c) Mention any things that surprised you in this presentation or the 1960 film itself.
I am shocked to see there are so many renditions of the classic film “Psycho” . It is quie impressive to see how many people interpret the film. It is equally shocking to note how well the story and film allowed for so many remakes.

2c) Were there any things referred to in this presentation that you had already seen on your own prior to seeing the film and these compilations?

Unfortunately, I have not seen any of the other films that were shown. I am however highly intrigued of what each film is about.