Alfred Hitchcock - rules for watching Psycho
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Alfred Hitchcock’s rules for watching ‘Psycho’
Fri 29 December 2023 15:15, UK
In addition to being one of the greatest and most influential directors in history, Alfred Hitchcock was also a one-man publicity machine who regularly took it upon himself to drum up interest in his latest feature. Long before the invention of the internet, the filmmaker was a viral marketing savant.
The apex came when Psycho was gearing up to release in 1960, with Hitchcock remaining determined to keep the slasher’s greatest and most shocking surprise under wraps for as long as possible. Having recruited a big-name star in Janet Leigh and then placed her at the forefront of the marketing, the general public was under the impression that she would be the main character.
Of course, that was all part of the misdirection, with Psycho pulling the rug out from under everyone by having her killed off in a legendary scene that both shocked viewers to their very core and hammered home the idea that all bets were off as to where the story was headed. It’s a simple practice to throw in a twist these days and has been for decades, but Hitchcock went to great lengths to maintain the veil of secrecy.
As tended to be the case with most of his films, the promotional campaign was overseen by Hitchcock himself, who restricted the media appearances of both Leigh and Anthony Perkins in order to generate intrigue. Critics weren’t shown Psycho beforehand, either, leading many to question exactly what the ‘Master of Suspense’ had up his sleeve this time.
For anyone who turned up late to their screening, though, they wouldn’t get the chance to find out. When Psycho began rolling out to cinemas in various cities across the United States, there was a blanket ban on late admissions. If somebody arrived before the film had already started, they wouldn’t be let in and would have to reschedule for a different showing.
Signs appeared outside of multiplexes carrying a message from Hitchcock himself: "We won’t allow you to cheat yourself. You must see Psycho from the very beginning. Therefore, do not expect to be admitted into the theatre after the start of each performance of the picture," it read. "We say no one – and we mean no one – not even the manager’s brother, the President of the United States, or the Queen of England (God bless her)!"
Unwilling to miss out on potential ticket sales, the industry rebelled against the concept. Of course, few creative talents in the industry had as much influence and sway as Hitchcock, so he ended up getting his own way. Despite what cinema operators believed, Psycho‘s policy had the opposite effect to the one they were dreading. Long queues formed, showings were sold out everywhere, and it made a fortune at the box office.