78/52

Greetings again from the darkness. Does it make sense to create an entire movie about a single scene from another movie? Director Alexandre O. Philippe answers with a resounding "Yes" and proves it with thorough and varied analysis of the infamous and iconic shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's classic PSYCHO.

"The death of a beautiful woman is, unquestionably, the most poetical topic in the world."

That quote from Edgar Allan Poe opens the film, and reminds us that the hullabaloo surrounding PSYCHO would never have been possible if Janet Leigh hadn't been a beautiful movie star … and if Hitchcock hadn't shocked us with the timing … and if so many other pieces hadn't fallen into place. It's those pieces that are the focus of Mr. Philippe's expository on the immediate and lasting impact of the scene.

The film's title comes from the 78 pieces of film and 52 cuts that make up the 3 minute sequence being adored, admired and argued here. The interviews and insight come fast and passionately from filmmakers, writers, educators, film historians, and actors. We meet the ultra-charming Marli Renfro, who was Janet Leigh's body-double for the film – and also graced the September 1960 cover of Playboy. There is also Tere Carrubba, Mr. Hitchcock's granddaughter and the daughter of Patricia Hitchcock, who has a minor role in PSYCHO. A few of the others who discuss the scene and film's influence include directors Peter Bogdanovich, Guillermo del Toro, and Karyn Kusama (JENNIFER'S BODY); and writers Leigh Whannell (SAW, INSIDIOUS) and Bret Easton Ellis (AMERICAN PSYCHO).

True technical analysis and peek behind the mysterious filmmaking curtain kicks into high gear when Walter Murch speaks. Mr. Murch is a 3-time Oscar winner and 9-time nominee for such timeless films as APOCALYPSE NOW and THE CONVERSATION. He is an expert on sound and film editing, two vital components to the shower scene, and he literally guides us through the individual cuts. Most fans of the film know of the chocolate syrup, but the casaba melon and the painting on the wall might be new territory. The film ties together, like never before, the script of Joseph Stefano, the storyboard of Saul Bass, the editing of George Tomasini, and the scene score of Bernard Hermann … all giants of the industry.

Whether you are a film lover, Hitchcock fanatic, or film theorist, you are likely to find something new here. The film represents so many "firsts" and was truly a turning point in the film industry, while also being a cultural phenomenon. When Martin Scorcese talks about the PSYCHO influence on RAGING BULL, it's the culmination of a blissful 90 minutes.

No it's not about any sport - if that was not included in the Box Set I bought I might not have known from the title alone what this would be about. But I reckon someone very knowledgeable about Psycho does know - if you don't or haven't seen Psycho: do not read on! And of course do not watch the documentary. Because the title of the documentary is of course something that is attached to a very special scene in Psycho.

And I'm talking about the shower scene. It may seem weird to make a documentary just about one scene in one movie (and it not even being the big twist at the end of the movie), but here it is. And it is a really good one. A lot of filmmakers and actors are in this and they talk about Psycho but also about Hitchcock in general. So you get some of his other movies mixed in here, while again primarily focussing on the shower scene. And it is a great one - still getting people excited or afraid. And when the actress from back then says she never showered again (true or not, only she knows), it's just amazing ...

As a Hitchcock fan, the premise of 78/52 really excited me. Like many cinephiles, I love Psycho...for its boldness, brilliant pacing and unforgettable performances.

One thing I enjoyed about 78/52 was the collective passion for the subject matter (the famous Psycho "shower scene"). The excitement from the filmmaker and interviewees was quite contagious; making the film very watchable from beginning to end.

I enjoyed the film's exploration of the shower scene's impact on cinema; specifically, its influence on Scorsese (and Raging Bull) as well as how the scene inspired an entire genre of subsequent 'slasher' films.

BUT...with that said, I struggled to find "new news". There is extensive research and discussion on Hitchcock and Psycho. A lot has already been explored. I found that 78/52 fell short of offering any fresh insight. Maybe it is because the documentary's interviews (mostly with with film editors) felt like a series of fanboys gushing over Hitchcock's brilliance. I found this to be quite tedious.

