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Why did Psycho shock audiences in 1960?

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Master of suspense — Alfred Hitchcock Alfred Hitchcock's talent as both filmmaker and storyteller is abundantly evident in a film catalog that includes *Dial M for Murder*, *Vertigo*, *Psycho*, and *The Birds*.

Psycho (1960) shocked audiences primarily by subverting their expectations regarding the film's protagonist and compromising the implicit trust between the director and the viewer.1

Initially, the film presents Marion Crane (played by Janet Leigh) as the central character. However, Alfred Hitchcock abruptly killed her off halfway through the movie during the famous shower scene. This narrative choice was unprecedented for the time, as it removed the perceived lead character and left the audience to confront the lunacy of the antagonist, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), for the remainder of the film.1

The shower scene itself became one of the most famous moments in cinematic history, utilizing brilliant film editing and a masterful, screeching score by Bernard Herrmann to heighten the impact of the violence. By blending these shocking plot developments with a disturbing psychological premise, Hitchcock forever altered the grammar of cinema and established a prototype for the future "slasher" genre.231