It's Perfectly Natural for a Son to Love a Movie

Psycho is a Shamley Production starring, Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, 
John Gavin and Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. Directed by Alfred Hitchcock.

Watching Alfred Hitchcock’s, Psycho for the first time, without any prior knowledge, is a rare experience today. With sequels, reboots, and spoilers everywhere, going in completely blind feels nearly impossible. The film is famous for its iconic shower scene (which is really the only thing I was aware of), which shocked audiences upon release, and is often hailed as a masterpiece of suspense and horror.

My own introduction to Hitchcock began much earlier, around the early 1970s, when North by Northwest aired on TV. That film sparked my fascination with thrillers and even Mount Rushmore, thanks to its memorable climax.  For years I belived you could actually drive and be on top of the monument. 

However, the title Psycho always sounded too scary, so I avoided it for years. It wasn’t until 1981 that I finally watched Psycho, broadcast as part of Bill Collins’ Golden Years of Hollywood series. Bill Collins (a movie buff) would introduce the film and talk a little about it.  I don't recall now what he said verbatim except there was a strong parental theme, the shower sequence and he would divulge something interesting about the Bates house at the end of the movie. 

As the movie started all that was going through my brain was - people were so terrified by the shower scene if they looked away they might have missed seeing the killer - surely if I glued myself to the screen  - no matter how terrifying, I could solve the movies plot then and there.

                    

I was engrossed from the start.  Aha! Was Cassidy buying his daughter a wedding present a clue? And there was Caroline talking about a possessive mother, another possible clue? 

As Marion Crane drove into the motel, the sign, Bates Motel, seemed instantly recognisable.  I suddenly recalled I had a 45 record titled 'Bates Motel' by the London Hitmen (the Hitmen if you were in the UK) - was there a connection I was blindly unaware of?  No time for that, I was out to solve a mystery.  Its so hard to imagine watching Psycho having to endure television commercials but at the time it was a regular part of life. You just accepted it.

It was time for the shower scene and I didn't turn away, strangely I wasn't afraid.  Was there another one later in the film?  But upon seeing it, I saw the killer.  It was the mother.  Deluded as I was - I had outsmarted Hitchcock, I outsmarted everyone who missed this, oh so obvious (to me) clue. For the rest of the movie Mrs Bates was alive and another character in the movie.  No question about it.  As Arbogast started to ascend the stairs I became so terrified, literally hiding behind cushions and when mom made her appearance there was no doubt, this mother was a maniac and yes, a raving thing.

As Norman was about the carry her down the stairs I was so engrossed, unaware Hitchcock was doing amazing camera angles. all I was thinking was - that mother is one stubborn old lady.  When Sheriff Chambers asked, "who's that woman buried out in Greenlawn cemetery" - I think I blurted out a very frustrated,  "I don't know!!!"
                          

By the time Lila was well into the picture, I was terrified.  By this time I brought our dog inside to help protect me.  I was totally absorbing every detail.  One of the more frightening moments (for me) is when Lila reacts to seeing her reflection in a mirror in mothers room, I do remember screaming at that moment followed by yelling, "just get out of the house" at the screen.

As Lila looked at the cellar door, this was so terrifying for me than the shower scene had been.  When Lila finally met Mrs Bates I was freaked.  Only to be more gobsmacked at the reveal.  I hadn't outsmarted everyone and felt like a fool.  But one thing was on my mind, - who, what, why, I needed to know everything.

During the final scene with Dr Richmond I don't think my mouth closed.  Here was the moment that explained everything, every question in my brain was being answered by the fine doctor.

I had been on a rollercoaster of a ride - all in 109 minutes (longer with the damn commercials).  My brain was reliving every moment - how could I be so stupid - of course that happened - ah that was because of, and so on.
                                    

Bill Collins came on to do his endpiece.  His promise to divulge something about the house was simply, the house remains at Universal Studios (in fact it wasn't, it was removed in December 1980 and not rebuilt until Psycho II in 1982) and the house only consisted of only two sides, the front and left side.  I found this fascinating.  Even more trickery at the hands of Mr Hitchcock.  I think he might have mentioned a sequel was being planned - but if he did my mind was reeling too much to pay any attention.

I quickly went to put on my Bates Motel record.  Yes indeed, it was related to the movie, "the master has gone, but you'll carry on, biting your nails forever".
                                                

Being Australian there wasn't a lot you could do in 1981 when it came to acessing information.  Video machine's were slowly coming in.  I was aware Psycho was available as a rental and begged and pleaded to get a player but it fell on deaf ears, it did finally eventuate in early 1982.

All I could do in the meantime was go to bookstores and look for books on Hitchcock. And that I did, and started amassing a number of books predominately only paying attention to the Psycho chapter.

When we finally got a BETA player (at my father's instance, I wanted VHS like everyone else) a friend copied Psycho for me, having to lug his machine to my place to do so - but it seemed very exciting to have Psycho at my fingertips, and I wore it out.  I watched it numerous times during the week and on weekends sometimes back to back for hours on end.  This is probably where I first learned of my OCD - just not knowing it was a thing. 

Quickly learning the movies dialogue I started trying to adapt the script into my own life.  I remember going to a bank and being asked if I had identification, I amusingly replied, "I believe I have all the necessary papers".  They had no clue but there I was living my best life.

One other thing that got me into a lot of trouble, our bathroom and (looking back now) had horrible blue floral wallpaper and above the toilet was a rather large flower nicely positioned at eye level.  Yes, I cut an eye out of a magazine and slapped it into the middle of the flower.  What made it hysterical (for me) was other other side of the wall was a wardrobe, a perfect hiding spot for a peephole.  My father would always notice the eye and lose his temper, the more he yelled the funnier I thought it was.

In 1982 we had gotten a kitten (not sure how or even why) but the first thing I did was name him Norman!  (I later had a cat called Maureen, named after Psycho III but that's a whole different story).  As 1982 progressed word came out that Psycho II was indeed in production - and with an Australian director.  My deep dive into Psycho II was pretty obsessive and that will be a whole post on its own.)  Somewhere is a BETA tape with Psycho II content taped off the TV (yes, I'm currently trying to find it.)

In all the ensuing years I still haven't seen Psycho on the big screen in a cinema.  However, a few years ago I did attend Psycho at the Drive-In.  It was part of the farewell celebrations when the drive-in was closing.  I went with a friend who hadn't seen the film, normally its the first thing I subject new friends too, and to his delight he was most happy when he realized he'd been to the car yard seen in the movie, "is that the same car yard you dragged me to in LA?", "one and the same", said I.

Psycho has remained a constant in my life and all these years later the amount of joy it has given me is something I am truly appreciative of.  In the ensuing years in 1990 the Stephen Rebello book, 'Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho' was a discvovery of absolute pure joy taking the reader onto the set for every delicious morsel in microsopic detail.

With me, Psycho gets a rating of 5 butchers knives everytime.

All photos Universal Studios.except drive-in image by  R Zada.