Psycho (1960)

Director:

Alfred Hitchcock

Writers:

Joseph Stefano (screenplay)
Robert Bloch (novel)

Release Date:

8 September 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

The Essential Alfred Hitchcock.

Plot:

A thirty-something secretary steals $40,000 from her employer's client, and subsequently encounters a young motel proprietor too long under the domination of his mother.

Plot Keywords:

Motel | Money | Shower | California | Alimony

Awards:

Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 6 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Anthony Perkins	...	Norman Bates
Vera Miles	...	Lila Crane
John Gavin	...	Sam Loomis
Janet Leigh	...	Marion Crane
Martin Balsam	...	Det. Milton Arbogast
John McIntire	...	Sheriff Al Chambers
Simon Oakland	...	Dr. Fred Richman
Frank Albertson	...	Tom Cassidy
Patricia Hitchcock	...	Caroline (as Pat Hitchcock)
Vaughn Taylor	...	George Lowery
Lurene Tuttle	...	Mrs. Chambers
John Anderson	...	California Charlie
Mort Mills	...	Highway Patrol Officer
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Fletcher Allen	...	Policeman on Steps (uncredited)
Prudence Beers	...	Extra (uncredited)
Kit Carson	...	Extra (uncredited)
Francis De Sales	...	Deputy District Attorney Alan Deats (uncredited)
George Dockstader	...	Extra (uncredited)
George Eldredge	...	Police Chief James Mitchell (uncredited)
Harper Flaherty	...	Extra (uncredited)
Sam Flint	...	County Sheriff (uncredited)
Virginia Gregg	...	Norma Bates (voice) (uncredited)
Alfred Hitchcock	...	Man Outside Real Estate Office (uncredited)
Paul Jasmin	...	Norma Bates (voice) (uncredited)
Lee Kass	...	Extra (uncredited)
Frank Killmond	...	Bob Summerfield (uncredited)
Ted Knight	...	Policeman in Hallway Opening Door (uncredited)
Pat McCaffrie	...	Police Guard (uncredited)
Jeanette Nolan	...	Norma Bates (voice) (uncredited)
Lillian O'Malley	...	Extra (uncredited)
Fred Scheiwiller	...	Extra (uncredited)
Helen Wallace	...	Hardware Store Customer (uncredited)

Directed by
Alfred Hitchcock

Writing credits
Joseph Stefano		(screenplay)
Robert Bloch		(novel)

Produced by
Alfred Hitchcock	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Bernard Herrmann

Cinematography by
John L. Russell		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
George Tomasini

Casting by
Jere Henshaw		(uncredited)

Art Direction by
Robert Clatworthy
Joseph Hurley

Set Decoration by
George Milo

Costume Design by
Rita Riggs		(uncredited)

Makeup Department
Jack Barron	....	makeup supervisor
Florence Bush	....	hairstylist
Robert Dawn	....	makeup supervisor
Larry Germain	....	hair stylist (uncredited)

Production Management
Lew Leary	....	unit manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hilton A. Green	....	assistant director
Lester Wm. Berke	....	second assistant director (uncredited)

Art Department
Curtis Baessler	....	assistant props (uncredited)
Bob Bone	....	props (uncredited)
George Cook	....	assistant prop shop (uncredited)
Dave Lee	....	prop shop (uncredited)
Harold Wolf	....	leadman (uncredited)

Sound Department
William Russell	....	sound recordist
Waldon O. Watson	....	sound recordist
Robert R. Bertrand	....	mike technician (uncredited)
John Ruth	....	cable man (uncredited)
Harold Tucker	....	sound recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Clarence Champagne	....	special effects
Walter Hammond	....	special effects (uncredited)
Don Wolz	....	special effects (uncredited)

