"33% of the effect of Psycho was due to the music" - Alfred Hitchcock
In My opinion...
I think 50% of the effect of Psycho was due to the music. Why? Personally, I found the audio more terrifying than the shadows or camera angles or murders. The screeching of violins at a rapid pace made me uncomfortable to a point where I turned off the volume on my television for a few seconds. Psycho is by far the scariest movie I have EVER seen. The plot itself is enough to scare a grown man, but then, Hitchcock adds his extreme camera angles, shadows, and music. Raising this "scary movie" to a thriller of epic proportions. Because this is a graded project, I decided to take notes while watching the movie. At least eight times in my notes I wrote "MUSIC".
I probably should have written more analytical comments on how the music made me feel etc, but obviously the music had a large impact on my viewing experience.
Hitchcock's music in Psycho is terrifying. I watched this movie for a second time, and anticipating the more gory scenes, I would often close my eyes. But there is no hiding when you are watching Psycho. The intense composition of music adds extreme suspense and brings tension to the viewer. Whether their eyes are opened or closed, the viewer can sense the atmosphere, taste the fear of actors, the building suspense, or the insanity of Norman.
I can only explain the music so well. You should hear it for yourself...
Here are a few of the scenes that I think best explicate Hitchcock's brilliance.
1. "Bates Motel" Marion is driving away from Phoenix with $40,000, and she ends up at the Bates Motel. Hitchcock's combination of music and voice over are effective to the point where it makes the audience uncomfortable.
2. "The Shower": Marion gets in the shower, and all you can here is the water. Right as Norman opens the curtain, the screeching of the violins begins. The music paired with Marion's screaming and Norman's stabbing makes the horror scene extremely uncomfortable. Once Marion collapses to the bathroom floor, the music stops and the shower is left running. Music is crucial to the effectiveness of this murder scene.
3. "Arbogast Meets Mother": In the first moments of this scene, the music reflects Arbogast's curious intentions. Once he enters the house, the music builds with the suspense. As he climbs the stairs the music gets louder and louder until Norman approaches as mother and begins stabbing him. Much like the shower scene, violins screech and Hitchcock plays uncomfortable music to complement the terrifying scene.
I probably should have written more analytical comments on how the music made me feel etc, but obviously the music had a large impact on my viewing experience.
Hitchcock's music in Psycho is terrifying. I watched this movie for a second time, and anticipating the more gory scenes, I would often close my eyes. But there is no hiding when you are watching Psycho. The intense composition of music adds extreme suspense and brings tension to the viewer. Whether their eyes are opened or closed, the viewer can sense the atmosphere, taste the fear of actors, the building suspense, or the insanity of Norman.
I can only explain the music so well. You should hear it for yourself...
Here are a few of the scenes that I think best explicate Hitchcock's brilliance.
1. "Bates Motel" Marion is driving away from Phoenix with $40,000, and she ends up at the Bates Motel. Hitchcock's combination of music and voice over are effective to the point where it makes the audience uncomfortable.
2. "The Shower": Marion gets in the shower, and all you can here is the water. Right as Norman opens the curtain, the screeching of the violins begins. The music paired with Marion's screaming and Norman's stabbing makes the horror scene extremely uncomfortable. Once Marion collapses to the bathroom floor, the music stops and the shower is left running. Music is crucial to the effectiveness of this murder scene.
3. "Arbogast Meets Mother": In the first moments of this scene, the music reflects Arbogast's curious intentions. Once he enters the house, the music builds with the suspense. As he climbs the stairs the music gets louder and louder until Norman approaches as mother and begins stabbing him. Much like the shower scene, violins screech and Hitchcock plays uncomfortable music to complement the terrifying scene.