Discuss the ways in which the extract constructs representations of the victim using the following: Camera shots, angles, movements, and composition, editing, sound, and mise-en-scene.
We are first introduced to the victim, Marion Crane, in a medium-long shot of her lying on top of a bed with a man standing over her. The man’s identity is hidden, as he is only visible in the frame from the waist down. The character of Marion appears to be in a very vulnerable position, and it appears as though the man may or has taken advantage of her. Hitchcock has used this startling shot in the very beginning of the film to establish Marion’s role as victim, and to make her seem defenseless and weak. Hitchcock has managed to film this opening scene in such a way that although we realise that the man is in fact Marion’s boyfriend Sam, we are suspicious about his character. Due to him being repeatedly presented in medium shots, where his full body remains hidden, a sense of mystery is created around him (despite him not actually wishing to do the victim any harm).
After the initial shot of Marion on the bed, our first impressions of her change. She moves from at first appearing extremely vulnerable, to seeming to be in control of the situation. Whilst the pair are embracing, Marion moves into the foreground, not only making her the main focus of the medium shot, but blocking Sam’s face from view, which creates a power shift in her favour. In addition, in this opening scene her character is presented to the audience mostly through medium shots with the majority of her body in full view, and this shows her to be the more dominant figure when compared to her lover, Sam, whose full body and face are often out of the shot.
Medium shots are continually used on Marion as the film progresses, which highlights her ability to be relaxed, calm, and in control (even whilst stealing a large sum of money from her boss). However, this is sharply contrasted in later scenes where she becomes the more vulnerable and less powerful character; as close-up shots are used to emphasize her role as victim.
‘The Bates Motel’ is first introduced to the audience as Marion is driving on the motorway on an especially stormy night. In an extra-long shot from the perspective of Marion’s view, we can see that the sign for the motel is distorted due to the heavy rain on the windshield of her car. The sign is positioned slightly off-centre in the shot, which creates an uneasy and unpleasant atmosphere when paired with the harsh diegetic sound of the pouring rain. This build in tension, along with the unclearness of the sign which could symbolically suggest that Marion’s vision of Norman Bates will be clouded.
Upon seeing the motel for the first time, it is clear that it conforms to the conventions of a typical horror setting. The motel is dark, dimly lit, and eerie, and a low angle shot of the Bates’ house as it is shrouded in darkness gives it an imposing feel. As Marion arrives she is greeted by Mr. Bates himself, who shields her from the rain as he takes her inside of his office, even offering her his “trusty umbrella”. This is ironic as we later realise that Norman cannot actually be trusted, and is in fact the villain of the film whose intentions are not to protect her at all.
As Norman is choosing which room key to give Marion, an over the shoulder shot is used. This gives the impression of secrecy as it appears as though he has something to hide. He hesitates over key number ‘3’, before moving onto ‘2’, and finally deciding on room number ‘1’ to give to Marion. This could symbolically suggest a countdown of sorts to her demise, and that the power of deciding her fate is in his hands. This strengthens the idea that she is the victim, as that she is ultimately defenseless against the villain’s actions.
As the pair continue to interact, close-ups are used on both Marion and Norman to build tension as the pace quickens. This also conveys that they are both dominant and equal characters, and as of yet Marion still believes herself to be in control, and not yet the victim. There are many sharp objects in this scene, with the close up shots of the keys and also the fountain pen Marion uses to sign her name. The focus on these objects builds tension and could foreshadow the stabbing scene later on in the film.
Norman shows his new guest to her room, and later invites her for dinner in his office. As the pair are seated, there are cross-cuts between them both, with symbolic props behind each of them. On Marion’s side there is a lamp, which could represent innocence and her being the ‘good’ character of the story, contrasting the dark lighting on Norman’s shot as he is the villain. There are two stuffed birds positioned on the cabinet behind him, which could symbolise that he is the predator and the victim is the prey. Also there is a candle to his right, which could suggest that Marion’s time is running out before she is murdered by Mr. Bates. The speed of the cuts then increase, helping to quicken the pace of the scene to its climax. The tone of the scene quickly shifts from being pleasant to tense after Marion mentions Norman’s mother, and is matched with a sudden low angle shot of Norman looking at Marion. There is another cross-cut, but this time it is a high angle shot of Marion, emphasizing the imbalance in power between the now menacing villain and the vulnerable victim.
After Marion leaves his office to get unpacked, Norman is shown to be sitting in his house alone at the end of a long, dark hallway. This long shot seems quite sinister, and we begin to suspect his evil side as the lighting in his house is very dark and eerie. This is juxtaposed with the bright lighting in Marion’s room, and as she is wearing a silk gown she appears to be very comfortable, highlighting the contrast between the villain and the victim.
The long-lasting shots used on Marion as she gets ready for her shower appear to be smooth and fluid, creating a calm environment. The diegetic sound of her harshly pulling the shower curtain across snaps the audience out of this calmness, and puts us on edge for the suspenseful scene about to unfold. Anxiety is maximised as we become aware at how vulnerable Marion really is in the shower, and we begin to worry for her safety. There is a switch from medium close-ups to close-ups which links with the building proximity of the killer, and the silhouette of a person begins to become visible behind the shower curtain whilst Marion continues obliviously. The villain snatches the curtain across and begins to attack her with a knife, and aggressive music begins to play. The extremely quick cuts between shots mirror the stabbing motion used by the villain, and therefore Hitchcock manages to show her being stabbed without actually ‘showing’ the physical contact between the weapon and her skin. Marion is eventually overpowered and killed by the villain, and has finally fulfilled her role as victim.
Norman enters the room shortly after Marion’s death, and jumps back in horror causing a photo frame to drop to the floor. The painting is of a small bird, which could be regarded as ‘weak’ when compared to the other intimidating birds of prey seen all around the Bates Motel. This could symbolically link with the character of Marion, as she is viewed as the victim (or prey) when compared to the villainous character of Norman Bates (the predator) who knocks the photo down. Norman decides to drag the body out of the bathroom and into the dark bedroom. Light is often seen to represent life, and due to the bathroom being very brightly lit, it could be said that this action could symbolise Marion succumbing to death by being dragged away into the darkness.
The victim of Psycho appears to be relaxed, calm, and in control of her life. This is shown through the use of medium shots which are used on the character throughout most of the film. This changes, however, whenever she becomes uncomfortable or the more vulnerable character, and this change is shown by using close-ups to highlight her emotion and fear. Victims in horror are typically taken advantage of in a brutal way by the villain, and Hitchcock has made sure his victim fulfills this role in Psycho to its fullest.
Sound
Mise-en-scene
Editing
Camera work
