Analysis of the Shower Scene in Psycho!

Analysis of ‘Psycho’ shower scene, exploring how film techniques are used to create effects

Hitchcock uses many different techniques to create effect in the Shower Scene of Psycho. One of the key ways in which he goes about doing this is through the camera shots he uses. When in the shower we only see Marion’s point of view looking up at the shower head. This creates tension, as she is unaware that anything is about to happen. The audience however is far more aware than she is. This shows the reader that she is vulnerable in the scene and will possibly end up as the victim, also creating a sense of sympathy from the audience. This is only emphasised by the medium-close ups we see of her, this shows us her expression and gives us the impression that she is oblivious to any events about to happen. We see the silhouette of the killer approaching the shower, which creates the effect of tension because the audience can understand that the killer has malicious intent. When the killer does attack we see a close up shot of Marion’s expression this shows her fear and shock to the reader creating a sense of adrenaline. This section of the scene is mainly comprised of close ups because Hitchcock is creating the effect of claustrophobia. We also see the close up of Marion’s hand against the wall and reaching out to the shower curtain as one last push for survival. However the audience already has the knowledge that she won’t be successful. Hitchcock uses to finish the scene a graphic match between the plug-hole and the eye of Marion as it is an extreme close up on the two, showing the blood pouring down the hole, this confirms to the audience that the killer has succeeded.

Another way Hitchcock creates effect is through the different angles he uses. We see high angle (Dutch angle) shots of Marion in the shower. This shows the reader that she is vulnerable in the scene and will possibly end up as the victim. Yet when it is her point of view looking at the killer it is a low angle shot to emphasise how powerful the killer is in the situation in comparison. The high angle shot is also shown as a point of view shot from the killer, which emphasises to the audience that the killer is in control. Amongst this, the editing of the scene also has a massive effect on how the audience reacts to the scene. Hitchcock uses fast-cut editing to give the sense of an out of control environment, expressing to the audience the speed of the attack on Marion. Hitchcock uses a dissolve to show the cut between the eye of Marion and the plughole. This shows the audience the graphic match and illustrates the idea of washing sins away.

The mise-en-scene that Hitchcock uses is a large part of this scene and has an immediate effect on the audience from when the attack occurs. We see Marion naked emphasising her vulnerability to the audience this has the effect of creating sympathy. Marion being naked also shows the audiences that she is a pure character and fairly innocent, we know her intentions are to take the money back and ask for forgiveness. However, the killer is harder to see. It seems that they are wearing dark clothes, which has the connotations of being evil. This combined with the dark lighting of their surroundings illustrates this sense of evil. The props used create the effect of increasing the sense of threat and tension in the scene. The knife is a stereotypical weapon used for murder and explains the killer’s intentions to Marion. The blood washing down the plughole also links to Marion’s red nails, this creates the effect of emphasis over the idea that there are sins washing away. Also the bathroom is a place of cleansing, this is clearly used to illustrate the washing away of sins. Another effect of the setting of the scene is to create isolation as Marion is inside a motel miles from anyone that can help her.

The sound that Hitchcock uses mixes diegetic and non-diegetic. The diegetic sounds in the shot are the droplets of water coming down from the shower, which suggests to the viewer that there is a form of cleansing or something is being washed away. Yet, when the killer is attacking there is a sudden rise in non-diegetic sounds i.e. the knife stabs that have been edited in by the producer to emphasise the impact being created. Also, the use of the soundtrack that creates the effect of tension, as the soundtrack is a sharp/minor violin ensemble making a high pitched sound; this is a noise that the audience associates with danger. Hitchcock also creates the effect of a sound bridge when we hear the victim fall; this resembles the protagonist losing in this instance to the antagonist.

Summer Work

Key Conventions of a Thriller

The point of a thriller movie is keep tension between the film and the audience from start to finish; there are many key conventions to the thriller genre. The setting of a thriller is usually dependent upon the sub-genre. However, usually a thriller is set in a busy scene such as a city; a reason to this could be that large city buildings instigate power and authority. There is a large use of quick-cut shots to cater for the more fast paced sequences in the film and there is a variety of shot types from close ups (CU), to extreme long shots (ELS). The characters of the film also play a vital role to the composition of the film, as in a conventional thriller the main protagonist will convey certain weaknesses that the antagonist will exploit and the narrative will build upon the idea. Not only has this but the producers also created tension through the antagonist’s action, for example before the antagonist kills someone with their gun the viewer will be questioning if the antagonist will survive the action sequence.

