Rating summary

Movie		5.0
Video		4.0
Audio		5.0
Extras		4.5
Overall		4.0

Psycho Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov August 17, 2010

Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" (1960) arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Universal Film-UK. The supplemental features on the disc contain an audio commentary with writer Stephen Rebello; making of featurette; conversation between Alfred Hitchcock and Francois Truffaut; collection storyboards; collection photos and stills; lobby cards; behind the scenes stills; theatrical trailers; and more. In English, with optional English, French, Spanish (Castellan), Portuguese, German, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Norwegian, and Swedish subtitles for the main feature. Region-Free.

Lovers

I think it is fair to say that without Alfred Hitchcock’s films modern cinema would have looked very different. Hitchcock truly was the last great innovator who managed to reshape perceptions and establish standards that are still influential today. If you think about it, practically all big directors, from Steven Spielberg and Martin Scorsese to Christopher Nolan and M. Night Shyamalan, have in one way or another imitated Hitchcock’s work.

Psycho, arguably Hitchcock’s most influential film, is based on a novel written by Robert Bloch, which French director Francois Truffaut once described as "worse than bad". It was Hitchcock’s last black and white feature film, and it was financed through his own Shamley Productions.

Here’s a synopsis of Psycho: A young and beautiful woman (Janet Leigh) is in love with a divorced man (Sam Loomis) who can’t marry her because of his alimony payments. The two live in different cities but often spend time together in inexpensive hotels.

The woman steals forty thousand dollars hoping that it would be enough to start a new life with the man and runs away. Exhausted from the long drive, she decides to spend the night at the Bates Motel. The owner, a handsome young man (Anthony Perkins) who lives with his mother, greets her with a smile.

A week later, the woman’s sister (Vera Miles) arrives at her lover’s store and begins asking questions. A private investigator (Martin Balsam) also appears looking for the woman. The three begin searching the area and eventually visit the Bates Motel.

Psycho may not be as disturbing as it was fifty years ago – the most shocking scenes in it have been parodied too many times - but its structure is still fascinating to analyze. Its blend of humor, horror, and melodrama is without a doubt impeccable.

There are two murders in Psycho that completely reverse its tone. The first is the more shocking one – it is unexpected and against the rules of the genre Psycho was at the time associated with. The second is a prelude of sorts to the film's masterful and bold Freudian finale.

Joseph Stefano’s script is superb but it does not accurately recreate the story told in Bloch’s novel. In it key characters and events are altered in order to achieve the complex and above all subversive nature of Psycho.

The cast is spectacular. Leigh is terrific as the insecure beauty who realizes that her life is slowly but surely slipping away from her. Her performance is the key reason why the dramatic shift that occurs halfway through Psycho is so profoundly shocking.

Perkins will forever be remembered for his role in Psycho - and deservedly so. The powerful character transformation he undergoes has been used as a blueprint by different generations of film directors.

Gavin, Balsam and Miles have small but very important roles in Psycho. Each contributes greatly to Hitchcock’s masterful manipulation of narrative and audience.

John L. Russell’s photography is perfect for the film’s tone and mood. Bernard Herrmann’s music score is also remarkably strong. The intense strings as well as the variety of unusual ambient sounds add an extra dose of suspense.

Note: In 1961, Psycho was nominated in four Oscar categories – Best Director, Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Janet Leigh), Best Cinematography, Black-and-White (John L. Russell), and Best Art Direction-Set Decoration, Black-and-White (Joseph Hurley, Robert Clatworthy, George Milo).

Psycho Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.85:1, encoded with VC-1 and granted a 1080p transfer, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho arrives on Blu-ray courtesy of Universal Studios-UK. Please note that the disc's main menu could be set in one of the following languages: English, French, Italian, German, Spanish (Castellan), Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Greek, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, Swedish, and Japanese.

