Despite being one of the cheapest films suspense-meister Alfred Hitchcock ever made, Psycho went on to become his greatest success, both commercially and horrifically. Famous for many of its set pieces, the most famous of these being Janet Leigh’s shower scene that was said to have put many people off having showers at all, Psycho is for many the embodiment of the perfect horror feature.
Twenty-three years later, star Anthony Perkins went on to appear in the sequel Psycho II (with another – cunningly named Psycho III – following 3 years after that), but even with a fairly decent story these later outings, without the hand of the master, were pale imitations of the original.
After an afternoon assignation with her lover, Marion Crane (Leigh) returns to work where her boss Mr. Lowery (Vaughn Taylor) and client Cassidy (Frank Albertson) are engaged in a cash deal. When Lowery asks Marion to deposit the $40,000 she realises it could be the answer to the money troubles that are supposedly preventing her lover agreeing to marriage. Making a snap decision to keep the money, Marion hurriedly packs a suitcase and drives out of town in the direction of her lover’s home.
Fearful that she’s being followed, Marion drives through the night and ends up sleeping in the car at the side of the road. When a patrolman stops to investigate, she is spooked. Her reaction makes the cop suspicious and he notes her number, and follows her for a while, all of which increases her feelings of being found out.
In an effort to throw any potential followers off her trail, she trades in her car and continues driving, but a rainstorm causes her to miss a turning and in the dark, she spots the lights of the Bates Motel and decides to take a room for the night. Little does she know that the softly spoken young man who checks her in to cabin number 1 has a guilty, and ultimately deadly, secret.
Psycho: ITV4, Monday 29 October, 10pm
Worth a look:
Goldfinger: ITV1, Saturday 27 October, 2.10pm
The Ninth Gate: Five, Sunday 28 October, 9pm
The China Syndrome: C4, Tuesday 30 October, 1.10pm
Heaven Can Wait: Film4, Tuesday 30 October, 7.05pm
