The film 'Psycho' by Alfred Hitchcock. An Analysis of the Introductory Scene

Seminar paper from the year 2019 in the subject Film Science, grade: 1,7, University of Hildesheim, language: English, abstract: The essay focuses on the introductory scene of the movie Psycho by Alfred Hitchcock. Hitchcock is one of the most famous and influential filmmakers of all the time. He created his very own genre: the Hitchcock-film. Psycho shocked cinema audiences all over the world. Everything together, the technique, the cuts, the story, the characters and much more made Psycho such a sensation. Hitchcock consciously plays with the real fears of the audience and builds up pressure. The fear of becoming the victim of a violent crime, the fear of losing one's mind and ultimately becoming mentally ill, the fear of unfulfilled love or finally the fear of being discovered. During the film, the viewers go through ups and downs and can put themselves in the position of and person and their situation. The construct, which the spectators have built up and accepted in one moment, is deconstructed again by Hitchcock in the next moment.