What do buildings tell us in Psycho?

Psycho begins with a panning shot of high-rise buildings that appear to be the CBD of the location as they are all quite close together and mountains can be seen in the background. This opening sequence seems somewhat insignificant, however, it is important for a number of reasons. In particular, when this scene is compared with the initial shots of Norman Bates’ house and the Bates Motel, there are elements that infer certain things. These inferences include foreshadowing of events, how one feels whilst watching, exact and ambiguous settings.

As the camera pans across the tops of the buildings there are some titles that appear on the screen, including the exact location (Phoenix, Arizona), date (Friday, December the eleventh) and time (two forty-three pm). This is an explicit indication of precisely where the CBD is and the date, day and time in which this scene is taking place. Interestingly, titles indicating these factors are not shown again in the rest of the film. There are other signs throughout the film that specify location but they are all part of the props and set, not added by editors afterwards as these titles would have been. For instance, there are various close up shots of number plates on cars that include the locations of said cars. The car Marion trades in has a number plate with “Arizona” on it and the new car she gets says “California”. Thus, these are indicators of place that are used within the story through set and props.

In contrast to this, when Marion first pulls up to the Bates Motel, there are no titles suggesting time, place, day or date. Instead of these, there is the simple neon sign that says “Bates Motel, Vacancy”. At first this sign is blurry and cannot be read but it slowly comes into focus as Marion gets closer. By not including the precise location and other details that are seen at the very start of the film, there is a certain sense of unease about this place right from the first moments of seeing it. There is now an ambiguity to exactly where she is and this creates a sense of isolation and eeriness that was not felt in the opening shots.

The buildings themselves create particular feelings and foreshadow what is to come. In the shots of the CBD, the buildings all look quite similar and are relatively modern and plain, in other words they are seemingly normal. Along with this, they are all rectangle or square in shape, emphasising the idea of normalcy. With this comes a sense of “nothing to see here, just another day”. However, as Psycho is such a highly referenced and well known film within society, including its genre as a horror film, there is the feeling throughout this scene that it is almost too normal and that this will not last long.

In comparison, the Bates Motel and Norman’s house appear to be the opposite of plainness and normality. There are no other buildings that surround them (unlike the shots of the CBD) highlighting how isolated the buildings and characters are at this point. The motel itself appears rather quaint and small, with lights on indicating homeliness and warmth. However, Norman’s house next to it creates a sense of someone watching and looming over the motel. The house looks quite gothic in shape and size with large windows and neither square nor rectangle shaped rooves, as opposed to the buildings in the CBD. Although there are lights on in Norman’s house, it does not exude the same warmth and welcoming feeling that the Motel does. Once Norman’s house can be seen in the background of the shot with the Motel in the foreground, the homeliness disappears as there is a not-quite-right feeling about this large, old, omnipresent house.

By comparing the first scene with that of Marion arriving at the Bates Motel, there are elements that are different. There are also aspects of each of these scenes that foreshadow certain events to come and portray a particular feeling to the audience. Each of these scenes provide context, location (or lack thereof) and a sense of uneasiness, even in the normal city landscape (it is almost too normal). Hence, the buildings within these two scenes of Psycho create a sense of what is to come and highlight to the audience the locations of these sequences. 

References:

Psycho 1960, DVD, Universal Studios, California, United States of America, directed by Alfred Hitchcock.