Norman Bates is the protagonist of one of the most iconic and famous films in film history: Psychosis by Alfred Hitchock (1960). Anthony Perkins was tasked with bringing to life this terrifying and complex character who has remained in the popular imaginary as a psychopath’s personification.
Bates’ story is deep, heartbreaking and terrifying. Although the best-known version is Hitchcock’s, it is worth mentioning that the film was actually inspired by Robert Bloch’s novel of the same name; In turn, Norman Bates’ character is based on assassin Ed Gein.
- Returning to the magic of black and white.
- The sheer terror that flooded cinemas during the first half of the twentieth century.
- Far from its most current and commercial aspect.
- Enters a world that only a master like Hitchcock could project in such detail.
- World in which fear resides in our imagination.
- Tension and suggestion.
Psycho introduced us to scenes that have entered history, which have become the representation of terror par excellence, and introduced us to Norman Bates, a murderer who, deep down, fascinates us, fascinates us and makes us believe again in the magic of cinema. .
Following the success of Psycho, Anthony Perkins’ career took a different turn that eventually linked him forever to the character of Norman Bates. It seemed that everyone wanted to enjoy the success of the film. They became continuous, in which Perkins reincarnated the character and even directed one of the films.
Thus, Psycho scored a before and after in horror films, opening the door to exploring new themes to be questioned in the human mind. Symbolism is such that certain concepts of psychoanalysis can be applied to the film itself, as if it were a dream or a complex poem. Psychosis masterfully builds Norman Bates’ troubled mind.
Hitchcock left clues of what really happened at the Bates Motel, since the arrival of the young Marion we felt that something was wrong, that something strange was happening to Norman Bates, in fact, the film is a kind of symbolic puzzle that gives us clues about the darkness that inhabits Norman’s mind. This strong symbolic charge becomes even more significant if, in addition, one investigates the past of the director himself, Alfred Hitchcock, whose films have always had links with the world of psychoanalysis, leaving traces of their own childhood traumas.
Like Bates, Hitchcock lost his father in his youth and his mother became a fully controlling woman; in addition, he had some phobia of birds, an element present throughout the film, anticipating the director’s next production: The Birds (1963). the interpretation of the bird has been associated with divinity, divination and, at the same time, is a figure that evokes freedom; Freedom Bates completely lacks. The birds we see in the film are dead, dissected, that is, they have been stripped of all symbols of power, of their freedom, they appear static and acquire negative connotations.
References to birds don’t stop there. Marion’s surname is Crane (garza) and she comes from Phoenix (phenix). During the scene, Bates talks to Marion about the birds and tells him that he eats like a bird. The association of these animals with Marion is also not coincidental, because, in terms of jargon, the word bird is associated with femininity. Marion is an attractive woman and Norman Bates is attracted to her, which poses a threat to the maternal figure and, therefore, the need to destroy. the rival.
The Oedipus complex has been present in Bates since childhood, in the absence of a father figure, the union with the mother became much stronger, also linking her libido to her, it is intuitive that Bates was sexually abused by her mother and we see that he shows conflicting feelings for her. On the one hand, he feels angry, but he can’t disconnect either, feeling too addictive. At the same time, when his mother begins a romantic relationship with another man, Norman can’t bear the thought of losing so he eliminates his rival.
Throughout the film, do we see countless scenes of mirrors, reflections, water?Water has certain sexual connotations. The famous shower scene, though of murder, has a strong symbolic burden related to sexual desire, far from being unpleasant, has components that make the scene interpreted as desired, the rain also marked the first encounter between Norman Bates and Marion. at the same time, he anticipates something will happen.
Norman Bates’ house can also be interpreted from psychoanalysis, as it has three planes as well as levels set by Freud. The upper floor corresponds to the “surmoi”, the place where we see the shadow of Bates’ mother; deep down we have the “ego”, where Bates projects an image of apparent normality to others; Finally, in the basement, we arrive at the unconscious, the place where Bates and his mother merge, where there is no longer censorship, where his mother’s body rests.
The design and decoration of the house already give us clues about norman Bates’ personality, that is, it works as an analogy of your own being, we gradually discover the house. The last part we see is the basement, when Norman lets himself look like his mother and we find out the truth. The film’s climax comes when Bates is evaluated by a psychiatrist, who explains that Norman is no longer Norman, but his. Mother.
Jealousy took over Norman when his mother began a relationship with another man. These jealousy, combined with Norman’s fragile mind, became pathological and led to total irrationality, murdering both his mother and his lover. Not accepting death, not separating himself from his mother, Norman stole the body and kept it at home. This violent personality and this taste to “keep the dead alive” can be seen in their pastime of having dissected birds.
The guilt and non-acceptance of death eventually made Norman his mother. His mind began to dissociate to the point of having two fully defined personalities: his mother and Norman. These personalities collided and, over time, the mother’s personality grew stronger and stronger. get to the conversations and finally dominate Norman.
The sublime final scene, in which one? Norman Bates looks at us with defiance, thinking of his mother’s thoughts, he’s really revealing. A demonstration that the magic of cinema sometimes doesn’t need special effects. Psychosis continues to fascinate and frighten us. This film brings bates’ mother’s words to our minds, leaving us speechless, making us feel a fear that is difficult to explain, hard to forget.
“A child’s best friend is his mother. ” – Norman Bates-