Camerawork used in the opening of Psycho

Camerawork in Psycho(1960)


INTRO

Alfred Hitchcock's opening to Psycho uses various cinematic techniques and camera shots to create an eerie and tension filled thriller.

The film begins with a high angle panning shot, moving slowly over the city and giving the audience a sense of the surroundings. This is usually used as an establishing shot although in this case it may have been used to hide something. Hitchcock may have used this as, although the film is set in a busy city, it emphasises the characters isolation, by placing such odd events within a normal area Hitchcock keeps a sense of loneliness. This feature  is commonly used in thrillers to create a feeling of insecurity and apprehension for the audience, by placing ordinary events within extraordinary ones, directors can toy with what the audience feel secure with and use it to make them feel on edge.

The idea of isolation is reinforced with how the camera zooms into the characters window, the movement creates a feeling that the surrounding city will have no impact on whatever goes on in this characters life, almost as if Hitchcock has created her own world to which others are unaware of. Zoom shots from vast areas into small ones also have create an almost claustrophobic atmosphere that keeps the tension building throughout the scene.

A little later in the clip the camera is on Marion as she gets ready to leave, she looks down onto the bed and the camera pans down to show the envelope she is looking at, it slowly moves closer to it revealing that it is filled with money. The slow and creeping movements of the camera in this shot keep the audience captured and on the edge of their seat as it reveals various secrets about her. The same technique is used just after as the camera moves to show her suitcase.

In doing this Hitchcock can keep the audience questioning, a major feature needed in thrillers.

A close up shot of Marion's face is next used, revealing her anxiousness and distress, the next shot is a point of view shot again pointed towards the envelope. This technique, in this case, is used to easily tell the audience that whatever the envelope is or has inside of it is hugely important to the plot. Often a close up and then point of view shot are used to portray a characters feelings towards someone, or something.

The next shot is of Marion looking into a mirror, mirrors are a massively used in thrillers to create disorientation and confusion, and can also be used to again give the audience a hint to what the character may be feeling. As the camera follows the characters movement the mirror is kept behind her the whole time, the effect of the fast movements of the camera paired with the mirror in the background creates a disorientating effect for the audience and keeps them unsettled.

Hitchcock continues the use of the close up paired with the point of view shot in the next scenes, as Marion is driving the camera is kept on her, the car stops and the camera moves to the point of view shot showing the people crossing in front of the car, as Marion looks the camera focuses on one man, flicking from her face to his. This technique again gives an impression of Marion's feeling but also gives the audience her view of the man. These shots are vastly important in creating a certain view on a character, in this case the audience feel inclined to go against the man on the road in front, as he is obviously causing stress to Marion.

The camera then switches to show a mid shot of the car driving into a dark ad gloomy looking distance, giving a clear sense of dread and eeriness to the upcoming scenes.

This next scene begins with Marion driving away from the service station. The camerawork is still in keeping with the close up shots and point of view shots although now each time we switch back from the point of view shot the camera moves in closer to Marion's face. This intentional zoom each time we look back gives the audience a looming fear, a sense that when we aren't looking something can happen. This is often used in thrillers as a common feature to make audiences feel as though no scene is safe.

This technique also allows Hitchcock to express Marion's changing feelings as time goes on, as the camera moves closer to her is an almost sense of a definite, that her feelings now are as they always will be. Hitchcock uses this idea to present her feelings of madness, and gives the audience a feeling of sudden realisation and fear the she may be the one to look out for.

The camera moves to a point of view shot as it begins to rain, the headlights of the cars in front are blurry and deformed, again the camera can focus on objects to make the audience feel disorientated.

The torrential rain to follow also gives an eerie feeling as the audience cannot anticipate may be ahead of the car. 

  

The finishing shot reveals the infamous Bates Motel sign, revealing the word 'vacancy' clearly beneath, the hotel sign gives a sense of relief for the audience, so that Hitchcock can scare them even further with what's to come.