Motifs in Thriller films: 'Psycho'

 A motif is a recurring subject, theme, image or idea found in a literary, musical or artistic work such as in theatre or film. Through repetition, motifs can aid the production of narrative aspects throughout a film, such as themes or atmosphere. In film, motifs have significance. Some motifs may be obvious, some may be heavily entwined into a film.

'Psycho', directed in 1960 by Alfred Hitchcock, is one of the most iconic and famous thriller films of all time.

One of the most evident motifs in Psycho is the motif of eyes. This motif is symbolic of the theme of voyeurism throughout the film; Hitchcock is making the audience feel slightly uncomfortable, the film is showing us things we shouldn't be seeing. An example of this is during Marion's journey to California, when she gets woken by an officer on the side of the road, he wears intimidating, dark glasses and as he stares into the camera it makes both Marion and the audience extremely uncomfortable. Due to the blackness of his eyes he has a skull-like appearance, that is similar to the corpse of Mrs Bates; eyeless yet omniscient and omni-potent. 

Continuing the theme of voyeurism through the motif of eyes, Norman watches Marion getting undressed through the peephole in the wall, after he has removed a painting from the wall, there is an extreme close-up of his eye, involving us in his inappropriate secret. In this scene, Norman's eye sees the same thing we see as an audience, putting us in norman's perspective and watching 'with him'.

What Norman see's: Marion getting undressed.

Norman's reaction to what he see's: captivated, hooked
and obsessed.

When Marion has been brutally killed we are shown a close up on her lifeless eye, connoting the image of Mrs Bates eye sockets, both women have had a mass downfall after becoming too close with Norman, they threatened the dangerous part of him. It is as if he ended their lives brutally to escape judging eyes. Eyes are also crucial when seeing what a character see's and how they react as it infers their emotion but also enables the audience to feel more connected to the characters by having a 'joint view'. On numerous occasions we are shown what the character see's, then there reaction. Again, with Norman looking through the peep-hole. Furthermore, eyes reveal and hide a characters motivation, such as the hidden eyes of the officer, we are unaware what his thoughts are. 

Establishing shot of Psycho.

Another reoccurring motif in Psycho are birds. Hitchcock uses this motif to outline the theme of isolation. Firstly, as we are told in the opening credits in the establishing shot of the film, the film is set in Phoenix Arizona. This may seem irrelevant to some, but a phoenix is a mythological bird, that has unusual powers. A phoenix sets fire to itself when it is old and dies in the ashes, and from the ashes a new phoenix is born. This could be symbolic of Norman's split personalities, and how throughout the film he abruptly switches between himself and his mother, like a new character is being reborn again and again, similarly to a phoenix. The way this motif is immediate in the film highlights the importance of it and perhaps Hitchcock's urge for people to recognise this reoccurring motif and the symbolism behind it, so when the motif is later repeated in the film, they think back to the initial motif. When Norman and Marion eat dinner, he describes the way she eats as 'like a bird', this then triggers him to inform her he knows a lot about the taxidermy of birds, but is unaware on their activity when alive. In addition, this foreshadows that she will become a victim of his, similar to the stuffed birds that are surrounding them while they eat. This would cause the audience to become highly suspicious of him as a character, as the way he mentioned death of a living being so casually. This is also a indicator of Norman not being able to function socially with normal society or bluntly; living people. This correlates with how he couldn't function with his mother and is only able to communicate with her,dead, stuffed corpse- similar to the birds. The motif of birds also links to the motif of eyes. Hitchcock has given two of the stuffed birds; the Crow and the Owl an individual shot.   

Norman is aware that like the corpse of his mother,the birds jet-black, soulless eyes are constantly watching him, seeing everything he does and judging him. It is almost as if his own guilt,sanity and morals are trapped behind the deceased birds eyes, and all these good elements of Norman are gone, with the birds lives. To conclude, the motifs in Psycho are crucial when including symbolism and foreshadowing what is to come and the fate of certain characters. They are used boldly and effectively with heightened depth and symbolism to them.