Psycho

Psycho is a film which finds itself at the cusp of the new American cinema: that which detaches itself from the established classic Hollywood films as well as film noir. Although the music in the film is similar to preceding genres in that it heavily uses a string orchestra with elements of woodwinds and percussion thrown in, it differs greatly because of how the instruments are used. Herrmann treats the strings harshly and violently creating a whole new sound altogether, one that portrays fear, intensity, and anticipation. The chords are dissonant and clashing, enhancing this feeling in the audience.

The heavy use of the harsh sounding strings was ground breaking at the time Psycho was made; however, this element of the score has become somewhat of a clichetoday. For instance, the whole time Marion is trying to leave with the money, driving in her car, high pitched, harsh strings are repeated. This music is meant to instill her fear and anticipation of being caught in the viewer, but its overuse and obvious nature has become cliche to current audiences. Also, the murder music employed whenever Norman kills someone is a tell tale sign of what is going to happen next. Audiences today have just become numb to the themes which are attached to these sounds.

Overall, the music used in Psycho was new and innovative for its time. If it weren't for the unique use of string instruments and the odd, eerie sound they created, this film may not have been as popular as it was. The piercing murder leitmotif used during the famous shower scene most certainly was the defining characteristic which made this part so terrifying and the fear of the murderer most real. Not only was the music essential for this film, it laid the ground work for the future of horror movies' film scores.