My Psycho analysis

Camera shots

The shower scene from the film Psycho uses different camera shots to create suspense and mystery that are typical conventions of a thriller. For example, they use an extreme close-up of her month to show her reaction to the knife and killer. They use this shot because it shows the audience her emotion and also makes the audience feel uncomfortable. Another shot that they use is mid-point of view shot in the shot where the killer is walking out of the bathroom. They do this to shows mystery and wonder. Also, they do this show the audience her point of view during that moment. You can tell because the water is in front of her and makes the killer blurred which hides the identity of the killer. In the plug hole shot, the director has used a close up in the particular shot because it shows a graphic match to the women’s eye. They decided to do this because it is a representation of the eye a few seconds later in the scene. The shot is supposed to show the eye being dilated which shows the women is dead. The last shot of the scene, of the house, is a long angle, long shot which suggests some importance of the house. The house represents a common thriller because of the lighting and surrounding of where the house is placed. The lighting, sound and the camera angles all make this house look important but also mysterious and creepy which sets the mood and the scene. Finally, the shot where the audience can see a bird’s eye view shot suggest that there is no escape from this.  As it is a high angle shot, the audience can see everything that surrounds her. It is obvious that she is blocked in and the only way out is by the door but the killer is in the way of that. So as an audience, we would feel sympathy to her, just on the fact that she can’t escape and that there is no hope for her.

 

Editing

This short clip from Psycho gives a construction of mystery and wonder through the use of zooming in on shots, Close ups and extreme close ups, to the quick editing in place to make the audience feel uncomfortable and also create a sense of the unknown. Since you as an audience don’t know who the killer is, the victim is slowed down in the shot where the killer is lifting up the knife so the audience is now focusing on the knife and recalling was it about to happen and also highlights the danger, emotions and feelings that the victims must be feeling at that point. In another shot where the knife is in the centre of the shot, this shows the importance of the knife, golden mean. The important points are the tip of the knife and the killer’s hand. They have shown these two points because they are the two significant points in the shot. It shows the audience what is going to happen and also, the hand could show the gender of the killer, since it is still a mystery during this scene. Furthermore, the editing during the shots where she is getting stabbed, the shots are portrayed and keep going back and forth. One shot is on the victim and straight away the next shot the camera is on the killer and the knife. They did this because to give the sense of mystery to the audience about the killer and the way she is the one getting murdered.

Sound

The sound that is created in the film Psycho produces a creepy atmosphere for the audience. It brings tension into the film and establishes the importance of a typical horror thriller. For example, when the killer begins so stab the victim, the sound is sharp and strident which could represent the pain that the victim is in and tries to show the audience the pain and situation that she is in. However another shot that is non-discordant is the thunder. The thunder comes into the film as soon as the victim is stabbed. This makes the audience uncomfortable and prepares them for what is about to happen. Also, this could represent how the victim is feeling, frightened, scared and helpless. Another shot is the actual shower head pouring out water. This makes the screen seems realistic and make the makes the audience feel a part of it by zooming into the shower head and makes them focus at one point. Another example of sound is the shot where the victim’s hand is grabbing onto the shower curtain. The sound effects once again make the film more realistic and since they have zoomed into the shot, it makes the audience make edge.

 

Mise-en-scène

The Mise-en-scène needs different aspects in the scene to create suspense and build up the tension in the thriller. For example, in the shot where she about to grab onto the shower curtain, it shows desperation and a drive to survive. Her nails are painted specifically for this scene to represent death and blood. Also, her hand curving around the curtain suggests how disparate she is to try and escape and find help. The shot is creepy to symbolize and try and get the audience to help her out of this. This shot is zoomed in to make the audience feel her emotions and the tension within the shot. The newspaper is an important prop in this scene because it is a sense of location. The location is rather secluded and isolated from the rest of the world since it is on the west side of America and the rest of the countries are further east. The paper stands out from the rest of the props in that shot to show the importance of it. The lighting is very important in this genre of film because it sets the mood of creepiness and makes it a mystery. For example, the shot of the house shows a sense of location and with a black background and light shining through makes the house even creepier. Also, in the shower scene, the bathroom is painted bright white to shows all the details in the bathroom and the lighting is coming behind the killer to hide the killer’s identity. The actors are very specific as she has pale skin, blonde hair which contrasts with the blood. It will be easier to the audience to see the cuts and wounds since of her skin tone and hair colour.