Psycho shower scene - Miss Hartt

Hitchcock uses point-of-view and direct address editing preceding the famous shower scene in Psycho, during which the camera manipulates the spectator's perspective through cutting. The enhancing of the conventions

Hitchcock uses the editing in Psycho to enhance the codes and conventions of the thriller genre this is done by using different camera shots to signify importance and creating a flowing scene. Hitchcock uses point-of-view and direct address editing. In the famous shower scene in Psycho Hitchcock connects with the audience on equal grounds, by showing the characters point of view (POV) it is allowing the audience to engage with that character and puts them in their perspective. This is conventional to a thriller film as it gives the audience a taste of the characters fear at that point; it keeps the audience on the edge of their seat and allows them to identify the danger and surroundings on a more intimate level. During which the camera manipulates the spectator’s perspective through cutting. The audience are limited as to what they can see, the killers identity has been hidden by dark shadows, this is conventional to the thriller genre as it is keeping the killers identity unknown and mysterious. The dark shadows are conventional to the genre as it creates a dark and creepy atmosphere.

Fast editing is used when Marion is getting stabbed in the shower, the cuts include shots of her hands feet and stomach getting stabbed one after another, this is done within about 20 seconds of filming. It is conventional to a thriller film to have fast paste editing this is to keep the audience engaged and alert. In this instant the main character has just died this begins to trigger questions in the audience’s head as to what is going to happen in the rest of the film and to who the mysterious killer is and what their intentions are, this sets the stories enigma and allows the audience’s minds to flow.

Slow editing is used in the beginning and end of the shower stabbing, it is used at the beginning to create the beginning equilibrium. This is when the shower is turned on and when stepping into the shower. The audience do not know at this point that Marion is stepping into the cause of her death the shower knob could be used as a trigger of Marion’s death. After the stabbing, the camera tracks the blood going down the plug whole this is to signify the characters life going down the drain and the close up of the eye is to trigger what the audience have just witnessed in her POV.

The blood is highlighted as a convention as it is an essential aspect of a thriller film, it creates realness and reality to a shot and is there to exaggerate what the characters are feeling and to creep out the audience. Blood is used as a gore aspect to grab the audience’s attention and keep them on guard. ‘Normans mother’ is shown using a black silhouette her knife is shown using a close-up exaggerating its significance to the thriller genre and keeping the audience alert. The knife is a form of weaponry and is used in thriller films to scare the audience and cause drama.

During the stabbing, Marion uses her hands to try and prevent ‘Normans mother’ from cutting her, this highlights the convention of there being a ‘victim’ and a ‘murderer’ this is conventional as most thrillers have these two characters, the victim is usually a young woman who is in a venerable place and has no protection usually ‘on the run’. The murderer usually has a weapon of some sort and is in their comfort zone. This makes the villain the more dominant character and makes the audience feel uncomfortable. 

Most conventional themes are either about greed, envy, jealousy, pursuit etc. ‘Normans mother’ is jealous of the young girl’s effect on Norman and wants to put an end to it. This is what triggers the start of the stabbing and creates the enigma to the rest of the story line.