Psycho Black Raven Analysis
Alfred Hitchcock’s motion picture Psycho, released in 1960, contains peculiar placement of predatory birds and other fowls with corresponding lines about birds from Norman Bates, the primary antagonist. The most obvious reference to birds takes place in the parlor of the Bates Motel where Marion shares her last meal with Norman. As Norman invites Marion into the parlor, he sets the food tray on the coffee table and turns on the lamp. Immediately, Marion’s eyes point the camera to two birds mounted on the walls: an owl with full spread wings in the corner and a black raven hovering over the couch. Marion enters the room and takes her place on the couch under the raven while Norman sits across the intimidating glare of the owl and under another
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As Marion walks into the parlor, a close-up of the owl and raven are shown between shots of Marion as she scans the room. The black raven is both a predator and a scavenger whereas the songbirds are the targets of owls, hawks, and even ravens. As the songbirds sit next to Marion and the crow hovers eerily over her, Norman tells Marion that she “eats like a bird”. Assuming that Norman is comparing her to a songbird and not a predatory bird, Marion seems to exemplify Norman’s statement by picking at a piece of bread for the whole scene. Norman then says, “I hear the expression ‘eats like a bird’ is really a falsity, because birds really eat a tremendous lot”. Then, Norman says, “I think only birds look well stuffed because, well because they’re kind of passive to being with.” As Norman places his hand in an almost affectionate way on the smaller bird next to him, he describes how he uses his hobby of “stuffing things” to fill time rather than pass time. The small bird that Norman has his hand on symbolizes his feelings toward all women: they are better dead and inactive. As Marion stands to leave the parlor and return to her room, each shot of Marion reveals the raven’s beak pointing straight toward her neck. Audience feel a sense of threat toward Marion, but after the owl becomes associated with Norman’s mother, the tension between Marion and the birds
As Marion walks into the parlor, a close-up of the owl and raven are shown between shots of Marion as she scans the room. The black raven is both a predator and a scavenger whereas the songbirds are the targets of owls, hawks, and even ravens. As the songbirds sit next to Marion and the crow hovers eerily over her, Norman tells Marion that she “eats like a bird”. Assuming that Norman is comparing her to a songbird and not a predatory bird, Marion seems to exemplify Norman’s statement by picking at a piece of bread for the whole scene. Norman then says, “I hear the expression ‘eats like a bird’ is really a falsity, because birds really eat a tremendous lot”. Then, Norman says, “I think only birds look well stuffed because, well because they’re kind of passive to being with.” As Norman places his hand in an almost affectionate way on the smaller bird next to him, he describes how he uses his hobby of “stuffing things” to fill time rather than pass time. The small bird that Norman has his hand on symbolizes his feelings toward all women: they are better dead and inactive. As Marion stands to leave the parlor and return to her room, each shot of Marion reveals the raven’s beak pointing straight toward her neck. Audience feel a sense of threat toward Marion, but after the owl becomes associated with Norman’s mother, the tension between Marion and the birds