The shower scene in Psycho is a typical thriller scene and is very iconic. The scene opens very normally before the women gets into the shower, the lighting is quite weak suggesting it has been shot at night, the bathroom looks bare and very whitewashed, this and the many low camera angles suggest something bad is going to happen. As the women steps into the shower their are lots of shots flicking between her and the surroundings, most of these being POV (point of view) shots, this make it more personal for the audience and gets the audience more involved. The killer is kept very secret throughout the scene which adds a sense of mystery, this makes the audience pay close attention to what is going on in the scene.
n this particular shot the camera moves to the left of the women, focusing on the brief outline of the killer approaching the shower curtain. Both the killer and the women are off centre and this is also called a two shot. as the killer gets closer, the camera also gets closer, when the curtain is pulled open the panning creates suspense as it reveals the killer the audience has been trying to view through the curtain. The mise-en scene is very monotonous, the lighting is dull and there is very little colour within the room.
This medium shot of the killer, and the actor has been positioned centre of the shot, The water from the shower creates a screen covering the killers face making the knife in the hand stand out, this shot is very quick and at this point the music is making the scene a lot tenser, and makes the audience feel uncomfortable, this is also a POV shot.
This birds eye view gives the viewer a better look at the murder. this shot shows the knife penetrating the skin and the music at this point is fast, the stringed instruments radiate tension and there are sound effects of thudding as the knife is being stabbed. this is a wide angle shot and only shows the women getting stabbed and a little bit of the killers head, with the shower curtain rail covering the eyes to again add mystery and suspense.
This quick shot of the sky is an example of pathetic fallacy the atmosphere outside gives an effect on what is going on at the exact same time but in the bathroom, the grey, overcast clouds make it very eery. A thunder storm is very popular in thriller films. this shot could also be used as a scene setter as the audience gets to know whats going on inside and outside of the bathroom.
These two shots are very similar the blood draining down the plughole fades into the dead women's eye, these are both extreme close up shots, they both hold a similar shape, the picture on the left is the dead women's eye, it has a deathly feel to it as the black of the pupil really stands out which creates a thrill. In the picture on the right hand side the plug is washing away the blood mixed with the water to symbolize the womens life draining away, this shot shows the murder is complete.
