Sure, the scene is hokey, but at 18 in 1960 it was a nightmare. The two other horror movies for me are "Jaws" and "The Exorcist" (Directors Cut) in which Wm Friedkin said that he made a horror movie patrons would not forget. Another Hitchcock movie was "The Birds"...we had a pet raven, Black Bart, and to see them mixed with crows on the Golden Gate got my attention. They don't mix at all.
The knife whooshing down, I believe it is supposed to have brushed his face as it comes down stabbing him - and the fall backwards - it is not technically totally real, as in reality someone falling backwards would happen super fast - but the effect it gives is very unsettling and bizarre - I think that was the intent. Classic. Very nightmarish.......
Phenomenal scene. Arboghast walking apprehensively looking around. The door slowly opening, yet you don't see any feet.The camera pans to Arboghast looking straight ahead, then back to the room with now the door wide open. But nobody at the entrance then quickly.....
Great directing to have Arboghast falling slowly backwards, facing the camera. You get to see and feel the horror he had just encountered.
Hitchcock was a genius director and black and white is much spookier.
This scene, to me, was a helluva lot more frightening than the shower kill...Bernard Herrman's violin score was a lot more intense and Martin Balsam's scream was terrifying!
The falling backwards on the stairs part was supposed to be abnormal looking... Hitchcock did LOTS of scenes like this in various movies - always playing with camera tricks and distorted perspectives. I think it adds a real unsettling touch to it!!
i love this scene, i know, it looks a bit weird when he 'fells' of better 'walks' down the stair, but this is one of the scenes i got socket! gr8 movie!!!!
The music gave me a bit of a jump, but the scene is just rediculous. He just leans backwards before he gets stabbed in the heart, then "falls" down the stairs with a bit of blood on his face, flailing his arms as if he's trying to fly.
Maybe I'm missing something, but I didn't think the shot was that incredible. It's interesting and unique, but not incredible.
I didn't mean to come across too negative towards the film, though. It's a good film. I like the overhead shot where "the mother" comes out and just stabs him, combined with the music.
my dad always complains on how he falls down the satairs. he says its not realistic. i just say so its such a good killing scene. and the WAY he falls... its just amazing.
Defiantly.A man is walking up the stairs of a creepy house,with scary music in the background.All of a sudden,"Mother" and the Screeching Strings music,giving viewers a jump.
Defiantly.A man is walking up the stairs of a creepy house,with scary music in the background.All of a sudden,"Mother" and the Screeching Strings music,giving viewers a jump.
Yea. When I first saw this and seen the door open i'm like "Oh Crap." Then all of a sudden the burst of loud music gives you a jump. Usually when you jump the feel of relif comes right away, but this time, the jump stays with you throughout the entire scene.
Err, then which 2 scenes were cut? I *think* this scene was the only one cut in Singapore. Well, I read one more was too, but I forget which. Don't think it was integral to the movie UNLIKE THIS
they cut out a scene after the shower scene when norman cleans the bathroom and then lookes at his hands full of blood, and then a scene is cut, when norman observes marion through the hole in the wall and marion takes off her bra. lol
Sure, the scene is hokey, but at 18 in 1960 it was a nightmare. The two other horror movies for me are "Jaws" and "The Exorcist" (Directors Cut) in which Wm Friedkin said that he made a horror movie patrons would not forget. Another Hitchcock movie was "The Birds"...we had a pet raven, Black Bart, and to see them mixed with crows on the Golden Gate got my attention. They don't mix at all.
MBDmediaman 4 months ago
went down those steps like mr bo jangles
morelli15 1 year ago
The knife whooshing down, I believe it is supposed to have brushed his face as it comes down stabbing him - and the fall backwards - it is not technically totally real, as in reality someone falling backwards would happen super fast - but the effect it gives is very unsettling and bizarre - I think that was the intent. Classic. Very nightmarish.......
jvsman 2 years ago 3
Phenomenal scene. Arboghast walking apprehensively looking around. The door slowly opening, yet you don't see any feet.The camera pans to Arboghast looking straight ahead, then back to the room with now the door wide open. But nobody at the entrance then quickly.....
Great directing to have Arboghast falling slowly backwards, facing the camera. You get to see and feel the horror he had just encountered.
Hitchcock was a genius director and black and white is much spookier.
wha65 2 years ago
This scene, to me, was a helluva lot more frightening than the shower kill...Bernard Herrman's violin score was a lot more intense and Martin Balsam's scream was terrifying!
CesMan83 2 years ago 5
The falling backwards on the stairs part was supposed to be abnormal looking... Hitchcock did LOTS of scenes like this in various movies - always playing with camera tricks and distorted perspectives. I think it adds a real unsettling touch to it!!
jzerony 2 years ago 3
THIS IS COOL!
2k7Roni 2 years ago 4
LOL, Norman is dressed like a girl.
2k7Roni 2 years ago
You know, they used a green screen in the stairs part, I saw in Universal Studios Hollywood.
2k7Roni 2 years ago
classic movie, but the falling down the stairs part is so fake.
