I was lucky in my formative years to see many vintage films in actual theaters, where they are seen to best advantage.  Thanks to Fathom Events, we still have that opportunity.  Today I was able to revisit Alfred Hitchcock’s greatest classic, the masterpiece Psycho.  It’s only the third or fourth time I’ve seen it, and I’ve been lucky enough to catch it in theaters at least twice now.

Because I’ve seen it before it no longer has the shock value that an initial viewing provides, but its artistry remains overpowering.  Scene after scene is remarkable as Hitchcock and “pictorial consultant” Saul Bass construct an evocative mystery and then turn it into a horrific nightmare.  And while it is dated in some respects and perhaps stiff in others (John Gavin?), it remains a landmark in American cinema.  I’ll never forget the first time I saw it, in college, and the effect that it had on me.

It’s a one-shot film that Hitchcock had to pressure his studio to make, and even then he had to finance much of it himself (he reaped most of the profits, thankfully), and yet it has become a part of our culture.  Sequels and television series have followed, but all of that imitation, as good as it is, owes its existence to Hitchcock’s vision.  He saw, way back then, that madness and evil are easily exploitable as cinematic subjects, and that even the most tasteless subject can be translated into artistic wonder.  Psycho isn’t typical Hitchcock fare, but it is, in my humble opinion, the best work he ever did.

So if you’ve never taken the time or made the effort to see Psycho, please do so.  Preferably with an audience.  It’s one film you might not want to see alone.  And be sure to take a bath beforehand; it might be a while afterward — maybe years — before you want to visit your shower again.  ☆ ☆ ☆ ☆.  23 September 2015.