Psycho movie review & film summary (1960) - Roger Ebert
“It wasn't a message that stirred the audiences, nor was it a great performance…they were aroused by pure film.” So Alfred Hitchcock told Francois Truffaut ...
Alfred Hitchcock
So <anchor>Alfred Hitchcock</anchor> told Francois Truffaut about “Psycho,” adding that it “belongs to filmmakers, to you and me.” Hitchcock deliberately wanted “Psycho” to look like a cheap exploitation film. He shot it not with his usual expensive feature crew (which had just finished “North by Northwest”) but with the crew he used for his television show. He filmed in black and white. Long passages contained no dialogue. His budget, $800,000, was cheap even by 1960 standards; the Bates Motel and mansion were built on the back lot at Universal. In its visceral feel, “Psycho” has more in common with noir quickies like “ Detour” than with elegant Hitchcock thrillers like “ Rear Window” or “ Vertigo.”