Psycho 1960 Still Image Analysis 2

In the scene leading up to this still Marion has been stabbed to death in the shower by an anonymous figure. The cinematography leading up to this shot consists of a spiralling track the plug hole of the shower, which then dissolves into her eye, the camera then reverses this move until it gets to a mid-shot. The spiralling sequence creates a feeling of impending doom as well as the putting forward that her life has gone down the plug hole. As the camera spirals out again it some members of the audience could take it as the soul leaving the body, this is due to the fact that many people believe that the eye is the gate way to the soul.

The close-up on the eye creates a feeling of unease as it is uncomfortable for the viewer to be so close. The eye also appears to be staring out to the audience; this creates a connection between Marion and the audience forcing them to have an emotional response.

In this image the eye is placed in the central third, this draws and focuses the attention of the audience onto a single point. However, there are also the water drops that resemble tears; these almost follow the line of shadow around her eye creating a path that is easy for the viewer.