Good Eeeeevening…!
June 16, 2010 marked a significant milestone for a horror classic: it was the 50 th anniversary of the release of Alfred Hitchcock's PSYCHO , a film that would forever change not only horror, but modern cinema.
I don't think it hyperbole to state the PSYCHO is an undisputed landmark piece of work, not only in the effect that it had on the horror genre in general and horror movies in particularly; it also completely changed the direction of Alfred Hitchcock's career. (Known primarily for well-made, handsomely mounted suspense films such as NORTH BY NORTHWEST and THE MAN WHO KNEW TOO MUCH , from the moment of PSYCHO's release, Hitchcock would forever be known as a horror director, a reputation cemented by his follow-up film, THE BIRDS . More than one scholar has noted that Hitchcock's career suffered because of this; no longer was he associated with exciting, stylish and urbane thrillers; his box office actually suffered because his audience came to expect blood-curdling shocks which, prior to PSYCHO , he had not fully explored.)
Certainly mainstream cinema was rocked by this small, low-budget movie that Hitchcock filmed independently in black-and-white, using a skeleton crew from his television series, because no studio wanted to make the film (!). From this point on, sexual situations, narrative, and yes, the use of violence would be forever reevaluated and revised. Hitchcock had made a truly “adult” horror film, using mature dialogue, relationships, character motivation and formerly taboo themes to explore the (at the time) terrifying notion of absolute random murder and madness. Everything about PSYCHO , from the use of a name “star” whose character is suddenly and without warning killed halfway through the movie, denying audience identification, to the characterization of a meek, confused and supposedly harmless victim, a good-looking, boyish young man, ostensibly the film's hero, who is suddenly revealed to be an insane killer, was a revelation to critics and customers alike, and I truly envy those in 1960 who settled into the theater knowing nothing about what was about to take place, for their experience.
Certainly there would have been no HALLOWEEN, FRIDAY THE THIRTEENTH or myriad ad nauseum slasher films if not for PSYCHO , but I also firmly believe that the mature use of characters and mayhem influenced the rest of current cinema. Without PSYCHO to point the way, there would have been no BONNIE AND CLYDE , no STRAW DOGS , no CLOCKWORK ORANGE . It was a film not ahead of its time, but arriving at precisely the right time, when audiences were ready for a leap into gritty realism and self examination about the world around them. (Interestingly enough, this revolution was also taking place in the theater community, and close to the same time. 1958 saw the staging of Edward Albee's THE ZOO STORY , also concerned with random violence, and that play likewise sent shockwaves through the art community.)
And I would be absolutely remiss in not acknowledging the other artists and craftsman who should also bask in the success of what was created: Robert Bloch, who wrote the original novel that was faithfully adapted, whose stories of supernatural horrors began to turn inward to the more realistic and noir-ish examination of the troubled society and psyche; Joseph Stefano, the screenwriter who perfectly adapted Mr. Bloch's book, who went on to explore adult themes in the science fiction field by creating, producing and scripting the wonderful television THE OUTER LIMITS ; actors Martin Balsam, Vera Miles, John McIntire, and notably Janet Leigh for breathing life into the characters; and probably most importantly, Mr. Anthony Perkins, for creating not only one of the most memorable characters in the genre, but helping to create the archetype of the troubled, psychotic killer that remains with us today.
But this was truly Mr. Hitchcock's show, from beginning to end. Nothing illustrates that more than the trailers presented below. (And I mourn the current style of flash-the-images-as-fast-as –possible-and-don't-care-how-much-plot-you're-giving-away theatrical trailers; why can't they make them like they did in times past, with artistry? Did you know Stanley Kubrick used to edit and prepare his own trailers for his films?) Notice how the expert showman leads us through almost the entire plot of the story, without giving anything important away in the least! It's a masterful performance, intriguing and absorbing and fun, with a large shock jump as the very final image.
There have been volumes written about how it was all accomplished. But rather than run on further than necessary, I simply want to say: thank you, Mr. Hitchcock. Thank you, everyone. We've not been the same since you took the stage, and we owe you a great deal for that. Thank you so much, and Happy Anniversary!
Click on the image to enjoy the trailer!
|
