It has gone by many nicknames throughout the years, but personally, I (and many others) like to think of it as the ‘Mother’ of all slashers: Today, I will be looking at Hitchcock’s best work that changes the way we will forever look at Horror movies or even before we bathe, this is Psycho.
And take note, I will not only be covering the 1960 classic, but as well as some stuff from that godawful remake from 1998 too. But do take note, at the end of the day, I still agree with everyone when they say Psycho’s remake was not necessary. That said and done, here we go…
Trivia exclusive for the 1960 movie:
- The film marks a first: It was the first film to show on-screen footage of a toilet being flushed.
- You may think it’s weird to see Marion Crane wearing two different sets of undergarments and purses in different colors, but truth be told, it is actually genius.
- The reason for this is because she’s seen as ‘angelic’ before her thievery of the money and her life as a sinner begins when she wears black.
- Same to be said about her wearing orange before stealing the money and green afterwards in the remake.
- The reason for this is because she’s seen as ‘angelic’ before her thievery of the money and her life as a sinner begins when she wears black.
- The music score by Bernard Herrmann is currently ranked as the #4 pick for the American Film Institute’s best 100 years of Film Score.
- Likewise, the film is currently ranked #18 on the AFI’s top 100 movies, #14 if you want to know the updated list, but it is the #1 Thrilling film out there.
- Similarly, Norman is the #2 greatest Villain from the same company.
- And his line, “A boy’s best friend is his mother.” is the #56th best movie quote.
- Similarly, Norman is the #2 greatest Villain from the same company.
- Likewise, the film is currently ranked #18 on the AFI’s top 100 movies, #14 if you want to know the updated list, but it is the #1 Thrilling film out there.
- Ever wondered what was used for the blood in the film? Nope, we could only wish it was ketchup, it’s actually chocolate syrup from the Hershey company.
- Likewise another candy was used in the film, it’s candy corn, this may be seen as Norman snacks on some throughout the film.
- Funny thing about Marion’s name, her original name is Mary in the Robert Bloch book under the same name, but this changed as there were two different real Mary Crane’s living in Pheonix, Arizona at that time. Smart thinking too…
- Guess how much Anthony Perkins was payed for his role in the film. That’s right! $40,000… The same amount of money stolen by Marion.
- If you ever watch the trailer for the film, there are two things you need to know:
- The first being that it is 6 minutes and 31 seconds, which is unheard of by today trailers and teasers standards.
- And secondly, that’s not Janet Leigh at the end of the trailer, it’s Vera Miles, who played Marion’s sister Lila in the film.
- The first being that it is 6 minutes and 31 seconds, which is unheard of by today trailers and teasers standards.
- Believe it or not, outside of taxidermy, Norman is also fan of Beethoven, he has a record of his 3rd Symphony (“Eroica”), which is ironic considering he’s the villain of the film.
- Long before Janet Leigh was considered as Marion, one other actress who comes to mind who auditioned for the part was Eva Saint Marie, who worked on a previous Hitchcock project, North by Northwest (1959), she played Eve Kenedall.
- Likewise, Cliff Robertson, aka Uncle Ben in the original Spider-Man trilogy, was one actor in mind for the role of Sam Loomis before John Gavin got the part.
- Similarly, two other actress who were in mind for Lila:
- One was Eleanor Parker, she did Baroness Elsa from The Sound of Music (1965).
- The other was Carolyn Jones, aka Morticia Addams in the old TV show version of The Addams Family (1964 – 1966). She was also in a Hitchcock film, The Man Who Too Much (1956), she plays Cindy Fontaine .
- One was Eleanor Parker, she did Baroness Elsa from The Sound of Music (1965).
- Similarly, two other actress who were in mind for Lila:
- Likewise, Cliff Robertson, aka Uncle Ben in the original Spider-Man trilogy, was one actor in mind for the role of Sam Loomis before John Gavin got the part.
- And finally, since the film’s release, for the remainder of her life, Janet Leigh took baths instead of showers.
Trivia exclusive for 1998 remake:
- Despite this film being a remake, there are a great many things that make this version stand out as different compared to the original film from 1960:
- Marion’s undergarments being one that I mentioned earlier.
- $400,000 is stolen in this film and not $40,000.
- When we see Lila for the first time, she has a Walkman.
- She implies she’ll want to grab it instead of her jacket before she and Sam see Sheriff Al Chambers.
- Lila is also surprisingly more braver during her and Sam’s final confrontation with Norman.
- She implies she’ll want to grab it instead of her jacket before she and Sam see Sheriff Al Chambers.
- Some dialogue in the original 1960 script is either omitted or added.
- We actually do get end credits for this film, as such, we get to see the new car Marion used to drive to the Bates Motel dragged entirely out of the swamp.
- There are a completely random unnecessary scenes added shown as flashing before Arbogast’s eyes before and as he falls down the stairs in the Bates manor.
- Norman keeps some adult magazines in his room.
- Consequently, Anne Heche had never seen the original film before working on this project.
- Julianne Moore who did Lila in the film, was originally offered the part of Marion before agreeing to the former role, good thing too.
- Nicole Kidman and Drew Berrymore were also offered the part.
- Actors who were in mind for Norman include Tobey Maguire, Christian Bale, Joaquin Phoenix and Henry Thomas.
- For those of you who didn’t know, Henry Thomas had originally played teenage Bates in Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990).
- Actors who were in mind for Norman include Tobey Maguire, Christian Bale, Joaquin Phoenix and Henry Thomas.
- Nicole Kidman and Drew Berrymore were also offered the part.
- This remake marks the second time Viggo Mortensen has been in a remake of a Hitchcock film, the first is The Perfect Murder (1998), which is a remake of Dial M for Murder (1954).
- Also, Julianne Moore and Vince Vaughn had worked together previously in The Lost World: Jurassic Park (1997).
- Only a few people have actually defended this film, director Ti West and filmmaker and screenwriter Quentin Tarantino, who for only reasons he can explain, enjoys this version more than the original.
- If you ask me, Quentin doesn’t obviously know what he’s talking about, he must’ve been high on something when he made that comment.
- And finally, this the only time we see the Imagine Entertainment logo do its trademark water drop effect, used instead is… What else? Blood.
That’s all for now, but as always stay tuned to see what I have to offer next time. Until then, people, I’m Big Max signing off…
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