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For next time (4/12): View Chicago

Monday, April 5, 2010

Psycho- 1960


Psycho- 1960

Bernard HerrmannComposer

Alfred HitchcockDirector

Joseph StefanoScreenwriter

Robert BlochNovelist

John L. RussellCinematographer


Good V. Evil and its dichotomy

Audience relating to and sympathizing with one character, then another.

Audience as voyeurs

Audience identifying with the danger


Rationale for this opening?

Specific place and time

Random selection of people

This situation could be anyone’s

Establishes “us” asvoyeurs


Food as a motif

Establishment of character dilemma and perhaps making a case for our sympathy.

Reference to a cheap hotel

lingerie

Narrative, character, theme and

motif elements

established here


Foreshadow

Reference to her mother.

Character motivations

Marion- wants to get married

Sam- money problems

Also establishes sister as a factor


Famous cameo.

Marion’s headache + thematic, charater & motivational references

Reference to her wedding

Reference to her mother

Reference to Marion’s sister


Cassidy...motivations in the scene

“Happiness” in its association with money

Another wedding reference

“...oh, not you.”


Marion’s dilemma...non-verbal suggestion

Lingerie

Camera tells the story

Self-reflection--mirror

Her dichotomy

As the audience, what is our

relationship with her at this point?


Mise-en-scène |ˌmēz ˌä n ˈsen|is a French

term and originates in the theater. It means, literally, "put in the scene." For film, it has a broader meaning, and refers to almost everything that goes into the composition of the shot, including the composition itself: framing, movement of the camera and characters, lighting, set design and gen- eral visual environment, even sound as it helps elaborate the composition.


What contributes to the Mise-en-scène in this clip?

2:00- 8:49

Also what do we learn from character interactionAs an audience how do we feel about Marion...Norman as the result of this scene

Discuss the parallels between Marion and NormanMonday, April 5, 2010

Shower Scene

90 + shot sequence

--Regarded as a defining cinematic moment--

Horrifically brings us, as audience members, into the scene.

Maybe not what we saw, but what we thought we saw.


Saul Bass's storyboard

s for the Psycho shower scene


Shower Scene


Following the murder..... the remaining characters try to solve the mystery.

Sam & Lila

Arbogast


A professional’s explanation......


Final


Trailer4:21


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