Hitchcock’s Innovative Style: ‘Psycho’ and Beyond

As Marion enters the bathroom, the diegetic sound intensifies while the non-diegetic sound lowers, indicating her resolve to return home. The elevation of suspense is achieved by the gradual increase of sound towards the climactic attack. The non-diegetic music dwindles to a stop concomitant to Marion's life slipping away, just like her heartbeat. The music during the murder scene mimics the stabbing knife - piercing and painful. The sound of running water from the shower signifies lifelessness - an eerie silence.

Hitchcock employs a voyeuristic camera technique, which compels the audience to adopt a voyeuristic stance, peering over the protagonist's shoulder as she tallies her losses and taking in every angle of her shower. The protagonist's decision-making process is captured in a mid shot as she enters the bathroom, providing a sense of distance and enabling the audience to fully appreciate her movements. The camera then captures close-ups of specific body parts - such as her hand flushing paper down the toilet and her legs entering the shower - exemplifying fetishistic scopophilia (using the camera to construct images for either male or female desire, in this case generating an illusion of nudity aimed at male viewers due to its sex appeal).

The shower scene in 'Psycho' showcases innovative editing techniques, particularly montage editing. The sequence revolves around three viewpoints: the killer, Marion, and the audience, each presented in a cycle. Moreover, there seems to be a fourth party involved – almost as if it were the shower itself – capturing Marion's good side. The editing style speeds up with the suspense and slows down with her demise. Meanwhile, Hitchcock carefully inserts jump cuts into and out

of Marion's mouth as she screams, a technique that could easily look amateuristic when executed poorly.

The Mise-En-Scene, which encompasses everything that the director has included in the frame to enhance its meaning, is telling. It shows bird predators such as owls and eagles outside the bathroom door, which is significant considering that Norman, the hotel owner, stuffs birds. This suggests that something has already happened or is about to happen, much like how he stuffed his mother. Meanwhile, an open suitcase in the bedroom reflects upon Marion's life; it contains everything that represents her and is open akin to how her emotions are exposed at the moment. As for film-specific elements, the black and white visuals were chosen for their effect rather than because Hitchcock was cheap. It makes the film feel more realistic and immersive since colour does not convey the seriousness of what is happening on-screen. In conclusion, this film is another classic from one of the greatest directors of all time.

The horror-thriller 'Psycho' is exceptional and cannot be improved. It boasts superb montage editing from the era, fantastic lighting and sound effects, and features the best actors for the job. Its fame is well-deserved.