Psycho (1998) Shower Scene Analysis

The shower scene in Psycho houses a variety of key camera angles and shots which create a visual whirlpool of tension for the audience. These include several mid-shots showing body language and also facial expression, numerous close-ups and extreme close-ups emphasising particular objects or characters’ reactions and additionally point-of-view shots putting the audience in the position of the victim and the killer. Sound is also another primary factor in creating suspension and shock for the viewer. This is done by including non-diegetic sounds such as a tense musical soundtrack and also sound effects that accentuate objects’ movements in a scene.

The first shot of the shower scene I’d like to talk about is the mid-shot to zooming in on the translucent shower curtain in which the audience is able to just make out the killer coming into the room from behind. The shot begins showing a mid-shot of the victim in the shower in which all is when and peaceful. By zooming in slightly and panning somewhat to the left the camera reveals the killer coming into the room. This obviously creates suspension by itself however this is cleverly underlined by the dramatic irony that the audience knows the killer is there but the victim does not. The lighting is still bright at this point which symbolises life and the only sound we hear is that of the natural splash of the shower spraying her body signifying cleanliness. This is an effective use of sound because it gives the impression that everything is ok.

The following shot is of the killer brandishing the large knife from her waist in typical thriller fashion. The music suddenly kicks in with powerful playing of stringed instruments, just like nails scratching someone’s skin, which raises the heat and creates an overall horrified atmosphere. The lighting is cunningly placed so that the light bounces off the knife so that it is well lit and to show the killers’ silhouette but what it doesn’t feature is their face. This is extremely good use of lighting technique because the audience are left in no better position as to who the killer could be which alone creates tension. The camera angle used is a medium-close up just so that we can see the killers’ hand holding the knife and from their shoulders upwards. This is effectual use of a close-up as we don’t need to see the murders whole stance to get a grasp of their intentions but to also show the outline of the killers head and shoulders.

Another vital shot used is the extreme close-up on the victims hand as it grabs out for the shower curtain. This demonstrates the victims’ desperation for life and their last final move before they die. The shot could also be seen as a point-f-view shot of the killer as he watches the victims hand reach out. The viewer is able to clearly see red nail varnish on the victims’ fingers and this could represent blood. The shower curtain is also effective use of props in this scene as this might signify a barrier between life and death and also the victim and the killer; once the shower curtain is pulled back, the killer can be seen and once the victims hand rips the curtain from its rails, they are dead. It seems also here that non-diegetic sound effect of the curtain hooks pranging off have been added here for extra effect to emphasise this action.