History Film / PSYCho

--> ''A boy's best friend is his mother.''

* AntiClimax: The scene in which the audience finds out the truth about Norman's mother forms an effective climax to the film, but as noted under ViewersAreMorons, the scene immediately following it (in which the psychologist details every aspect of Norman's psychosis in exhaustive detail) has been described as "an anticlimax taken almost to the point of parody".

* CanonDiscontinuity: ''The Beginning'' ignores pretty much everything but the original. Presumably because [[spoiler:the ending of the third movie suggests he won't be released again]]. [[spoiler:Arguably justified as Norman had been released in the second movie and deemed sane, but was driven insane again rather quickly and went back to committing murders - making the chances of another release very unlikely indeed]].

** Hitchcock did this intentionally to upset the audience. Up until that mid-way point, the audience had been identifying with an attractive, blonde, cold-blooded thief. Halfway through they suddenly have to switch their identity onto a creepy young man who is literally covering up a murder. Hitchcock wanted the terror of the film to come from the audience being disgusted with ''themselves''.

** It's worse than that. Every bird in the movie was literally a ChekhovsGun staring right at you.

* SortingAlgorithmOfMortality / SortingAlgorithmOfDeadness: Notable for defying both of these. No one expected the main character to be killed off, and even less expected her to ''stay dead'' once it happened. And yet, that's what this film does. Think about how few films defy this rule even today, and you get a sense of just how ahead of its time ''Psycho'' was.

* KarmaHoudini: [[spoiler:Only really in the second movie for murdering Mrs. Pool, not that she was so innocent herself.]] Otherwise averted, as Norman is arrested for the murders in the first and third movies.

* TheFilmOfTheBook: Really! There was a novel by RobertBloch!
** Inverted with the sequel to the novel, also by Bloch. Norman escapes and goes to Hollywood after [[RecursiveCanon learning they're making a movie about him]].

* TheUnfairSex: Averted. Marion's a thief and Norman's mother was abusive.

* UrExample: Of the SlasherMovie

In 1998, Gus Van Sant released an almost shot-by-shot remake starring Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn. To the extent that it was the same as the original, it was widely regarded as pointless, and to the extent that it was different, it was widely regarded as inferior (probably the most notable difference being a shot of Norman [[ADateWithRosiePalms masturbating]]). But the fact that somebody thought it might be a good idea suggests what a big place the original film has in the public memory. Indeed, Van Sant may have been doing us a favor: in his own words, he did it "so no-one else would have to". Look at the current trend of horror-film remakes (''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror'', ''TheTexasChainsawMassacre2003'', ''Film/{{Halloween}}'', ''Film/TheHitcher'', ''Film/FridayThe13th2009'', and even a new version of Hitchcock's own ''TheBirds'' came close to getting made at one point), and you'll notice he was ahead of the game in preventing Platinum Dunes from touching this one.

* UnbuiltTrope: Almost a deconstruction of slasher movies before the genre would even take hold two decades later with ''{{Halloween}}'', it plays around with NothingIsScarier, something that would only begin to re-emerge in TheAughts with films like ''TheRing'' and ''TheGrudge''.

* ItWasHisSled: At this late date, it's hard to find anybody who isn't familiar with the original movie's plot twists, whether they've actually seen it or not.

* KubrickStare: Norman gives a particularly unnerving stare directly at the audience in the last scene.

In 1998, Gus Van Sant released an almost shot-by-shot remake starring Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn. To the extent that it was the same as the original, it was widely regarded as pointless, and to the extent that it was different, it was widely regarded as inferior (probably the most notable difference being a shot of Norman [[ADateWithRosiePalms masturbating]]). But the fact that somebody thought it might be a good idea suggests what a big place the original film has in the public memory. Indeed, Van Sant may have been doing us a favor: in his own words, he did it "so no-one else would have to". Look at the current trend of horror-film remakes (''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror'', ''TheTexasChainsawMassacre2003'', ''Film/{{Halloween}}'', ''Film/TheHitcher'', ''Film/FridayThe13th'', and even a new version of Hitchcock's own ''TheBirds'' came close to getting made at one point), and you'll notice he was ahead of the game in preventing Platinum Dunes from touching this one.

