Socio-Cultural Influences in Psycho

One of the things that makes Psycho such an important film is the effect it had on society and the effect that society had on it. The film comes from a culture that is obsessed by the idea of psychopaths and the mentally unbalanced. “In 1955, Newsweek declared that ‘The U.S. is without a doubt the most psychologically oriented, or psychiatrically oriented nation in the world.’” This fits perfectly, considering that the main protagonist of Psycho is a psychotic with multiple personalities. This film was made during the time of the Cold War, only a decade or so after World War 2.

As a film, Psycho really discusses a crucial question, how can you know if someone is a psychopath? He/she could be anywhere, at anytime, but they are able to hide themselves so well that you would not know until it was too late. Norman Bates, a supposedly normal, slightly awkward man with a confused past, is the epitome of such a hidden personality, which is why Hitchcock casted Anthony Perkins as Bates.

The film could either be considered a primitive or classic film, in relation to the genre it is. While it is considered to be the first slasher film, it also has several elements of a suspense thriller, something that was very much popular at the time of filming. Films like Dial M for Murder and The Wrong Man, also films by Hitchcock, were thriller/suspense films as well. So in the end, it may be appropriate to list Psycho as a Classic. It was the first movie of its time to do something unique, to go in new directions concerning the genre in general.

And to put this film in context, a much more specific context, we should start with Psycho in relation to the country in which it was made, the U.S.. As a country that focuses on the mentally unstable, it's the perfect choice, and the atmosphere of some areas of the country adds to this perception. As coming from American culture, the film of course plays off of those fears that a psycho could be anywhere, at any time, and be undetectable. The film focuses on those with a double life, with Norman Bates and his mother side, and Marion Crane suddenly becoming a thief, contrary to her nature.

Psycho's impact on American society was immense, since it was more violent, more revealing, and more daring than other films of its time. It's focus on the psychopath played on the fears of many at the time, the fear that someone could harbor such desires as murder without anyone knowing.