This is strong high-definition transfer. Fine object detail is good, clarity pleasing and contrast levels consistent throughout the entire film. What impresses the most, however, is the color-scheme; the deep blacks, variety of grays and gentle whites look superb. This being said, there are a couple of minor issues that could have been addressed. For example, mild edge-enhancement occasionally pops up, and viewers with larger than 50' screens will likely notice it. Additionally, there are traces of minor noise corrections, which sensitive viewers will most likely notice as well. I also spotted a few tiny flecks popping up here and there. Still, the fine film grain is very much intact and there are absolutely no stability issues to report in this review. To sum it all up, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho looks remarkably strong on Blu-ray, easily the very best it ever has. (Note: This is a Region-Free Blu-ray disc. Therefore, you will be able to play it on your PS3 or SA regardless of your geographical location. For the record, there is no problematic PAL or 1080/50i content preceding the disc's main menu).

Psycho Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

There are seven audio tracks on this Blu-ray disc (the commentary track not included): English DTS- HD Master Audio 2.0, English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1, French Dolby Digital 2.0, German Dolby Digital 2.0, Italian Dolby Digital 2.0, Japanese Dolby Digital 2.0, Spanish Dolby Digital 2.0. For the record, Universal Studios-UK have provided optional English, French, Spanish, Portuguese, German, Italian, Danish, Dutch, Finnish, Greek, Japanese, Korean, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Norwegian, and Swedish subtitles for the main feature.

The English DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track has a terrific dynamic amplitude. Bernard Herrmann's music score has never sounded this good before; the intense strings and ambient sounds a very effective. Additionally, the dialog is clean, crisp, stable and very easy to follow, and there are no serious pops, cracks, or strong background hiss to report in this review.

I tested more than a few scenes with the English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 track. Indeed, there are some interesting enhancements in the surround channels, but I prefer the more organic English DTS- HD Master Audio 2.0 track.

Psycho Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Note: All of the supplemental features on this Blu-ray disc are encoded in 480/60i. Therefore, they are perfectly playable on North American PS3s and SAs. Additionally, the supplemental features arrive with optional Japanese, English, French, Italian, German, Spanish, Dutch, Danish, Norwegian, Finnish, Greek, Portuguese, Traditional Chinese, Simplified Chinese, Korean, and Swedish subtitles.

The making of Psycho - a long and very informative featurette focusing on the production history of Alfred Hitchcock's film. The featurette contains numerous interviews with Peggy Robertson, personal assistant to the director, filmmaker Clive Barker, screenwriter Joseph Stefano, assistant director Hilton A. Green, actress Janet Leigh, and others who recall discuss how the film came to exist, its importance (Barker), how certain scenes were shot, etc. In English. (95 min, 480/60i).

In The Master's Shadow: Hitchcock's Legacy - a wonderful featurette about the influence Alfred Hitchcock's films had on Cinema and many important film directors, composers, etc. In English. (26 min, 480/60i).

Hitchcock/Truffaut - a great, hilarious conversation between the two film directors, discussing certain scenes, filming techniques, characters, etc. Assisted by a translator. In French and English. (16 min, 480/60i).

The Shower Scene: With & Without Music - allows one to view the famous scene with or without music. (2 min, 480/60i).

The Shower Sequence: Storyboards by Saul Bass - a collection of storyboards. (5 min, 480/60i).

Psycho Sound - a look at the audio restoration work, with comments by the audio experts who performed the restoration work: Olivier Attia (Audionamix), Larry Walsh, Richard LeGrand, and Fabrice Benoit. In English. (10 min, 480/60i).

The Psycho Archives - a collection of photos and stills. (8 min, 480/60i).

Lobby Cards - a collection of lobby cards. (2 min, 480/60i).

Behind the Scenes Photographs - (8 min, 480/60i).

Theatrical Trailer - the famous theatrical trailer for the film. In English. (7 min, 480/60i).

Re-Release Trailers - five trailers. In English. (2 min, 480/60i).

"Lamb To The Slaughter" - a short film, based on Roald Dahl's novel, about a man and a woman who must part ways. In English. (27 min, 480/60i).

Commentary - an audio commentary with Stephen Rebello, author of "Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho". This is the same, strong audio commentary that also appears on the SE DVD release of Psycho.

Psycho Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

One of the most influential films ever made, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho has finally arrived on Blu-ray courtesy of Universal Studios-UK. Despite a few very minor issues with the high-definition transfer, Psycho has never ever looked this good before. The Blu-ray disc herein reviewed is Region-Free and packed with terrific supplemental features that are perfectly playable on North American machines. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED.