The Shower Scene
Camera angles
. P.O.V
.High angle
.Low angle
.Profile
.Zoom
.Close up
.Head and shoulders
.Birds eye view
.Pan
.Long shots
.Extreme long shot
Music/Sound/Silence
.Silence - normality
.Violin - Psycho strings - Urgency
.Shower curtain rips
.Screams
.Knife to flesh
editing
.Quick cuts - fast pace, disorientation
Point of View
.Removed, objective
.Marian's
.Killers
Mis En Scene
.Money in newspaper - concealment
.Water and blood
.Knife and clothing of Mrs. Bates
How does Hitchcock create tension leading up to and during the shower scene?
Hitchcock recognized that tension was important in extracting the right reaction from the audience concerning the shower scene, but whilst creating such an uneasy atmosphere it was crucial not to reveal the specific details and events of the plot. The tension begins to build along with the dynamics of the plot, when Todorov’s theory is applied to Psycho, the disruption of the equilibrium as Marion Crane is dressing in her bedroom and the camera is used to portray her thoughts on the money that she later takes. It is at its greatest during the scene with the suspicious police officer, subdues as Marion reaches Bates Motel and then begins to grow once again until the murder in the shower scene. The effects of the tension are achieved mainly by the reliance Hitchcock had on the audiences’ feelings changing swiftly as the tension rises and falls, each reaction exaggerating the next one. The use of mise en scene, such as the way that the stuffed birds have been positioned, like they are looming over the pair representing Mrs.Bates’ controlling nature or showing Norman’s sexual interest in Marion is also effective as it is a subtle message, but shows the effort Hitchcock made to deliberately create a tense atmosphere. Further examples of how tension is created include the various camera angles, shots and editing techniques like those present in the hiding of the money whilst in the Motel room, non-diegetic sound, for example the music whilst Marion is in the car on her way out of town, and the actors' actions and reactions, most importantly the conversations between Norman and Marion, and Norman and Mrs. Bates.
Marion Crane’s dressing scene in the bedroom includes no diegetic sound; however the audience is fully aware of Marion’s thoughts. The camera is used in various ways to achieve this, alongside the movement and facial expressions of Marion and the mise en scene (suitcase). We as the audience are exposed to foreshadow the following major events and the reasons for them through the specific shots, such as the close up of the paperwork for a car that Marion’s body is later left in. We are made aware by the emphasis on the money that Marion’s greed is clouding her judgment. As the audience can recognize this and Marion remains oblivious, the audience feels frustration, and they become more aware of tense situations. It is possible that the tension is meant to transcend through the screen and audience, as again we are introduced to the voyeuristic nature of some of Hitchcock’s scenes for the effect of feeling closer to the characters, as if it is all of us in the situation and room together. The most effective aspects of this scene are definitely the camera work and sound. The silence of Marion in conjunction with the nature of the scene allows the audience to concentrate on the direction of the camera, as if they embody Marion’s temptation.
The scene with the Police officer is particularly effective in creating tension, as after the dressing scene, the audience is aware of what she has done, and can provide reason for her nervousness, his suspicion and imagine possible outcomes with Marion as she desperately attempts to appear “normal”. Although the camera angles are less detailed and do not allow the audience to have the point of view of a companion traveling with Marion, the audience are still not completely detached from the scene, and recognize the tension immediately, especially when the policeman watches Marion at the car dealership. The greatest moment of the scene for showing tension was the guilt on Marion’s face coupled with the patience of the Policeman as Marion removed the money from her handbag to find her license. This is extremely effective, as the angle of the camera is tilted downward and shows Marion confined to the small space of the car, as if her own conscience is closing in on her.
The parlor scene with Norman Bates overwhelms the audience with tension; I believe the mise en scene and the camera shots and angles are the main reason. The stuffed birds on the walls resemble the side of Norman that is not visible whilst he is talking to Marion, and seem to loom over the pair and cast shadows, making the scene more dramatic.
The sound of the water in the beginning of the shower scene against the silence of Marion and the isolated Motel, suggests to the audience that Marion is vulnerable to danger and reflects the uneasiness of the previous scenes with the caution Marion takes to rip the evidence and dispose of it in the toilet, showing her feelings of guilt and then her attempt to cleanse herself in the shower. The head and shoulders shot of Marion from different angles around the shower remind the audience that Marion is enclosed by the walls of the shower, and the close ups of the shower head show the normality of the shower, to contrast the abnormal following events and how oblivious Marion was to them.
