Psycho: The Parlor Scene

Psycho: The Parlor Scene

Fifty-four years later, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho remains one of the most famous films ever made. The shower scene is one of the most recognized scenes in cinema history, and the reveal scene at the end of the film still influences many others today. However, I found that probably the important scene in the film would be the one known as the “parlor scene” in which Norman Bates invites Marion Crane for a seemingly harmless lunch in his “parlor.” The dialogue itself is arguably the most important in the movie, containing lines such as, “A boy’s best friend is his mother,” or when Norman snaps and leans in towards the lens when Marion suggest he put his mother in a madhouse, suggesting, “We all go a little mad sometimes.” However, the techniques used in the creation of this scene are equally as thoughtful. Norman’s parlor itself quickly sets the tone; even the minimal amount of furniture seems to barely fit in the very small space, frames take up most of the wall space, and taxidermy birds loom over the shoulder of almost every shot. The placement of both characters is meticulous as well. Marion is sat in front of round frames next to a lovely, ornate lamp which causes her face to be well lit and radiate warmth. The lighting on her is much softer, whereas Norman’s is much harsher, who sits in a cluttered corner with a stuffed bird over his shoulder. The lighting also casts much more of a defined shadow onto the angular frames behind him.

The camera starts out with steady, eye level shots on both Marion and Norman, but shifts to a low angle of Norman as the equilibrium slips. Marion, however, is still shot at eye level, creating a very an interesting imbalance and juxtaposition of camera angles along with a much more uncomfortable tone. At the end when Marion changes her mind about running away with the money, the angles shift as she claims more power over the situation and she leaves Norman in the parlor alone. 

The scene as a whole is fascinating in many ways; it moves us into the mind of Norman Bates while also presenting a well thought-out scene that uses many different technical aspects to do so.