Critical Essay Practice - methodinyourmadness



Critical Essay Example

Choose a film which you think has a definite turning point or decisive moment.

Explain briefly what happens at that point or moment and go on to explain why you think it is so important to the rest of the film.

Key

Yellow = reference to the notion of a turning point or what happens in the scene. ) Purple = analysis.

Grey = reference to the importance of the scene. Blue = reference to a technique (evidence

The famous ‘shower scene’ in Hitchcock’s iconic 1960’s thriller ‘Psycho’ is a definite turning point within the film. This important scene serves to shock the viewer and through the use of various techniques such as the non-diegetic sound and skilful use of editing, it is very unsettling to watch. The scene’s power and impact comes from manipulating the viewer’s expectations as Hitchcock kills off the central character and forces us to shift our attention from Marion to Norman.

The scene begins with Marion deciding to return to her hometown of Phoenix after stealing $40,000 to return the money and pay for her crime. When she enters the shower the high-key lighting and use of white surroundings indicates her innocent nature. We see her unwrap the soap and begin washing herself – cleansing herself of her sins. A point of view shot of the shower head from Marion’s position allows us to identify with her during this process and it is this set up that makes her murder even more shocking.

As she is showering we see a dark shadow enter the bathroom over her shoulder. Marion has her back to this and so is oblivious to what is happening. The motif of light and dark is demonstrated as the shower curtain is pulled back sharply to reveal the killer’s face completely in shadow. This serves as a reminder to the audience of the darker side to our personality, the side we keep hidden from public view. This use of lighting, coupled with the sharp strings in the non-diegetic soundtrack, create a sense of shock in the viewer. Marion’s screams combine with these other features to create a disconcerting and uncomfortable sequence to watch.

Hitchcock also uses camera and editing throughout the murder sequence to add to the disturbing nature of Marion’s murder. We get close ups of the killer’s face, obscured by shadow throughout the whole sequence, which are intimidating and threatening. We also see the knife in a close up which begins stabbing at Marion as the piercing and jarring strings of the non-diegetic soundtrack play. We see close ups of Marion’s screaming mouth before a series of quick cuts allow the viewer to feel Marion’s confusion and panic. The shots quickly cut in time with the knife stabbing towards Marion and the diegetic sounds of the knife stabbing her flesh. After the series of 70 or so shots in quick succession, the killer leaves and Marion is left dying. We get a close up of her blood swirling down the plug hole to symbolise how her life is draining away - we know that Marion is dead. This is intensified when the shot of plughole dissolves into an extreme close-up of Marion’s lifeless eye. The slow zoom out from her eye to show her whole face allows the viewer time to digest what has happened and leaves us in no doubt that there has been a definite turning point in the action of the film and the viewer is left unsure of what will happen next.

Up until this point in the film our focus has been on Marion. Hitchcock cleverly manipulates the audience into connecting with her from the very start. Through a series of dissolves and zooms Marion is singled out to the audience in the opening scene. We learn of her situation with her lover Sam and feel sorry for her plight. The symbolic use of her white underwear highlights her innocent nature and from this point we follow Marion. After she has stolen the money, we again feel sorry for her and share her feelings of intimidation when she is being interrogated by the police officer. Through extreme close ups of the policeman’s face, the director places us into Marion’s position, forcing us to connect with her once again. When Marion is killed off in the shower scene, the audience feels shocked and is left confused and we find ourselves drawn to Norman to focus our attention on. His careful cleaning up of the murder scene mirrors Marion’s preparations to leave with the stolen money. We watch Norman meticulously remove all traces of Marion from the room and dispose of her body in the swamp. As the car sinks under the black ooze, the audience are given no option but to abandon Marion and turn their attention to Norman.

The shower scene is also vital to the film in that it establishes the genre of the film – ‘slasher’. The scene brings together elements that have already been explored elsewhere in the film, for instance the motif of light and dark, and the idea of violence. This is first indicated in the title sequence. The use of black and white indicate the theme of duality and how everyone has darkness within them. The film’s score makes use of the same violent, jarring strings we hear throughout the shower scene. The sharp, piercing quality to the soundtrack foreshadows the stabbing sequence during the murder. The use of graphics during the title sequence also hints at the violence to come as each person’s name is slashed through with white lines that divide the black screen. By repeating these motifs and themes in the shower scene, Hitchcock has made it one of the most iconic scenes in cinema history.

Overall, it is clear that the shower scene offers a turning point in the action of the film. The way Hitchcock cleverly toys with the viewer and subverts our expectations is one of the strengths of the film. The way it is filmed and edited disorientates the viewer, leaving us shocked at the outcome of what initially seems to be an optimistic scene. His manipulation of the narrative forces the viewer to connect with Norman, the real focus of the film. By doing so, Hitchcock can fully explore the theme of darkness within people and the insecurities we all face.

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