In 1998, Gus Van Sant released an almost shot-by-shot remake starring Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn. To the extent that it was the same as the original, it was widely regarded as pointless, and to the extent that it was different, it was widely regarded as inferior (probably the most notable difference being a shot of Norman [[ADateWithRosiePalms masturbating]]). But the fact that somebody thought it might be a good idea suggests what a big place the original film has in the public memory. Indeed, Van Sant may have been doing us a favor: in his own words, he did it "so no-one else would have to". Look at the current trend of horror-film remakes (''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror'', ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'', ''Film/{{Halloween}}'', ''Film/TheHitcher'', ''Film/FridayThe13th'', and even a new version of Hitchcock's own ''TheBirds'' came close to getting made at one point), and you'll notice he was ahead of the game in preventing Platinum Dunes from touching this one.

** To put this in perspective, the other movie famously based on this is ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre''. [[spoiler: The primary difference is that ''Psycho'' reflects more on how seemingly harmless and normal Norman was, while ''TCM'' dwells primarily on the grisly nature of Gein's crimes.]]

* GettingCrapPastTheRadar: We see Norman go in to stare at the dead Marion, then later see him leave the room and wipe his hand on his shirt. [[ADateWithRosiePalms Yeah]].

* ''Psycho II'' (1983). Norman Bates is released from a mental institution after decades of incarceration. He is cured but relatives of his victims conspire to drive him insane again, hoping to have him re-committed.

* UnbuiltTrope: Almost a deconstruction of slasher movies before the genre would even take hold two decades later with {{Halloween}}, it plays around with NothingIsScarier, something that would only begin to re-emerge in TheAughts with films like TheRing and TheGrudge.

''Psycho'', directed by AlfredHitchcock, was released in 1960, and is now one of the most famous thriller films of all time.

* ''Psycho IV: The Beginning'' (1990): Norman has been rehabilitated and lives with his girlfriend Connie. He panics when he learns that Connie is pregnant, fearing that the child will inherit his mental illness. The film explores his younger years and his problematic relationship with his mother.

** It also makes what's coming more jarring. [[TheyLookJustLikeEveryoneElse Norman of the movie initially comes off as more sweet and lonely than creepy or threatening]], even with regards to his hobby of taxidermy (he himself says it's too much, but all he has).

* CollidingCriminalConspiracies

* DeliberatelyMonochrome: Allegedly to save time and money on special effects, as they could use chocolate syrup rather than having to mix up a batch of KensingtonGore. Hitchcock also said that in color, the fake blood going down the drain would be pink, and pink is not scary.

* FoilerFootage: ''Psycho IV'' reportedly had 4 endings filmed to fool... someone.

** Made even creepier by the fact that in the last frames of that scene, Norman's face is superimposed with that of his mother's skull.

** It's pretty obvious he suffers from this based on dialogue from the first film.
* OhCrap: Arbogast clearly gets a moment of this.

* SlashersPreferBlondes. More accurately, AlfredHitchcock prefers blondes.

** It also makes what's coming more jarring. Norman of the movie initially comes off as more sweet and lonely than creepy or threatening, even with regards to his hobby of taxidermy (he himself says it's too much, but all he has).

''Psycho'' begins as a crime thriller: Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) steals a large amount of cash from her employer and sets out for California, where she plans to hook up with her lover and start a new life. She stops for the night at the out-of-the-way Bates Motel, run by MommasBoy Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), who lives with his domineering mother in a house behind the hotel.

The rest of the film follows the investigation into Marion's disappearance, first by a detective hired to recover the money she stole, and then, after he also falls victim to the knife-wielding psycho, by Marion's lover and her sister. It appears that Norman's mother may be killing off any woman he shows an interest in (the local sheriff mentions two other unsolved disappearances of young women in the area). This leads into...

* DoNotSpoilThisEnding: In 1960, at least. If you [[ItWasHisSled don't know the twist by now]], either you've been living in a cave or you're an idiot.

* BlackSheepHit: The original book was this for RobertBloch, most of whose horror fiction involved the CthulhuMythos.

* EnforcedMethodActing: Hitchcock allowed both Perkins and Leigh to improvise their roles as long as it didn't involve moving the camera. Norman's habit of munching candy is an example. Same goes for Janet Leigh.

* GenreKiller: Many film historians consider ''Psycho'' to the be movie that killed FilmNoir, as the purpose of the first hour or so is to continuously set up and avert the tropes of that genre.

* VeryLooselyBasedOnATrueStory. One of 1,000 films based on good ole Ed Gein.

* PsychoStrings: TropeNamer.

The shower scene is now part of movie culture, and the music used, along with the film itself, is used in many scholarly courses as prime examples of their chosen subject.

* EnforcedMethodActing: Hitchcock allowed both Perkins and Leigh to improvise their roles as long as it didn't involve moving the camera. Norman's habit of munching candy is an example.

