Psycho

Psycho is a title associated with a 1959 suspense novel by Robert Bloch and its 1960 film adaptation directed by Alfred Hitchcock. The story follows a secretary who embezzles money and checks into the remote Bates Motel, where she encounters Norman Bates, a young man with a troubled relationship with his mother. The work is renowned for its atmosphere of dread, its twist ending, and its exploration of dual identities and psychological disturbance.

The Hitchcock film, featuring Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins, is noted for its innovative editing, Bernard Herrmann's score, and a shower sequence that has become one of cinema's most analyzed scenes. It helped establish the modern psychological thriller and left a lasting imprint on horror cinema, spawning a franchise centered on the Bates family.

Subsequent entries include Psycho II (1983), Psycho III (1986), and Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990), all continuing the Norman Bates storyline. A 1998 remake directed by Gus Van Sant aimed to reproduce Hitchcock's film more or less shot-for-shot, receiving mixed critical response. Beyond the screen, Psycho remains a touchstone in discussions of psychological themes, cinematic technique, and the evolution of horror cinema.