3. He Made a Rule That No One Would Be Let in to See Psycho After the Film Began
One of the biggest surprises in cinema history is the muder of Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) in the famous shower scene in 1960's
Psycho. Marion is established as the main character of the film, only to be killed off less than a hour in to the film. During this time in movie-going, people would often walk in to a film mid way through, then stay until the film started again and reached the point where they came in. But, in the lobbies of theatres showing Psycho, there were cardboard cut outs of Hitchcock, pointing to his watch, with a message stating, "The manager of this theatre has been instructed at the risk of his life, not to admit to the theatre any persons after the picture starts. Any spurious attempts to enter by side doors, fire escapes or ventilating shafts will be met by force. The entire objective of this extraordinary policy, of course, is to help you enjoy PSYCHO more. Alfred Hitchcock." There was also a record playing background music in theatres that occasionally said "Ten minutes to Psycho time," "Five minutes to Psycho time," etc.