Genre of Hitchcock’s Psycho

Film genre refers to the motion picture category whose basis is on the similarities in the aspects of narrative elements or other forms of emotional response to the film. The genre theory is a great way of analyzing a film and it the theory declares that the genres are the instances of repetition and difference. These instances tend to be recurring, repeating, similar and also familiar in the film such that a viewer can instantly recognize then during a scene. An essential thing to consider in the genre is a difference because mere repetition is not likely to attract and engage the audience. Texts tend to show exhibitions of the conventions that are from one genre. Filmmakers need to consider genres for their shoots that the movie will revolve around. Some of the main film genres include mysteries, gangster and western, horror, fantasy and science fiction, romantic comedy, musicals and documentaries among others. These help to categorize films accordingly.

The importance of the movie genres to the audience is that it helps to form a topic that appeals to them. It helps the audience to differentiate between the styles of narratives and their types so that they can decide what they enjoy. The producers also benefit from genres as they can determine what is most successful at the given time and so make more of the same. The genre for the film discussion of is horror. There are other subgenres under horror that include action horror, supernatural horror, fiction horror, horror drama and gothic horror among others. Horror is a genre that is of speculative fiction whose intention by the producers to the audience is to reach the capacity to scare, frighten, disgust or even startle them in inducing their feelings that have a relation with horror and terror (Carroll, 2003). Horror is also known to be the film genre where the producers unapologetically produce terrible films but the audience is willing to view them. Filmmakers use their utmost creativity to come up with a horror film by picking a main character, a universal moment, a specific location, an incident that is rather inciting, a ghost, a nightmare and the trap. These are necessary to create a good story for the target audience.

A good movie to explain the element of horror in the film is ‘Psycho’ which is a 1960 American psychological horror film whose director is Alfred and the stars are Anthony, Janet and John among others (Hitchcock, 1960). The movie is ranked among the best horror movies through the producer stated that it was not his intention to have the film as a proper horror movie. The plot of the film is that Janet, known as Marion Crane in the movie and who is the Phoenix secretary is on the lam after she steals $40000 from the employer so that she gets away with her boyfriend John known as Sam. However, she is overcome by exhaustion because of a heavy rainstorm. While travelling to avoid the police, she spends the night at Bates Motel where she meets Anthony (Norman) who is a polite but highly string proprietor. Anthony has interests in taxidermy and the relationship with his mother is difficult. One great genre convention from the movie is the use of an isolated setting as seen in the hotel where Marion spends the night before embarking on a journey to escape the wrath of the police.

In the famous shower scene during the time when Marion wanted to return to surrender the stolen money, she gets murdered by Mrs Bates who she did not see. Mrs Bates is angry because Norman brought a woman to dine with them in the gothic house and she was jealous (Hitchcock, 1960). The relationship between Mrs Bates and Norman has not been the best because she is strict and does not allow Norman to do whatever thing he likes. The isolated setting brings the audience to the subgenre of gothic horror since there are elements of gloom, castles that do not allow people to trespass, and a haunted house due to death. A second convection from the subgenre is the use of death and another alternate creation to life that leads to other derived emotions (Carroll, 2003). The case of Mrs Bates and Norman is a perfect example for that convection. Norman killed Mrs Bates as a result of jealousy (Hitchcock, 1960).

However, because he was unable to bear the guilt that overcame him, he decided to exhume the corpse and treated it as if she was alive such that he recreated the mother with an alternate personality. This mother personality is jealous and possessive such that when Norman felt attracted to any woman, Mrs Bates killed her. The movie clearly describes the horror genre and different elements of horror convention. Filmmakers need to make sure that the genre they wish to include in the storyline matches with their target audience and provides the necessary authenticity. Producers also have a big role to play in film production where they need to consider several factors of incorporating the best and engaging topics that are thrilling to the audience.