Psycho (1960) Image Analysis

This is the first scene from Psycho (1960) that reveals the killer, but the angle in which it has been shot at doesn’t allow the audience to see the face of the killer; this brings a sense of mysteriousness to the scene. The establishing angle allows the audience to look down on the action; this suggests that the audience is supposed to view the scene from a God-like perspective. The low-key lighting casts an eerie and tense atmosphere over the scene. The low-key lighting, as well as the shadows, suggests that there is evil and negative energy present. The empty space between the staircase and the corridor separates the image into two sections; this could represent the good and the evil within the scene. The knife is the most dominant prop within the image, this suggests that it is sufficient within the scene; the knife could also represent a phallic symbol, we later find out that Norman killed both characters within the film; the phallic symbol could demonstrate his fascination with woman, especially his mother, and his lack of masculinity. The editing within this scene was fast paced montage, this technique was used to build tension and insert panic into the audience. The Bates house is also an old, Victorian house; this by itself brings a haunted and disturbed atmosphere into this scene.