Lastly, I think the film needed to discuss Hitchcock's (unhealthy) relationship with women as an influence on his obsession with the shower scene. It is well-documented that Hitchcock subjected some of his actresses to forms of abuse (Tippi Hedren, Vera Miles). While Janet Leigh was always extremely professional/positive toward Hitchcock, I think the Psycho's shower scene desperately needs examination of Hitchcock, his own sexual obsessions with voyeurism and his general view of women.

If you're Hitchcock fan, I think you'll find 78/52 quite satisfying; even if it does fall a bit short of something new.

This film was really, really interesting. It felt like listening to a very knowledgeable docent dissecting and explaining a famous painting. In this case it's filmmakers sharing their admiration for "the shower scene." They take it apart frame by frame and geek out over it and give their insights. There's plenty of "Psycho" trivia (casaba melons, really?) and listening to the recollections of Janet Leigh's body double is just straight-up cool. (Anthony Perkins dropped her head on the floor!) You also get to learn about some of the themes and subtle artistic touches Hitchcock used...like the story behind the painting hanging on Norman's wall, and the rain Marion drives through portending the water in the shower. If you're a fan of Hitchcock, DEFINITELY check this out.

Can you kill the protagonist of the movie 40 minutes into the movie? ? Do you need 78 camera positions and 52 editing cuts to film a scene? ? Does it make sense that a knife is more important than who holds it? All these questions will have their answer in this good documentary dealing with an unprecedented look at the iconic shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psicosis (1960), being well directed made by Alexandre, O. Philippe.

"Psycho" was not only Hitchcock's most successful film, but it was a phenomenon in itself and the highlight of the film is , of course , the shower scene with 78 shots and 52 cuts that changed cinema forever. The film is a masterpiece of the horror genre and its immediate impact and future influence were enormous and cannot be overemphasized, showing in detail the shower scene, the "man behind the curtain", and the screen murder that profoundly changed the course of world cinema. It is the quintessential shock that created a true subgenre about psychopaths and that continues to this day. The shower image is one of the most studied, copied and analyzed sequences in the history of cinema and has obtained a notoriety that surpasses the film itself. Alfred Hitchcock took his time filming the most famous shower scene in cinema. It was made with 70 cameras to shot the 45 seconds of footage and the creepy sound effects were realized by stabbing a knife into a melon. The film lasts just over three minutes but forever changed the history of cinema, inaugurating the modern horror genre in which the bad guy is a human with deep and twisted secrets. The shower was never a safe place in horror movies. And of course, the well-known poster designer and credit titles author by Saul Bass, he's usual on Hitchcock films . Saul Bass was the author of the storyboard, and Hitch took advantage of it in the early sixties with a strange and violent film starring and with the emblematic music of Bernard Herrmann. Without forgetting the magnificent performance by Anthony Perkins in an immortal role as Norman Bates and sensational Janet Leigh with Oscar nomination included that was the only one in her long career. Inventive and superbly constructed plot , filled with delicious black humor by writer Joseph Stefano based on Robert Bloch's novel.

Directors Guillermo del Toro, Karyn Kusama, Richard Stanley, Scott Spiegel, Mick Garris, Eli Roth, Neil Marshall, and Peter Bognadovich; Editors such as Walter Murch, Bob Murawski ; actors such as Elijah Wood, Ileana Douglas, Janet Lee Curtis, Janet Leigh's daughter; writer Brian Easton Ellis and composer Danny Elffman dissect the iconic shower scene, showing its meaning and significance in a tribute to the film of the master's best-known thriller.

¨Psycho¨was directed with exquisite taste and intelligence by master Hitchcock who made an impeccable control of every scene and maneuvering your emotions , infusing with a deliciously macabre wit , it does ¨Psycho¨ far superior to the several movies what tried duplicate , or imitate it. Furthermore 78/52 (2017) also pays tribute to other Hitch films with scenes from Easy Virtue, Rebecca, suspicion, Notorious, Shadow of a Doubt, Foreign Correspondent, Lifeboat, The Rope, Strangers on a Train, Rear Window, Vertigo, The Man Who Knew Too Much, To Catch a Thief ,The Birds, Topaz , Frenzy and even the only non-thriller directed by Hitch: Mr. & Mrs. Smith, a film that is much loved by Guillermo del Toro .