Hitchcock remains a master of thrillers and his 'Psycho' is no exception. It is not only interesting for its technical details - which are numerous and great - but also for its portrayal of a very disturbed human mind; Norman Bates is suited to scare anyone. Initially it is Marion Crane who seems like the anti-hero of the film, having left her job with a bag of stolen cash. Pulling into a motel for a nigth's sleep, however, she meets Norman Bates and we soon understand his role in the film (although not completely, indeed).

Although Norman initially seems like a good man, we soon get a bad feeling about him: someting just doesn't seem right. Soon after her dinner, Marion goes for a shower and things start going wrong. The scene with the murder is impressievly disturbing considering that we see hardly a drop of blood; Hitchcock's discrete way of filming the murder becomes just as effective as the most explicit I've seen to date.

Without revealing too much of the plot to those unfortunate ones who have not seen the movie, I feel the need to comment that the entry to the Bates' home remains one of my favorite scenes of all time. By now, the tension has built up sufficiently and the climax is approaching quickly. It is also here that Norman becomes a true psychopath to the viewer and thus the psychological aspect of the film is fully uncovered. During the last few minutes, the story is truly turned upside-down and a more sinister truth than initially even dreamt of is revealed.

Another interesting feature is how the film is in black and white. Not only does that add a certain feeling of nostalgia, it also helps to create the mood of the film; a dark, sinister mood for the later half. The lack of colors, however, is forgotten by most viewers quite soon and some (like me) even vividly remember the red blood in the drain of the bathtub...

Overall, this film remains a classic and a favourite that can be watched over and over again. Hitchcock's quality original will probably far outlive Van Sant's 1998 remake: the genius rests not only in the plot and the characters, but in some unintelligible quality Hitckcock possesses.