Psycho post

Hitchcock's Psycho, consists of many different elements that aren't so blatant to an audience. His use of red herrings is one of the things that makes the film stand out from any other thrillers in that time period. One example of how he uses the idea of a red herring is when Marion runs away with the money she stole. From the very moment Marion flees town to avoid getting caught for the crime she's committed, the audience is convinced that the film will continue with that storyline. Hitchcock surprises the audience when Marion is suddenly murdered. The idea of killing the main character so early on in a film was surprising, and still continues to be, to audiences because it leaves them unsure as to where the storyline will go from there. This is where Hitchcock's use of a red herring comes in again. Now, it is evident that the true antagonist in the film is no longer Marion's guilt for committing a crime, but an unknown murderer. As the film continues, Norman's character seems to grow more innocent-seeming. During Norman and Marion's conversation on the night she arrived to the motel, there were certain things Norman said and characterizations about him that stood out as a bit odd. However, once Marion had been killed and he had to discuss her death with the detective, he seemed very normal. I think Hitchcock's decision to make Norman seem like a sane person only put in uncommon circumstances, was a major reason why he made a good red herring. The audience had no way of figuring out the truth because their focus was constantly shifting between the detective, Marion's boyfriend and sister, and Norman's efforts to fix the crimes committed by his "mother." Overall, Hitchcock's use of  red herrings in this film is one reason why it continues to be known as a classic thriller and what makes its ending unpredictable.
The idea of a "scary" movie has always been a very appealing idea to movie-goers. There are dozens of elements that help make something scary. For example, one element that is commonly used by directors of horror films, or thrillers, is the element of music. The volume and tone of music can lead the audience to think that something is either about to happen, or it can tease the audience in a sense by making them wait for the true scary moment. Another element that helps make a movie scary is a red herring, as Hitchcock used in Psycho. The idea of leading the audience into a trap that makes them focus their attention on one character or place, while the real antagonist is elsewhere, helps increase the shock factor of a film. Many different elements are used in order to make a film with a normal storyline, turn into a "scary" movie.