Fear in Psycho

Fear in Psycho

            When watching a horror/thriller film such as Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho, the use of techniques including the score and camera angles play a key role in developing suspense and generating fear amongst the audience. One scene that exemplifies the importance of these techniques is the portion when Private Detective Milton Arbogast is in the telephone booth at the Bates Motel. Initially, the scene does seem to be neither scary nor suspenseful, but as Arbogast begins to talk about sneaking into the private house, music picks up in the background and ignites the feeling of suspense. The music used in this particular portion of the film has been somewhat consistent with the rest of the score for the film. Another factor that plays into the suspense is the use of rain in the film.  The rain is foreshadowing of the trouble to come, especially what will happen in the shower. By showing Marion’s reflection in windows and mirrors, Hitchcock uses voyeurism to instill fear in the audience. To enhance the voyeuristic effect, he uses high camera angles so it is like the audience is constantly watching Marion and is in the scene with her. Through the score, motifs, and camera angles, Hitchcock is able to convey a sense of fear among the audience.