Psycho analysis

In the first shot of Psycho, we are shown a shot of Norman in front of a bird in attack. Instantly we feel quite intimidated by the low angle and it makes us feel uneasy.  The taxidermy in the scene signifies that Norman is constantly surrounded by death and that he has a pleasure in killing. The room has low-key lighting to give the effect of the room being smaller than it is by there being various scattered shadows and only one light source. Hitchcock thought in depth of the seating for this scene, Marion is seated in the middle of the room whereas Norman is seated in a corner. To me this resembles a predator stalking and watching its prey in the open whilst he hides away, waiting for the time to strike.

We then receive a two wide shot of Marion and Norman, Marion is looking away from Norman as if she was hiding something, also being expressed by the structure of lighting. Norman on the other hand, is leaning forward and eyeing Marion with curiosity and suspicion, he looks like he wants to pounce and he’s ready to attack her. In between we get a few close ups of either character throughout the conversation but then we are shown a mid-shot of Marion, She is no longer hiding herself from him as her face is fully in the light with an expression of comfort and content. The light represents purity and innocence as we form a connection with Marion but in contrast, Norman has very faint amount of light on his face or around him during the scene showing that wherever he goes, darkness will follow him and he cannot escape.

The birds of prey in this scene are mimicking Norman’s every emotion and move, the still birds behind him in the mid shot of him in the corner represent him being patient and calm, but when we receive the lower angle of Norman in front of the bird in attack mode that shows how eager he is to already attack Marion. What’s more during this shot, I believe that the low-key lighting that is cast on Norman’s face is to represent his split personality as both himself and the mother and that when Marion mentions putting the mother in an asylum it’s the mother speaking through him.

After our strange and rare camera shot of Norman in front of the attacking bird, we see a close-up of his face as he leans forward eagerly. The slow lean is there to create tension for the audience and make us question his future actions upon Marion, we feel intimidated by Norman but at the same time there is a sense of sympathy for him because he is trapped in the body of a killer and he cannot escape the mother’s trap.  

The camera then immediately snapping to Marion as the camera closes up on her, this represents that the trap is also closing in on her and after that shot, she stands up and we receive a low angled shot of her and that she is taking charge of the situation at hand. Compared to Norman, she looks quite powerful and he looks weak, overwhelmed from all of his emotions, he also looks pathetic like a young child who is being told off. However when the shots glance back and forth between Marion and Norman, we notice a crow positioned behind her and from our point of view, on her shoulder. The levels and angles of the camera is key at this moment as we see that Marion is in charge and Norman is looking weak although the crow that is along side Marion is Norman’s mother personality who also has control of the situation.