Saturday, 12 November 2011

Trailer analysis


Psycho is a thriller directed by the master of the genre Alfred Hitchcock. it stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh and Vera Miles. It tells the story of a woman seeking refuge in a motel after stealing $40,000. But everything in the motel isn't as it seems:





The trailer opens to shots of the film's cult scene:
A woman being murdered in her shower. There are close ups of her hand sliding down the wall and gripping onto the side of the shower  There is a close up shot of her leg, showing she is lying in the shower, therefore it may suggest that she is dead. A low angle shot is then taken of the shower curtain being ripped down. A shot of a man in the dark thrusting a knife towards the camera follows, the lighting used in this is back lighting. this creates a silhouette, thus creating narrative enigma (Levi-strauss). 


This scene lasts just over 3 seconds. Therefore very fast and almost subliminal, meaning we might not realise they're there. The non-diegetic sound of the cult theme tune, played on string instruments, is heard during this short scene.

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