Thrillers rely heavily upon sounds in the story, non-diegetic sounds like music to build up tension in a scene or if an action sequence is about to take place. There is also a use of diegetic sounds (man-made sounds), which are more for intimate encounters in the thriller. Mise-en-scene is used to the advantage of the producer to add more mystery to the thriller; guns and clothing are all to give identity to the characters and to create a danger about them.

Key Conventions of a Thriller - ‘Phone Booth’

‘Phone Booth’ is a thriller that is based entirely on one man being targeted by a sniper in a phone booth in the middle of New York. Instantly the producers use Extreme Long Shots to encapsulate the attention of people surrounding the phone booth, and also close-ups and mid-shots to show the expression of the main protagonists face as he’s tormented by the main antagonist. The opening of the film shows the viewer the faults that the antagonist will exploit in the protagonist and the film foreshadows what will take place. The effect we see with the main antagonist is that we don’t see his face until briefly at the end of the film, there is mystery as to who the antagonist is as we only hear his sinister voice. We also here the diegetic sounds of the busy streets of New York, and also the cocking of the antagonists rifle to create a sudden danger. There are non-diegetic sounds in the form of music when the plot takes a twist.

The editing of the film consists of many quick-cuts when the antagonist creates a new obstacle for the protagonist. Because of the typically busy setting that is being shown the screen is sometimes split to show different perspectives around the phone booth. Because there is so little in terms of progression through different sceneries in the film the producers use mise-en-scene to create the tense atmosphere and to allow for evolution in the plot moving forward. The only part of the antagonist we are allowed to see I the film Is down their sniper sights, which adds tension because it means they have total control of the situation and like the protagonist the audience is supposed to feel helpless.

1. This opening Extreme long shot is used to show the greatness in size of the city and to give some scope for what is to come later. The camera then zooms in to the next shot too put emphasis on the technological age we live in to show how most people in the city are using mobile phones. The producer is also showing the amount of windows around for the antagonist to use as their vantage point. The music is a mixture of diegetic and non-diegetic sounds as the music begins and then is merged in with many phone conversations over the sound of a group of street performers singing the song. However though it does set the scene for the rest of the film it does not give too much away in terms of a build in tension and is purely focussed on showing the vastness of the city.

2. The next sequences of shots have fast cut editing with camera panning across a busy street. This shows the viewer how busy the environment is. There are also close ups of people faces and the sound hones in on the conversation that they are having like in the still. There is a narrator over the top of this sequence before it cuts and opens with the main protagonist. The lighting is that of a usual day throughout to emphasise the unexpected nature of the situation.

3. This is an over the shoulder shot. The protagonist is being shown as a manipulative individual as he lies to a customer to make money. This is a fault that is exposed by the antagonist. He is positioned in this shot as higher up than the club owner; this portrays a larger amount of power. The camera focuses on the two characters faces and puts emphasis on the customer’s expression to show how the protagonist gets his own way. Before this we here that he is a publicist and the clothes he wears are an indication that he has a ‘larger than life’ attitude, and is maybe a lot less professional than he first appears?

4. This close up Is focussed on his face as the protagonist ridicules his prank caller, though it is clear he doesn’t know what is about to happen. The phone booth is the centre of all the action in the film, and the cameras also tilt above his head to give the impression that he is less powerful than he thinks. The surrounding people are left out of the framing for the initial conversation between the two characters because they are yet to be involved in the action. In this still his head and the phone are being focussed on because they are in the golden mean.

5. This shot is one of many in the film that divides perspective in the framing. One camera focuses on the police, who are used in thrillers to either increase the tension (like in this film) because now there are more dangers for the protagonist, or to work with the protagonist and capture the antagonist. The camera is tilted up towards the protagonist to put emphasis on his facial expression as the antagonist has just killed a man and the threat has become far more real. The viewer can also see the blood trickling down from his ear which has been shot. His hair is no longer slicked back and he looks far scruffier in appearance as he becomes more fearful.