Camera and Electrical Department
Robert Aldridge	....	grip: Phoenix (uncredited)
Jack Austin	....	grip: Phoenix (uncredited)
Eugene Barragy	....	key grip: Phoenix (uncredited)
Walter Bluemel	....	assistant camera: Phoenix (uncredited)
Robert Burkett	....	camera operator: Phoenix (uncredited)
Norman Cassidy	....	best boy electric (uncredited)
William N. Clark	....	second assistant camera (uncredited)
Eugene Cook	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Bill Craemer	....	still photographer (uncredited)
Alan Davey	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Bobby Greene	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Frank Harper	....	key grip (uncredited)
George H. Merhoff	....	gaffer (uncredited)
Saul Selznick	....	second company grip (uncredited)
Jim Sloan	....	first assistant camera (uncredited)
Leonard J. South	....	camera operator (uncredited)
Richard Sutton	....	best boy grip (uncredited)
Tommy Wilson	....	electrician (uncredited)
Rex Wimpy	....	director of photography: Phoenix (uncredited)
Rex Wimpy	....	second camera operator (uncredited)

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Helen Colvig	....	costume supervisor
Joan Joseff	....	costume jeweller (uncredited)
Theodore R. Parvin	....	wardrobe: men (uncredited)

Music Department
Israel Baker	....	musician: violin solo (uncredited)

Other crew
Saul Bass	....	pictorial consultant
Saul Bass	....	titles designed by
Virginia Boyle	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Everett W. Brown	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
John 'Bud' Cardos	....	bird handler (uncredited)
Frank da Vinci	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Anne Dore	....	double: Anthony Perkins (uncredited)
John Drake	....	stand-in: Anthony Perkins (uncredited)
Margo Epper	....	body double: Mother in shower sequence (uncredited)
June Gleason	....	stand-in: Vera Miles (uncredited)
Charles S. Gould	....	location director (uncredited)
Melvin Hilgenfeld	....	technical advisor (uncredited)
William T. Hurtz	....	director: animated titles (uncredited)
Myra Jones	....	body double: Janet Leigh (uncredited)
Myra Jones	....	stand-in: Janet Leigh (uncredited)
Richard Kindelon	....	stand-in (uncredited)
Harold Lockwood	....	stand-in: Martin Balsam (uncredited)
Paul Mathews	....	stand-in: John Gavin (uncredited)
Jim Merrick	....	unit publicist (uncredited)
Marli Renfro	....	shower scene double: Janet Leigh (uncredited)
Peggy Robertson	....	assistant: Mr. Hitchcock (uncredited)
Marshall Schlom	....	script supervisor (uncredited)
Herb Steinberg	....	publicity director: Paramount (uncredited)
Dolores Stockton	....	secretary: Mr. Hitchcock (uncredited)

Production Companies

• Shamley Productions

Distributors

• Paramount Pictures (1960) (USA) (theatrical) (as A Paramount Release)
• Les Films Paramount (1960) (France) (theatrical)
• Paramount Film Service (1960) (UK) (theatrical)
• Paramount Films (1960) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Paramount (1960) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Paramount-Films (1960) (Finland) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1961) (Argentina) (theatrical)
• Paramount Pictures (1965) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release) (as A Paramount Release)
• Universal Pictures (1968) (USA) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Esselte Video (1980) (Finland) (VHS)
• MCA Videocassette (1980) (USA) (VHS)
• Cinema International Corporation (CIC) (1981) (Finland) (theatrical) (re-release)
• MCA Home Video (1984) (USA) (VHS)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1988) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• MCA/Universal Home Video (1992) (USA) (VHS)
• Pioneer Entertainment (1997) (USA) (video) (laserdisc)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1997) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Home Entertainment (1998) (USA) (DVD)
• Action Gitanes (1999) (France) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Columbia TriStar Home Video (1999) (UK) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (1999) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (1999) (Germany) (VHS)
• Universal Studios Home Video (1999) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures (Spain) (2003) (Spain) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2003) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2003) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures (2005) (UK) (DVD) (Special Edition)
• Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Sony Pictures Home Entertainment (2008) (Greece) (DVD)
• Asociace Ceských Filmových Klubu (ACFK) (2009) (Czech Republic) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Universal Pictures International (UPI) (2010) (UK) (theatrical) (re-release)
• Universal Pictures Home Entertainment (2010) (Germany) (DVD) (Limited Quersteelbook)
• Universal Studios Home Entertainment (2010) (USA) (DVD) (Blu-ray) (50th Anniversary Edition)
• Eye Film Instituut (2012) (Netherlands) (theatrical) (digitally restored version)
• Argentina Video Home (1999) (Argentina) (VHS)
• Argentina Video Home (2012) (Argentina) (DVD) (Colección Hitchcock)
• Emerald (2013) (Argentina) (DVD) (Edición Especial de Colección Alfred Hitchcock)
• Mainostelevisio (MTV3) (1974) (1984) (1993) (Finland) (TV)
• Midas Filmes (2013) (Portugal) (all media)
• Nelonen (1997) (2004) (2006) (Finland) (TV)
• Time-Life Video (????) (USA) (VHS)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2002) (2004-2006) (Finland) (DVD)

