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Analysis of ‘Psycho’ shower scene, exploring how film
techniques are used to create effects

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Analysis of ‘Psycho’ shower scene, exploring how film
techniques are used to create effects

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Before doing this assessment I have watched and made notes
on the psycho shower scene. The psycho shower scene uses camerawork to show
both the victims’ point of view, the murderers point of view and a 3rd
person view to show all the different angles of the event. As well as camera
work, the psycho shower scene also uses editing in the scene, although there
isn’t a wide variety of editing, the editing that is used, is used to mimic the
atmosphere of the scene. Along with this the psycho shower scene uses sound;
this is to mimic what is happening in the scene and the mood of the scene.
Finally the psycho shower scene also uses mise en scene; mise en scene is used
to show representations, it is also used for foreshadowing.
The psycho shower scene uses close ups, extreme close ups
and cuts to show the panic in the atmosphere of the scene. A good example of
how these elements are used is when the camera cuts from a close up of the
victims face to an extreme close up of the murderers knife as it comes down to
stab the victim. This mimics and emphasises the atmosphere of the scene as the
fast pace cutting creates tension for the audience because it slightly
disorientates them making them panic just as the victim is. The use of the
close up and extreme close up is to show the audience the victims reaction but
more importantly what she is reacting to. The editing is in chronological order
which makes the scene successful because it doesn’t confuse the audience of the
order in which the events of the scene happen. The fact that the shot is an
extreme close up on the knife shows the audience that this is a key prop in the
scene. The sound in this shot is the main theme tune that is well known, they
use this music because it is very sharp and high pitch so it mimics the knife
as it stabs the victim. This is a typical technique in thrillers as it creates
tension for the audience and the sound mimics the level of panic in the room as
in other thriller movies.

The psycho shower scene uses extreme close ups and sound to
mimic events that are happening in the scene. A good example of this is after
the victim has been murdered and the camera cuts from an extreme close up of
the victim’s eye to an extreme close up of water and blood going down the
shower drain. This mimics the victim’s life being washed away just like the
blood and water. The shots are not in chronological order as both of the shots
are happening at the same time but this still works to give the intended
effect. The sound in the scene changes from the non-diegetic, intense theme
tune to a diegetic sound of the water and blood going down the drain. This
mimics the tension in the scene as during the theme tune the tension is very
high but when it changed to the diegetic sound it mimicked how the scene had
changed to being a calmer atmosphere. This is usual in a thriller movie as the
eye mimics the drain and gives meaning which is used a lot in many other
thriller movies.

The psycho shower scene uses pathetic fallacy to mimic and
exaggerate what is happening in the scene. A good example of this is during the
struggle scene between the victim and the murderer the camera cuts to a shot of
the storm outside which is and danger that the victim is in at the moment.
However the shots are not in chronological order as usually shots of the
weather that create pathetic fallacy are before the danger is created for the
victim. The scene also uses diegetic sound of the storm to exaggerate the
change of shot from the struggle between the victim and the murderer to the
storm; this is used to clearly show the audience the directors use of pathetic
fallacy in the scene to show that the victim is going to die in the scene. So
this means that this particular scene is not usual in thriller films as if
thrillers use pathetic fallacy they will put them before the conflict scene
between the victim and the villain.

The psycho shower scene uses bird’s eye view to create a 3rd
person view and to create an omniscient atmosphere for the audience which
creates a calmer atmosphere. An example of this technique being used is during
the struggle between the victim and the murderer when the camera changes from
the point of view shots of the victim to a bird’s eye view shot of the event
happening. This shot creates an omniscient atmosphere for the audience as it is
clearer what is happening in the scene and the camera is less disorientating
for the audience. The shots are in chronological order so that the audience are
not disorientated by the change in shots. This is usual in thriller movies as
it is used by many other films for the same purpose, to create a clearer image
for the audience of what is happening in the scene.