Masterpiece?
Finally got around to this film after years of recommendations, discussions, and reviews… and it didn’t disappoint.
Alfred Hitchcock directs this film with such class… it’s genuinely phenomenal. I went in relatively blind, so almost everything came as a surprise. I had heard the name Norman Bates before and recognized Bates Motel, but I had no idea there was a connection.
The first hour of the film is steadily slow, but highly effective. Once the investigation starts, though, the film completely shifts gears, and that’s when I became much more invested. Seeing all the characters, clues, Norman, and everything surrounding him slowly collapse was incredibly eerie and satisfying.
The ending reveal that Norman had personified his mother all along was completely unpredictable! On rewatch, this film may even go up in score simply because I’ll be watching it through an entirely different lens.
Still and all… an exceptional film about mystery, horror, and deception.
“We all go a little mad sometimes.”