Other Companies

• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks (uncredited)

Also Known As:

"Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho" - UK (complete title), USA (complete title)

Runtime:

109 min | Germany:108 min (cut)

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

USA:R (re-rating) (1984) | USA:TV-14 (TV rating) | USA:Approved (certificate #19564) (original release) | USA:M (re-rating) (1968) | Argentina:13 (re-rating) | Argentina:16 (original rating) | Australia:M | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Canada:PG (Manitoba/Ontario) | France:12 (re-release) | France:16 (original rating) | Israel:16 | Norway:15 | Norway:16 (1960) | Peru:14 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (re-release) | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) (1999) (2003) | UK:X (original rating) | Chile:14 (re-rating) | Chile:18 (original rating) | Germany:12 (re-rating) (2006) | Portugal:M/12 | West Germany:18 (original rating) (nf) | Netherlands:12 | Iceland:16 | Finland:K-16 (heavily cut) (1960) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1965) | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1969) | South Korea:15 | Brazil:14 | Czech Republic:U | New Zealand:R16 | Canada:G (Quebec) | Canada:18A (British Columbia) (2010) | Germany:12 (re-rating) (2004) | Netherlands:18 (original rating) (1960) | Italy:16+ (original rating) | Italy:T (re-rated) | UK:15 (re-release: re-rating) (1998) | UK:15 (tv rating) | Portugal:M/12 (Qualidade) | Japan:G (2013) | Argentina:13 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

4270 Lankershim Boulevard, North Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

Shamley Productions

Trivia:

There are several references to birds in this film : Marion's surname is Crane, Norman's hobby is stuffing birds and he states that Marion eats like a bird. Coincidentally Alfred Hitchcock's next film was The Birds (1963)

Goofs:

Incorrectly regarded as goofs: The title card of the film fixes the date as December 11, but when Marion is deducting the cost of the car from the $40,000 later that same night, the last date in her bank book is shown as being January 20. People often "backdate" checks.

Quotes:

Norman Bates:It's not like my mother is a maniac or a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?
Marion Crane:Yes. Sometimes just one time can be enough.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "American Horror Story: Birth (#1.11)" (2011)

The Greatest Horror Film Ever

When you look up the phrase "Horror Film" in the dictionary .. a picture of Janet Leigh screaming in a shower should appear next to it. Undoubtedly, Psycho is the greatest horror film ever made, bar-none. The story is incredible. The acting is near perfection. The cinematography is godly. The soundtrack is perfect. It's hard to find anything wrong with Psycho. Perhaps the only imperfection I can find with Psycho is the inability to stand the test of time. One of the reasons the shower scene has become so notorious is that it's not only filmed to perfection, but because the elements of sexuality and murder are so surreal. In 1960, seeing a nude women being murdered in a shower was something that no-one had experienced yet, and was quite shocking. Nowadays, seeing Jason double-spearing two lovers having sex is nothing uncommon. I envy those who experienced Psycho in 1960 in the theaters .. those experienced the full terror of Psycho.

Aside from this though, the movie is flawless. I won't even go into to how incredible the cinematography is. One thing I think people seem to forget about the movie is the incredible soundtrack. Sound is such an important element in movies and Psycho is undaunted when it comes to sound. The only other horror movie that even comes close to using sound with such perfection is Halloween (1978).

The movie is perfectly casted as well. Janet Leigh as the beautiful Marion Crane, Vera Miles as the concerned sister, Lila Crane, and of course the unforgettable performance from Anthony Perkins as the eerie yet charismatic Norman Bates.

I would recommend this movie to any horror movie film fanatic. I would especially recommend this movie to any horror movie fan not desensitized by Friday The 13th, Nightmare On Elm Street, or Scream .. if such a fan exists.