Psycho Movie Review 1960

Hitchcock counted on his directorial stature and broke all the rules in this story of violent murder, transvestism, and insanity. Based on Robert Bloch's novelization of an actual murder, Leigh plays a fleeing thief who stops at the secluded Bates Motel where she meets her death in Hitchcock's classic "shower scene." Shot on a limited budget in little more than a month, "Psycho" changed the Hollywood horror film forever. Followed by "Psycho 2" (1983), "Psycho 3" (1986), "Psycho 4: The Beginning" (1990), and a TV movie.

Distribution

Time-Life Video and Television, 1450 Palmyra Ave., Richmond, VA 23227-4420, Phone: (804)266-6330, Toll-free: 800-950-7887, Fax: (757)427-7905

Available on VHS, DVD
Running time 109 minutes.

Cast and Crew

Genres

Mystery & Suspense, Role Reversal, Sanity Check, Great Death Scenes, Grand Hotel, Gender Bending, Creepy Houses, Psychotics/Sociopaths, Classic Horror, No-Exit Motel, Top Grossing Films of 1960, Monster Moms, 4 Bones

Screenplay

Joseph Stefano

Cast

Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, John McIntire, Martin Balsam, Simon Oakland, Ted (Edward) Knight, John Anderson, Frank Albertson, Patricia Hitchcock, Alfred Hitchcock

Cinematography

John L. "Jack" Russell

Director

Alfred Hitchcock

Music

Bernard Herrmann

Other

Virginia Gregg, Jeanette Nolan

Producer

Paramount Pictures

Awards

AFI 1998: Top 100; Golden Globes 1961: Support. Actress (Leigh), Natl. Film Reg. 1992.