Camera angles
. P.O.V
.High angle
.Low angle
.Profile
.Zoom
.Close up
.Head and shoulders
.Birds eye view
.Pan
.Long shots
.Extreme long shot
Music/Sound/Silence
.Silence - normality
.Violin - Psycho strings - Urgency
.Shower curtain rips
.Screams
.Knife to flesh
editing
.Quick cuts - fast pace, disorientation
Point of View
.Removed, objective
.Marian's
.Killers
Mis En Scene
.Money in newspaper - concealment
.Water and blood
.Knife and clothing of Mrs. Bates
How does Hitchcock create tension leading up to and during the shower scene?
Hitchcock recognized that tension was important in extracting the right reaction from the audience concerning the shower scene, but whilst creating such an uneasy atmosphere it was crucial not to reveal the specific details and events of the plot. The tension begins to build along with the dynamics of the plot, when Todorov’s theory is applied to Psycho, the disruption of the equilibrium as Marion Crane is dressing in her bedroom and the camera is used to portray her thoughts on the money that she later takes. It is at its greatest during the scene with the suspicious police officer, subdues as Marion reaches Bates Motel and then begins to grow once again until the murder in the shower scene. The effects of the tension are achieved mainly by the reliance Hitchcock had on the audiences’ feelings changing swiftly as the tension rises and falls, each reaction exaggerating the next one. The use of mise en scene, such as the way that the stuffed birds have been positioned, like they are looming over the pair representing Mrs.Bates’ controlling nature or showing Norman’s sexual interest in Marion is also effective as it is a subtle message, but shows the effort Hitchcock made to deliberately create a tense atmosphere. Further examples of how tension is created include the various camera angles, shots and editing techniques like those present in the hiding of the money whilst in the Motel room, non-diegetic sound, for example the music whilst Marion is in the car on her way out of town, and the actors' actions and reactions, most importantly the conversations between Norman and Marion, and Norman and Mrs. Bates.
Marion Crane’s dressing scene in the bedroom includes no diegetic sound; however the audience is fully aware of Marion’s thoughts. The camera is used in various ways to achieve this, alongside the movement and facial expressions of Marion and the mise en scene (suitcase). We as the audience are exposed to foreshadow the following major events and the reasons for them through the specific shots, such as the close up of the paperwork for a car that Marion’s body is later left in. We are made aware by the emphasis on the money that Marion’s greed is clouding her judgment. As the audience can recognize this and Marion remains oblivious, the audience feels frustration, and they become more aware of tense situations. It is possible that the tension is meant to transcend through the screen and audience, as again we are introduced to the voyeuristic nature of some of Hitchcock’s scenes for the effect of feeling closer to the characters, as if it is all of us in the situation and room together. The most effective aspects of this scene are definitely the camera work and sound. The silence of Marion in conjunction with the nature of the scene allows the audience to concentrate on the direction of the camera, as if they embody Marion’s temptation.
The scene with the Police officer is particularly effective in creating tension, as after the dressing scene, the audience is aware of what she has done, and can provide reason for her nervousness, his suspicion and imagine possible outcomes with Marion as she desperately attempts to appear “normal”. Although the camera angles are less detailed and do not allow the audience to have the point of view of a companion traveling with Marion, the audience are still not completely detached from the scene, and recognize the tension immediately, especially when the policeman watches Marion at the car dealership. The greatest moment of the scene for showing tension was the guilt on Marion’s face coupled with the patience of the Policeman as Marion removed the money from her handbag to find her license. This is extremely effective, as the angle of the camera is tilted downward and shows Marion confined to the small space of the car, as if her own conscience is closing in on her.
The parlor scene with Norman Bates overwhelms the audience with tension; I believe the mise en scene and the camera shots and angles are the main reason. The stuffed birds on the walls resemble the side of Norman that is not visible whilst he is talking to Marion, and seem to loom over the pair and cast shadows, making the scene more dramatic.
The sound of the water in the beginning of the shower scene against the silence of Marion and the isolated Motel, suggests to the audience that Marion is vulnerable to danger and reflects the uneasiness of the previous scenes with the caution Marion takes to rip the evidence and dispose of it in the toilet, showing her feelings of guilt and then her attempt to cleanse herself in the shower. The head and shoulders shot of Marion from different angles around the shower remind the audience that Marion is enclosed by the walls of the shower, and the close ups of the shower head show the normality of the shower, to contrast the abnormal following events and how oblivious Marion was to them.
