Psycho (1960) (50th Anniversary Edition)

[Colson]

I always found people's dislike of the psychiatrist's scene funny. It's one of my favorite scenes, and it includes what is maybe my most-quoted line from the movie: "That what I meant when I said I got the story from the mother!" Which I tend to say every time I say "That's what I meant," lol.

I really love the scene for a few reasons, not the least of which is that it anchors the movie in time, allowing the audience a sense of just how crazy and shocking this story would have been to an audience in 1960.

[Donl1282]

Originally Posted by Colson

I always found people's dislike of the psychiatrist's scene funny. It's one of my favorite scenes, and it includes what is maybe my most-quoted line from the movie: "That what I meant when I said I got the story from the mother!" Which I tend to say every time I say "That's what I meant," lol.

I really love the scene for a few reasons, not the least of which is that it anchors the movie in time, allowing the audience a sense of just how crazy and shocking this story would have been to an audience in 1960.

All Lila wanted to know is whether his sister was killed and the psychiatrist just gives a quick acknowledgement then gives a whole lecture about Norman which Lila could care less about. However I guess it’s necessary otherwise we would not get an explanation. I wish The Birds explains in the end why the flock of birds attacked the town.

[Martoto]

The look on Lila's face is priceless. I imagine much of the audience were as stupefied during this scene in 1960. That's the great thing about it. Audiences then would have barely been able to get their head around what they had just seen. I doubt that they were any less mind-blown during the "explanation" scene.

I think people take it the wrong way as just a presumed necessary explanation for the audience. It's an "explanation scene" kind of like the coroner hearing in Vertigo, that puts a spin on things that probably conflicts with the emotional response the audience had while watching what's now being described to them. Sometimes it's desirable to hear the summation of your own experience from somebody who wasn't even there.

The thing that gets overlooked is that when we're put in Norman's cell with him, we're instantly reminded of the disconnect between how someone describes it and what it actually means. It means this crazy bastard staring at you and smiling.

[billydillydilly]

The psychiatrist scene also allows the audience to catch it's breath between the horrifying reveal of Norman as Mother struggling with John Gavin and Mother's chilling little soliloquy ending with the dissolve of the car being pulled from the swamp.

[Colson]

Originally Posted by Martoto

The look on Lila's face is priceless. I imagine much of the audience were as stupefied during this scene in 1960. That's the great thing about it. Audiences then would have barely been able to get their head around what they had just seen. I doubt that they were any less mind-blown during the "explanation" scene.

I think people take it the wrong way as just a presumed necessary explanation for the audience. It's an "explanation scene" kind of like the coroner hearing in Vertigo, that puts a spin on things that probably conflicts with the emotional response the audience had while watching what's now being described to them. Sometimes it's desirable to hear the summation of your own experience from somebody who wasn't even there.

The thing that gets overlooked is that when we're put in Norman's cell with him, we're instantly reminded of the disconnect between how someone describes it and what it actually means. It means this crazy bastard staring at you and smiling.

Couldn't agree more!

[Wolfschmidt]

Originally Posted by Martoto

The thing that gets overlooked is that when we're put in Norman's cell with him, we're instantly reminded of the disconnect between how someone describes it and what it actually means. It means this crazy bastard staring at you and smiling.

Totally agree. I always thought of the psychiatrist’s explanation as a kind of shaggy dog joke, with the last shot(s) as the punchline.

[jlk5844]

Maybe we'll finally get a new 4K restoration of this masterpiece in 2020, for the 60th anniversary.

[TheHutt]

Uncut version finally coming out - in Germany:
https://forum.blu-ray.com/showthread.php?t=311618

[grodd]

Interesting

[I KEEL YOU]

To those who want to know the differences:

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=1921

I hope they release Psycho uncut as a solo release.

[PowellPressburger]

So will this be the first blu-ray release of the UNCUT version?

I was never really aware of the differences.

[Babu93]

Originally Posted by PowellPressburger

So will this be the first blu-ray release of the UNCUT version?

I was never really aware of the differences.

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's the first ever official release of the uncut version.

[grodd]

First that I know of. Would love a stand alone release also.

[drush9999]

Hopefully they keep the original shot of the letter writing in English and not the faked one with German writing. Regardless I will get this as I need the sequels as well anyway.

[I KEEL YOU]

There's also a possibility that the uncut version will be in 4:3.

[TheHutt]

Originally Posted by Babu93

Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but I think it's the first ever official release of the uncut version.

Well, it's the first ever official release on BluRay.

The uncut version was released in Germany theatrically. Also, it was aired uncut on German TV and released on VHS (there, however, with some cuts in other scenes though).

There's also a possibility that the uncut version will be in 4:3.

It won't though.

[Alfred E. Neumann]

Originally Posted by drush9999

Hopefully they keep the original shot of the letter writing in English and not the faked one with German writing. Regardless I will get this as I need the sequels as well anyway.

The uncut version is in english.
The german version (writing and german credits) is bonus material / extras (you can select english or german - both are uncut).

[drush9999]

Originally Posted by Alfred E. Neumann

The uncut version is in english.
The german version (writing and german credits) is bonus material / extras (you can select english or german - both are uncut).

Just to clarify

I was referring to this shot:


Being replaced with this in the German version:

[Alfred E. Neumann]

Originally Posted by drush9999

Just to clarify

I was referring to this shot:


Being replaced with this in the German version:

Both are included.

[jlk5844]

Originally Posted by I KEEL YOU

To those who want to know the differences:

https://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=1921

I hope they release Psycho uncut as a solo release.

This is odd. I was never even aware of there being an uncut version, or maybe I've simply forgotten. But it says in the paragraph at the beginning that the uncut version was released in theaters. Why would Universal put a censored version on home video, especially since the uncut version has been broadcast on television? Hitchcock apparently showed the shower scene to the MPAA for the second time with no changes and they approved, so did Universal impose censorship cuts for home video? There's been multiple remasters through the years, so I'm confused why we've never received the uncut, theatrical cut on home video. It's about damn time, though.