Analysis of 'Psycho'

Analysis of ‘Psycho’

We watched the Shower Scene in Psycho. This is a very famous scene which uses a lot of different techniques and really represents a good thriller film. I am going to look at camera work, editing, sound, mis-en-scene and specific still from the scene, all of which will help show that this is a thriller film.

The first key shot in this scene is a medium close up which is taken a third persons point of view shot. In this we see the women showering with shower curtain left, it then loses focus on the women showering and move a cross to just the shower curtain where we can see the killer entering. This is a key shot because audience start to realise that the women is in danger and completely unaware that the killer has enter. This creates tension and makes the audience sympathise with her because she doesn’t know about what’s going to happen. During the killing there a number of disjointed shot from the victims point of view, the killer point of view and a third person point of view in a very short space of time. This allows the audience to see everything that’s going on in a lot of detail and it makes the sequence more confessing and panicky to watch. Also during the killing, the scene jumps cut from the killing to the sky which is dark, storm and thundering and lighting. This is called pathetic fallacy as it relates to what going with the killing, helping to create even more tension. Once the killing is over the audience see three key shots, the first being of the women eye with pupil big, the to show drain with blood and water washing away and finally we see the women eye again but with pupil smaller. All of these shots are extreme close up, which is only used for something specific and they are graphic matches. What these shots show is the life is literally draining away from her and she is dying.

The editing in the scene has been used to create more tension and atmosphere throughout.  At the start of the scene it very slow pace editing, this create the feeling that everything seem normal and relaxes the audience. But as soon as the killer draws back the shower curtains the editing becomes very fasted pace with shot jumping from third persons point of view, the victims point of view and the killer point of view. This creates panic, tension and confusion for the audience. Also it allows them to see everything that going on in a lot of detail. Then once the killing has been done the editing goes back to slow pace showing the audience that everything is over now and that there is peacefulness after the kayos. 

The diegetic sounds used in this scene are all made to make the scene look realistic. At the start of scene we can only hear the shower running which is only thing the women will be able to hear. This create tension and an atmosphere as she can’t hear the killer coming in,  making her exposed and a victim in the audiences eyes.  When the killer does draw back the curtain we hear the women scream which makes the scene scarier to watch and create more tension. Once the killing is done, the shower running noise fades out and the audience can then hear some cricket noises. This creates the feeling of cram and peacefulness after the event that has just occurred. The music (the non-diegetic sound) in this scene fits perfectly to what going on. The music starts as the killing begins, were we can hear high pitch violins noises which sound like a scream and it plays as the killer is stabbing the women. Then once the killing has happened the music goes much more lowered pitch, showing the crime is over and the women is dead. All of this creates more tension and makes the scene more sinister to watch.

There isn’t a lot mise-en-scene; however the bits are really help to make this scene into a great thriller. The key prop from this scene is the knife which helps create the feeling of danger, fear and shows that something bad is going to happen.  The interesting thing about this knife is that it’s a kitchen knife suggesting that this wasn’t a premeditated murder. The fact that the woman is cloth less in the scene shows how vulnerable she really is. Also it shows she can’t protect herself when the attack happens. The lighting in the scene is very bright. This helps emprise that the woman is exposed. The setting for scene is the bathroom which is very white. This is key as people are most vulnerable so this makes the murder seem even worst and the fact its white suggest purity which is the ironic as there is a murder taking place. Also by the bathroom being white it makes the blood standout more, making even creeper to watch. 

This shot is of medium close up in which we can see the women showering and the killer entering. This shot perfect example of a thriller because it build suspense as the women does no he there nor do the audience know who he is.  The composition from this shot is clever as she isn’t the key thing to look at in this shot but the shower curtain is. This really emprises the fact she doesn’t see the killer coming in.  the framing for this shot is important because the shower curtain being there means we can’t see the killer properly which creates mystery.

 

This shot is a medium close up taken from the victim’s point of view. This is another good example of why this film is a thriller. As we can’t see the killer face, so the audiences have no idea who committing this crime creating tension and we see the knife which shows the violent and danger of this scene. Also the fact the killer is in a lot darker lighting suggests that he is the villain, sinister and has a twister mind to commit the crime. The composition for this has been made to make the killer the centre of attention, even though we can’t see the killer face. The framing for this shot is made to look like it’s from the victim’s point of view as the audience can see the shower running; this makes the scene scarier to watch as it like your apart of it.

This is a high angle shot which is one of the disjointed shots the audience see during the killing. In this shot we can see blood around the women legs. This shows that she has been stabbed and her legs are wonky suggesting she is dying.  As the bathroom is really white, making the blood standouts even more. What this shot does is it makes the sequences seem more realistic to watch which it makes it hard and more sinister to watch. The composition for this shot follow the golden mean, as all the point of interested are on a line of diagonal. The framing for this shot is important as the audience can only her legs and blood. This has been done so the audience will just focus on the blood and the fact the women is being murdered.