Friday, 16 September 2016

Notes on camerawork - 'Psycho' shower sequence

Shower scene - Psycho (Alfred Hitchcock)

MCU of woman, closed framing. Sat on LHS of frame (weighing). The scene is slow moving - adds suspense. Music is contrapuntal - orchestral sound suggests danger and horror whereas the image appears mundane. Pans across, following her eye-line. Toilet close up - connotes distaste, even disgust (may be foreshadowing). Camera pans to follow her movement - makes the viewer feel involved. Diegetic sound (e.g. toilet flushing, door closing). MCU in closed frame of bare flesh as robe is removed - connotes vulnerability. Cuts to inside shower - straight cuts between woman and shower head and woman. Tension builds as scene remains mundane. No non-diegetic sound, only diegetic (water running) - builds suspense. Figure appears to viewer behind curtain on LHS - shows position of power (also shows depth of field as he is further back). Zoom in. Non diegetic string music as curtain is pulled back and knife is shown. ECU of woman's mouth screaming - showing terror. Crosscutting between killer and woman during stabbing; mix of MCU and close ups. Diegetic sound (screams, knife stabbing). Blood is shown. Close up of hand sliding down wall - symbolises her defeat. Closed MWS of woman on RHS as she dies. Another ECU of hand. Shot of shower rail breaking and falling - symbolising her death. Close up of water running, zoom to ECU of plug. Graphic match to her open eye.

No comments:

Post a Comment