Psycho (1960)

Psycho is a perennial horror classic for good reason. Its best scenes are among the most iconic in the genre and remain potently suspenseful and visually arresting even if they aren't quite horrifying by today's standard. Going toe-to-toe with the "scare" scenes are a couple of tense dialogue exchanges that are just as compelling thanks to Anthony Perkins' layered and chilling performance.The highs are incredibly high, perhaps to a fault. Connective tissue scenes in the film which have the misfortune of resting before and after some of the best moments in horror can feel a bit mundane by comparison. There is an unevenness that has become more pronounced with repeat viewings, as I find myself looking forward to the best moments rather than enjoying each on its own merit. It may be a consequence of the fact that this is a film that is somewhat heavily reliant on its mystery and eventual twist, with many moments dedicated specifically to throwing the audience off the scent. Once you've seen the movie, the tricks take on a transparency that betrays the slightly shallow nature of the story. The execution makes up for these shortcomings convincingly, but Hitchcock has certainly made other thrillers that are much richer thematically (Rear Window, Vertigo), and less reliant on a central gimmick.Regardless, Psycho absolutely shines in its best moments thanks to the excellent performances and Hitchcock's masterful direction. It certainly deserves its classic status in both Hitchcock's filmography and the horror catalog at large, even if it lacks the consistency and substance of some of his other classics.Strong 4/5

"Psycho" is a true classic, which I doubt anyone would really argue against.It has a good story and an equally great presentation of the storyline on the screen.The movie has a good cast to perform the various roles and characters throughout the movie. And I will say that Anthony Perkins is just amazing in the role of Norman Bates, and he alone truly made Norman Bates immortal."Psycho" is adequately paced, because director Alfred Hitchcock truly was good at building up suspense and letting scenes lead up to interesting climaxes.While "Psycho" is not your average slasher movie with high body counts and gore in abundance, it has the right amount of suspense and thrills to make a proper movie. If you haven't already seen this classic horror movie, then you definitely should take the time to do so.

A seminal classic of horror by master Alfred Hitchcock, with some of the most memorable iconic scenes in the history of Cinema. Tense, horrific and a superb lesson in filmmaking, it offers well-constructed characters, a lot of revealing dialogue and a huge regard for details. Hitchcock's classic "comedy" featuring the world's most famous mother's boy is one of the most influential films ever made; every serial killer and slasher movie owes something to this, one of the true greats of cinema.

This is one of my top 20 movies and one has to watch it!