1bobo1 2 years ago
i loved it
FuckTheFuckingSchool 2 years ago
brrr :S
aghate1912 3 years ago
i love this scene, i know, it looks a bit weird when he 'fells' of better 'walks' down the stair, but this is one of the scenes i got socket! gr8 movie!!!!
gagagagn3 3 years ago
If you mute the audio, the scene is actually not scary anymore. Amazing movie though.
thedreamforce 3 years ago
0:22 the music i love it
Schuby16 3 years ago
chudák Arbogast, tak tohle opravdu nečekal.
tomin2x 3 years ago
The music gave me a bit of a jump, but the scene is just rediculous. He just leans backwards before he gets stabbed in the heart, then "falls" down the stairs with a bit of blood on his face, flailing his arms as if he's trying to fly.
tehbertl 3 years ago
It's not meant to be realistic, dumbass.
spameister 3 years ago
I don't think it was meant to look rediculous either, but it does.
tehbertl 3 years ago
Ok. Whatever. This is an incredible film; most people know that. This shot is incredible. I'm not sure I really care about what you have to say.
spameister 3 years ago 3
Maybe I'm missing something, but I didn't think the shot was that incredible. It's interesting and unique, but not incredible.
I didn't mean to come across too negative towards the film, though. It's a good film. I like the overhead shot where "the mother" comes out and just stabs him, combined with the music.
tehbertl 3 years ago
The scariest 5 seconds in movie history.
Decantrop 3 years ago
Somehow it just is! It's weird..
dpaajones 3 years ago
hahaha it's hilarious
SALISLAMMER 3 years ago
did you hear that scream
tcromes585 3 years ago
terifying, that overhead shot of Mother's sudden appearance and the screeching music.
She seems to move slowly, but she reaches her victim so quickly, so elegantly even. It's absolutely terrifying.
You jump of fright, but the feeling stays as the music lingers and Arbogast falls.
And even as he hits the floor it is still not over.
I love it.
viridismonasteriense 3 years ago 3
I find this part definitely the most scaring, just the way (s)he suddenly walks out of the door brr
Artokaas 3 years ago
my dad always complains on how he falls down the satairs. he says its not realistic. i just say so its such a good killing scene. and the WAY he falls... its just amazing.
DrNoYes9 3 years ago
without a doubt, this is the scariest movie ever
zombiemonster 3 years ago
Defiantly.A man is walking up the stairs of a creepy house,with scary music in the background.All of a sudden,"Mother" and the Screeching Strings music,giving viewers a jump.
magicbirdaustin 3 years ago
Damn it was quick
2k7Roni 2 years ago
Defiantly.A man is walking up the stairs of a creepy house,with scary music in the background.All of a sudden,"Mother" and the Screeching Strings music,giving viewers a jump.
magicbirdaustin 3 years ago
Yea. When I first saw this and seen the door open i'm like "Oh Crap." Then all of a sudden the burst of loud music gives you a jump. Usually when you jump the feel of relif comes right away, but this time, the jump stays with you throughout the entire scene.
chrisgottschalk1 3 years ago
i've seen this movie three times, and even though i know it's coming, i always jump ath this part!
JamesBlond000 3 years ago 3
It's not the movie that scares me, it's the music combined with the movie that gets me.
dbzfan66 3 years ago 3
Irgendwie sieht das nicht sob aus, als ob da Blut an dem Messer ist wenn nochmals auf den Mann eingestochen wird?
Kreuzdame3 3 years ago
yep :D
gscadi 4 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
this is not scary:@ but we have to study it:(
gscadi 4 years ago
If only there were a car chase or an explosion, eh?
Organasm 4 years ago 3
what dyou mean its not scary
I've seen it about ten times now and it still makes frightens me
koparocks92 4 years ago
how can his blood splatter in such a perfect shape?
Imran500 4 years ago
he is stabed in the face ;)
JinzoCreed 4 years ago 2
It was a blood splatter. He wasn't cut in the face.
spiritualCAPTAIN1 4 years ago
the blood splashed from his chest to his face.
Richardtheincredible 4 years ago
shower scene isnt that scary, but this scene made me shit bricks becasue of the sudden start of the loud music and unexpectation.
Imran500 4 years ago 13
@Imran500 agreed
BetterThanYou11 1 year ago
this scares the shit out of me every time!!
the music o_0!
liz6005 4 years ago 5
the music OMG!!!
09adecha 4 years ago 4
is by bernard herrmann, the greatest composer of all time.
Richardtheincredible 4 years ago 8
@Richardtheincredible He is the master for suspens music. But John Williams is better than him in film music (and in classical music).
GGbreizh 11 months ago
Classic scene.
fuzzballs333 4 years ago 4
One of the scariest scenes ever created from one of the scariest movies ever created.
HELLOPEOPLEPEOPLEHI 4 years ago 2
This has been flagged as spam show
you are all gay
terryaaa1 4 years ago
Thanks! Where I'm from, the bastards cut this.
gssq 4 years ago 4
what did they cut away?
JinzoCreed 4 years ago
Basically they just showed him coming up the stairs. You don't see the door opening or the murderer rushing out and attacking him.
I'm from Singapore.
gssq 4 years ago
WTF???
That's an important piece of the movie!!
what about the shower scene?
JinzoCreed 4 years ago
Thankfully they left that intact. Probably because it's so iconic.
Yeah. A murder movie and you cut one of the two murders. Way to go.
gssq 4 years ago
i feel sorry for you *omg*
the funniest thing is, that psycho is almost 50 years old...
mine is cut, too, but only 2 scenes. the 2 murders are complete, thank god^^
JinzoCreed 4 years ago
Err, then which 2 scenes were cut? I *think* this scene was the only one cut in Singapore. Well, I read one more was too, but I forget which. Don't think it was integral to the movie UNLIKE THIS
gssq 4 years ago
they cut out a scene after the shower scene when norman cleans the bathroom and then lookes at his hands full of blood, and then a scene is cut, when norman observes marion through the hole in the wall and marion takes off her bra. lol
JinzoCreed 4 years ago
Love the falling down the stairs bit
rastativ 4 years ago
this part is the best when norman kills him!
DeathBlader000000000 4 years ago