Twist #2: [[spoiler: Norman's mother has been dead for years. Her domination is now entirely in his head, a split personality with the persona of his mother. It is Norman, under the influence of this personality, who has been committing the murders. Though the Mrs. Bates personality insists that Norman is the real killer because she can't move.]]

In 1998, Gus Van Sant released an almost shot-by-shot remake starring Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn. To the extent that it was the same as the original, it was widely regarded as pointless, and to the extent that it was different, it was widely regarded as inferior (probably the most notable difference being a shot of Norman [[ADateWithRosiePalms masturbating]]). But the fact that somebody thought it might be a good idea suggests what a big place the original film has in the public memory. Indeed, Van Sant may have been doing us a favour: in his own words, he did it "so no-one else would have to". Look at the current trend of horror-film remakes (''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror'', ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'', ''Film/{{Halloween}}'', ''Film/TheHitcher'', ''Film/FridayThe13th'', and even a new version of Hitchcock's own ''TheBirds'' came close to getting made at one point), and you'll notice he was ahead of the game in preventing Platinum Dunes from touching this one.

* AntiClimax: The scene in which the audience finds out [[spoiler: the truth about Norman's mother]] forms an effective climax to the film, but as noted under ViewersAreMorons, the scene immediately following it (in which the psychologist details every aspect of [[spoiler: Norman's]] psychosis in exhaustive detail) has been described as "an anticlimax taken almost to the point of parody".
* AntiHero: [[SlidingScaleOfAntiHeroes Type II or III.]] Marion steals $40,000, [[KickTheSonOfABitch but the man she steals from isn't the nicest fellow.]] Also Norman in ''II'' (Type V) as he has to deal with a couple of rabblerousers trying to {{Gaslight|ing}} him back into a mental hospital (to say nothing of the copycat killer that waited until the right moment--his release--to strike), and in ''IV'' (Type IV) as he has worse problems than a mommy complex to deal with--namely, fears that his coming [[AdultFear firstborn could inherit his chronic insanity]]--[[spoiler:and eventually incinerates the Bates Motel that had given him such bad memories as to erode at his sanity BIG TIME]].

* BigBad: [[spoiler:Norman Bates. He ranges anywhere from VillainProtagonist to Type IV or V AntiHero throughout the series.]]

* BreakTheCutie: Marion. [[spoiler: Her death comes AFTER a conversation with Norman convinces her to go back and turn in the money. It's also heavily implied that his mother's abuse did this to Norman, and made completely explicit in the sequels.]]

* DidNotDoTheResearch: Pupils dilate, rather than contract, at the moment of death. Gus Van Sant did this digitally in the remake.
** Actually, Hitchcock knew that the pupils should have dilated; however, the contact lenses needed for this effect required (according to TheOtherWiki) six weeks of acclimatization, so he decided to do without them. He did the research; this was a case of Not Worth the Effort.

** The back covers of the Legacy Series DVD and 50th Anniversary Blu-Ray avert this trope.

** Made even creepier by the fact that [[spoiler:in the last frames of that scene, Norman's face is superimposed with that of his mother's skull.

* PsychopathicManchild: Norman. It becomes more apparent when Lila Crane snoops through Norman's room

* RedemptionEqualsDeath: [[spoiler:Marion takes her fatal shower more or less immediately after deciding to go back to Phoenix, return the money, and face the music.]]

** Made even creepier by the fact that [[spoiler:in the last frames of that scene, Norman's face is superimposed with that of his mother's skull. [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel AHHHHH!]]]]

* PeekABooCorpse: Even if you already know Norma Bates is dead, her corpse ''will'' [[HighOctaneNightmareFuel freak you out.]] No eyes!

In 1998, Gus Van Sant released an almost shot-by-shot remake starring Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn. To the extent that it was the same as the original, it was widely regarded as pointless, and to the extent that it was different, it was widely regarded as inferior (probably the most notable difference being a shot of Norman [[ADateWithRosiePalms masturbating]]). But the fact that somebody thought it might be a good idea suggests what a big place the original film has in the public memory. Indeed, Van Sant may have been doing us a favour: in his own words, he did it "so no-one else would have to". Look at the current trend of horror-film remakes (''Film/TheAmityvilleHorror'', ''Film/TheTexasChainsawMassacre'', ''Film/{{Halloween}}'', ''Film/TheHitcher'', ''Film/FridayThe13th'', and even a new version of Hitchcock's own ''TheBirds'' is in the pipeline), and you'll notice he was ahead of the game in preventing Platinum Dunes from touching this one.