41. The Original Poster Artwork
The poster was sexy and risqué in 1960 and suggests that the film is entirely adult in its content.
It's fragmented design perfectly imitates the split personality of Norman and the fact that the central image is of Janet Leigh heightens the deception that she is the star. It's chic, quintessentially 60s design makes it one of the most sought after amongst collectors today.
42. The Remake
OK, albeit a terrible, travesty of cinema, director
Gus Van Sant figured the original Psycho was so amazing it needed to be re-envisioned for a new generation in the late 90's.
The fact it was a misguided, terrible exercise in experimental cinema proves the sheer awesomeness of the original! Van Sant's movie is a shot-for-shot remake of Hitch's classic but doesn't hold 1/10th of the power of the original, showing it wasn't just one thing Hitchcock did to make his classics work but a combination of all the talents in his arsenal. Plus, the very definite miss-casting of
Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates is surely the biggest hiring related mistake in cinema history!?
43. The Theatrical Trailer
Hitchcock's tour of the Psycho set for the film's theatrical trailer is a little movie in itself! The director successfully entices the audience without revealing the plot he toys with us in a tongue-in-cheek way, a masterful storyteller heightening expectation beautifully. By Psycho, Hitchcock was a brand and he new exactly how to exploit his image for the good of a movie. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MdxNmvXusM0 And when he draws back the shower curtain to reveal a screaming woman - actually Vera Miles in a Janet Leigh style wig (as the trailer was shot after the latter had completed her time on the production) it's about as shocking as the shower scene in the film!
44. It's Definitely Number One!
Psycho has been ranked number one on the AFI's 100 Years...100 Thrills poll.
45. Hitchcock's Legacy
Psycho is often the first film people think of when asked about Hitchcock and his legacy. It has become so iconic and embedded in popular culture that it is usually cited as Hitchcock's finest hour among the public.
