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Psycho (1960)

R  |   |  Horror, Mystery, Thriller  |  8 September 1960 (USA)
8.6
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Ratings: 8.6/10 from 381,368 users  
Reviews: 976 user | 292 critic

A Phoenix secretary steals $40,000 from her employer's client, goes on the run and checks into a remote motel run by a young man under the domination of his mother.

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(screenplay), (novel)
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Title: Psycho (1960)

Psycho (1960) on IMDb 8.6/10

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Top 250 Movies #35 | Nominated for 4 Oscars. Another 4 wins & 8 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

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Caroline (as Pat Hitchcock)
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Mort Mills ...
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Storyline

Phoenix officeworker Marion Crane is fed up with the way life has treated her. She has to meet her lover Sam in lunch breaks and they cannot get married because Sam has to give most of his money away in alimony. One Friday Marion is trusted to bank $40,000 by her employer. Seeing the opportunity to take the money and start a new life, Marion leaves town and heads towards Sam's California store. Tired after the long drive and caught in a storm, she gets off the main highway and pulls into The Bates Motel. The motel is managed by a quiet young man called Norman who seems to be dominated by his mother. Written by Col Needham <col@imdb.com>

Plot Summary | Plot Synopsis

Plot Keywords:

motel | money | shower | theft | rain | See All (235) »

Taglines:

Electrifying shocker! (Australia Release) See more »


Certificate:

R | See all certifications »

Parents Guide:

 »
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Details

Country:

Language:

Release Date:

8 September 1960 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho  »

Box Office

Budget:

$806,947 (estimated)

Gross:

$32,000,000 (USA)
 »

Company Credits

Production Co:

 »
Show detailed on  »

Technical Specs

Runtime:

| (cut)

Sound Mix:

(Westrex Recording System)

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1
See  »
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Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Alexander Payne said he couldn't imagine the film being made in color, because it's far more chilling in black and white, but it was later remade in color as Psycho (1998), to universal disapproval. See more »

Goofs

The layout of inside the Bates mansion doesn't match the exterior. For example, there are two windows on the side wall of Mrs. Bate's bedroom, yet only one central window on this same wall on the outside. See more »

Quotes

Norman Bates: It's not like my mother is a maniac or a raving thing. She just goes a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?
Marion Crane: Yes. Sometimes just one time can be enough.
See more »

Crazy Credits

Opening credits prologue: PHOENIX, ARIZONA

FRIDAY, DECEMBER THE ELEVENTH

TWO FORTY-THREE P.M. See more »

Connections

Referenced in American History X (1998) See more »

Frequently Asked Questions

See more (Spoiler Alert!) »

User Reviews

The scariest ever...
15 October 1998 | by (Melbourne, Australia) – See all my reviews

I saw this movie as a teenager when it was first released in the 1960's. The promotional hype for the film ensured you did not have a clue what it was about and people who had seen the movie were asked not to reveal the ending. You went to see it anticipating something scary and thats what you got. Even 30 years later I still remember sitting in a dark theatre with my heart pumping and everyone, and I mean everyone, screaming their lungs out.

The movie set a new and very high standard in horror movies which I don't believe has ever been equaled. The characters were great, the direction perfect and the music, which I thought was absolutely fantastic, made this a classic.

I still get scared when I see it on TV.


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