PSYCHE...PSYCHIC...PSYCHO!!!-1

Psycho(1960) is one of the most arresting Psycho-sexual thrillers by the avant-garde film maker Alfred Hitchcock. This variant of Film Noir heralded a new movement named Neo Noir. By featuring pessimism, menacing spectres, perpetual threats and perplexed characters with psychological aberrations this film embodies every trait of Noir Films. It exploited low key light  and masterfully employed shadows and side lighting to accentuate horror. Psycho attempts to unravel the complex mental uncertainties, ambitions and impenetrable psyche of the anti hero protagonist Norman Bates. Amalgamating Freudian and Lacanian concepts, this Psychological thriller became an impregnable narrative which encompasses the protagonist’s concealed fancies and anxieties. His preoccupation with the unacceptable desires and incorrigible crimes buried deep within him, make him a psychologically round and singular character.

       This film provides us a comprehensive picturization of the enigmatic Multiple Personality  Disorder which entails identity conflicts and eventually leads to Neurosis. The plot progresses with Marion Crane running away with the money she stole from her employer. The conflict begins when the intimidated Marion, having been suspected by a police officer, comes under his constant surveillance. Unexpected events make their presence into the narrative when Marion Crane arrives at the Bates’ Motel. The seemingly simple plot gives way to complex intricacies when the audience get exposed to the gruesome murder of Marion. The horror is intensified by the menacing presence of Norman’s mother and the resulting confusion. The audience get a glimpse of Norman’s Psycho sexual aberration when Marion’s lover Sam and her sister Lila go in search of Marion and Arbogast.

     When Lila enters the cellar in search of Norman’s mother she is mortified to see the grotesque corpse of Mrs.Bates dolled up fashionably.  This scene is followed by the psychic Norman attempting to kill Lila which was prevented by Sam vehemently. This chaotic and perplexing event was elucidated in detail by the psychiatrist eventually.  When Sam and Lila visit the Sheriff with regard to Arbogast’s missing, Sam mentions that he saw Norman’s mother and the Sheriff suspects the veracity of this statement since Norman’s mother was long dead. This revelation by the Sheriff questions the integrity or credulity of the entire narrative. The way in which Norman behaved with others and the exotic relations he shared with his mother hint at his obscure mental condition. 

     Norman’s irrational love for his mother,  his inexplicable possessiveness of her and his uncurbable vengeance towards the people who try to possess his greatest possession culminated in his lunacy. Thus this film becomes a perfect matter for Psychoanalysis. After his mother’s demise  Norman felt tormented by her absence. His desperate need to be with his mother coupled with his intense remorse of being the reason behind her murder necessitated a mental masquerade. Out of this sheer desperation, he gradually began developing his mother’s personality. His actions, words and demeanour reflected hers and many-a-time, Mrs.Bates’ character dominated his body which is hers as well.  When the movie reaches its climax, we find Norman’s mother taking over the entire authority of the body and thus Norman’s character slips into oblivion.

      Norman is the prototype of the child with Oedipal Complex. This condition is usually deemed as a “fixation at phallic stage of Psychosexual development.” According to Psychoanalytic Theory, Oedipal Complex can be defined as an acute desire a male child fosters towards his mother and the resultant desire to do away with his father. Psychoanalytic theory holds that this fancy would get subsided after a certain phase and the desire would get curtailed in due course if the child cherishes healthy relationship with his parents. But if the association amongst them is traumatic or stimulating, the child would end up being a neurotic. 

     Norman’s Oedipal Complex gets overt expression in the scene where he interacts with Marion Crane in his parlour. The devotion he nurtured towards his mother over the years gets cinematic portrayal therein. This boy who deified his mother and placed her on a high pedestal erected his castle of dreams upon their esoteric relationship and subsequently she became the sole bliss he cherished in his childhood. He desired for her company alone. This can be evident in how he talked about his mother- “ A boy’s best friend is his mother.” Nevertheless, he always deemed himself inferior to his exalted demi-goddess. In Norman’s terms he was “a poor substitute for a lover.” This inferiority complex and his frustration over losing his mother made him kill his mother’s lover.

     According to Psychoanalytic Theory, the male child who gets caught in Oedipal Complex would be haunted by a castration anxiety of being deprived of his male organ by his father. This aggravates the dread he has for his father and the child tries to curb his desire for his mother. But in Norman’s case, the absence of a father impedes the possibility of him experiencing Castration Anxiety and thus the need to repress his unacceptable desire was nullified! Therefore,he began finding pleasure in interacting with his mother and this imbued their life with bliss and glee. When Sam asked him whether he would be happy to abandon the place, Norman replied “This place...This place happens to be my only world...I had a very happy childhood, my mother and I were more than happy.”

     Psychoanalysts claim that  ‘sexual strivings’ will be intensified during puberty and the male child would try to transfer his love for his mother to another figure who resembles her. But owing to Norman’s irrational and ineffable love for Mrs.Bates he was not able to love another woman. This whole-souled devotion for his mother blinded  him from perceiving reality and he went on to  believe that any affection for other woman is akin to being infidel to Mrs.Bates and this would arouse envy in her. Thence, Norman’s split personality i.e, his mother killed Marion. This movie is an ideal exemplar where the internal turmoil and psychological complexities of a character are given vivacious expression. To round off the article, I would say-no filmic composition can outshine  Hitchcock’s psychic celluloid!

REFERENCES:

Argyrou,Selina. “Hitchcock’s 1960 ‘Psycho’ Film Analysis.” WordPress, selinaargyrou.wordpress.com/hitchcocks-1960-psycho-film-analysis/

Brody,Richard. “The Greatness of Psycho.” The Newyorker, 18Nov.2012, www.newyorker.com/culture/richard-brody/the-greatness-of-psycho/amp

Cherry,Kendra. “The Oedipus Complex in Children.”Verywell Mind,14 May.2020,www.verywellmind.com/what-is-an-oedipal-complex-2795403

Hellerman,Jason. “What is the Neo-Noir Definition?And What are some Essential Examples.”  NoFilm School,8 Jul.2021/nofilmschool.com/neo-noir-definition-and-examples 

Mike989. “Psycho(1960 film).” Wikipedia,en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Psycho_(1960_film)

“Understanding Psycho:The Uncanny.” Updated by-Is This Just Fantasy?, YouTube, 2 Aug.2016youtu.be/_FMkGEZP3w0

Webber,Rebecca. “Director of Audiences:A Study of Alfred Hitchcock’s Manipulation of his Audiences.” University of Wotwatersrand,2007.

“What is Film Noir? A Brief History with Examples from Cinema.” Studio Binder,27 Jun.2021/www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-film-noir/

-Santhwana Thomas