Describe and discuss some ways in which Hitchcock creates suspense and tension throughout the film ‘Psycho’.

Hitchcock, throughout ‘Psycho’ continuously refines the feeling of tension and suspense. There are few mundane moments in ‘Psycho’ however these odd scenes are used by Hitchcock to lure the audience into a false sense of security, or perhaps, to lead them down blind alleys. A large chunk of the plot, the stolen money and a flee from the law turns out to be irrelevant in the end. It is through the technique of keeping the audience guessing and challenging all perception that Hitchcock creates a film so rife with tension.

Though the initial suspense that comes with Marion’s flee from her employer with the $40,000 creates an underlying tense tone, where Hitchcock first builds up the suspense to a climax is when Marion is attempting to trade her car in for a new one. The audience is aware of the crime that she has committed, and through Marion’s build up of anticipation to make a hasty escape contrasted with the cool suspicions of the police officer following her, Hitchcock builds the tension as the audience begins to suspect that Marion will be found out. The pace of the scene remains slow but it is through Hitchcock’s use of cuts between Marion and the salesman whose bewilderment and growing suspicions contrasted with Marion’s guilt and anticipation acts as a catalyst for tension. Hitchcock builds the suspense by keeping the police officer stationery across the road, symbolizing a potential roadblock in Marion’s escape. The police officer is also wearing mirrored glasses which prevent the audience and Marion to see where he is looking, keeping the tension rife by preventing any prediction into later actions of the officer.

Hitchcock’s undeniable ability to tap into his audience’s psyche is of great importance to his works. In Psycho he plays on the vulnerability of the lead to provide a sense of realism to the events that occur, thus building on the already tense atmosphere. The shower scene is the pinnacle moment in Psycho that defines this film as one of the most suspenseful and unique. As Marion is seen in the shower the tension builds to a peak, as the audience is aware of some formidable event to come. The lack of music at this point lures the audience into a false sense of security; it is not until the silhouette of Norman/Mrs. Bates behind that shower curtain that the suspense builds to a climax. The audience is then witness to what appears to be a hideous feat of violence. This huge break in tension is replaced by that of sheer horror, and accompanied by the stark music adds to the ‘graphic’ feat of violence. Hitchcock plays on the break in tension, keeping the killers identity secret to anticipate a continuous underlying suspense as the film becomes more of a ‘whodunit?’ than that of the initial questioning as to whether Marion would escape with the money.

Hitchcock instates an underlying tone of suspense by playing on the audience’s fears, leading them down blind alleys and instating a constant stream of unforeseen events, for example the murder of the central protagonist so early on foreshadows the tension to come. But where Hitchcock really excels is through his ability to make a series of innocent shots appear as graphic as the murders in today’s films. It is through highly skilled camerawork and careful accompanying music that Psycho remains rife with tension and suspense the whole way through.