Psycho 1960 Still Image Analysis 1

This image is from the scene where Bates brings Marion some dinner and then chats with her in the room that is behind the office. This image shows the low expressionist angle on Bates, this angle gives him power and makes him feel like an imposing figure. The shadows of the birds in the background enforce a dominating and controlling idea; the shadows have been created with low key lighting and create a sense of unease and mystery.

The eye is pulled through the picture following the mise-en-scene of the room, in particular the line of the animals and pictures hanging on the walls. Through this the eye goes from the bottom left hand corner up to the face of Bates. As the eye is being drawn along this line of darker tones it suggest that Norman is a dark character, however, his face is partially in light suggesting that he has an innocence about him.