The Strangest Trailers of Pop Culture History: The PSYCHO Trailer Reveals Too Much

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1960 marked the release of “Psycho” by Universal Pictures, a movie that came from the illustrious directorial hands of Alfred Hitchcock, who was already a highly acclaimed figure in Hollywood and a common household name. Known as “The Master of Suspense,” Hitchcock had churned out blockbusters like “Rear Window,” “Vertigo,” and “North by Northwest” during the 1950s. His weekly TV series, “Alfred Hitchcock Presents,” which he hosted, was a massive hit for the network. The excitement leading up to his first production of the new decade, “Psycho,” was at its peak. The original trailer for “Psycho” leveraged Hitchcock’s fame and reputation, but what’s surprising is just how much it gives away about the film. In fact, it reveals a significant amount of plot details. You can watch that original trailer in all its spoiler-filled glory right here:

In the trailer for “Psycho”, the renowned filmmaker guides viewers through various sets such as the Bates Motel and its ominous neighboring house, but there’s no glimpse of its main actors, Janet Leigh or Anthony Perkins. Instead, one of the stars, Vera Miles, is momentarily present in a reenactment of the shower scene, which serves as a mislead. Interestingly, Hitchcock explicitly informs the viewer about the number of victims in the movie and their locations of demise. For contemporary viewers who often complain that modern trailers reveal too much, this “Psycho” trailer could say, “Just you wait,” essentially hinting that it still holds surprises. This trailer, in fact, discloses the film’s death toll to the audience.

Indeed, the impact of “Psycho” isn’t solely based on the number of victims or their locations; rather, it lies in unmasking the real killer, Norman Bates. Intriguingly, the trailer suggests Mrs. Bates as the murderer, maintaining the film’s most significant twist. It’s fascinating that Hitchcock revealed so much about the plot, yet surprisingly, he sought to comfort 1950s suburban audiences by using cheerful music and peculiar lighting reminiscent of 1950s public service announcements, suggesting a sense of innocence and lightheartedness, almost as if to assure them that it wouldn’t be too frightening.

Despite Alfred Hitchcock being a renowned figure in Hollywood, his home studio Paramount declined to fund ‘Psycho’. They considered the theme too disturbing for American audiences, as serial killers were not yet common front-page news. The term “serial killer” wouldn’t become widely known until after the Zodiac Killer and Charles Manson. At that time, many Americans were unaware of the concept. Consequently, Hitchcock managed to persuade Universal to back his adaptation of Robert Bloch’s novel, using his TV crew for production. He opted to film in black and white to save costs, as ‘Psycho’ followed a series of his glossy technicolor productions from the ’50s. Surprisingly, even with Hitchcock’s reputation, studios viewed the project as unmarketable.

Prior to “Psycho,” Alfred Hitchcock’s films were typically categorized as thrillers or mysteries. The term “horror” was generally associated with B-movies and classic monsters. However, there’s no denying that “Psycho,” with its eerie old manor house and psychotic killer, was a quintessential horror film. In fact, it could be argued that it was the first truly contemporary horror film. Hitchcock effectively brought chilling horror from the distant past and European castles into present-day America. Although others may have made similar moves, Hitchcock was the first to achieve blockbuster success with this approach.

In 1960, viewers were unprepared for the graphic violence depicted in Marion Crane’s shower scene from Psycho, a shocking departure from what had previously been shown on screen. The marketing strategy for this film was revolutionary, and it proved incredibly successful. Adjusted for inflation, Psycho grossed an astounding 323 million dollars at the box office, a figure rarely matched by horror movies today. This groundbreaking film forever transformed the genre of horror cinema, although it took the rest of Hollywood nearly a decade to follow suit.

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2025-01-27 23:32