Psycho begins by showing the distributors of the film, A Paramount Release. This does not give much information about the plot towards spectators, however, does give us institutional information.
As the film sequence starts, immediately we are told that it is a Alfred Hitchcock film. Psycho was released in 1960, therefore was a black and white film. Due to the black and white, all titles are very plain, however animated in a very effective way to fit the film title and story. The non-diegetic sound is extremely dramatic and intense, this is created playing strings in a minor scale, gradually building up when getting closer to the opening scene.
Using Alfred Hitchcock before showing the film title, engages spectators. This is due to the star power in films. The more famous directors and actors mentioned, the more spectators will be persuaded and influenced to watch.
The title 'Psycho' is animated in a way that relates to the film title. For example, as shown in the screen grab, 'Psycho' is edited as if the font is broken up and unbalanced, connoting a mood of unease and enigma. This title and animation generates this atmosphere and moods due to what we intake the animatics as, such as: missing pieces and unsteady, generating speculation of what will take place in the film.
Saul Bass, the designer of Psychos title sequence uses a series of simple white bars to usher in the
sans-serif titles and escort them back out again. The animation of these lines
and the type itself are just as reserved every object has a path from which it
does not deviate. On, off, left, right, up, down, black, white those are Bass’s
self-imposed restrictions on Psycho, and he employs them with
dramatic effect.
After the credits in the title sequence, we then are shown an establishing shot of which we are told as a caption, is in Phoenix, Arizona. This informs us as spectators of the location and that it is an American film. The long establishing eye-level shot of many hotels, allows spectators to predict the next shot, maybe in a hotel room?
These two captions present the date and time of the footage showing. This gives spectators a greater understanding of the context we are wanted to understand. These captions are overlapped on played footage of a city.
In my opinion, I think that the order that the titles are presented is because we first as spectators need to be engaged by star power. This is a clever technique as star power is extremely powerful to society, even in the 1960's. Star power also begins to speculate word of mouth by more and more people beginning to tell their friends and family. After the star power of the director Alfred Hitchcock being introduced, secondly we are shown the film title, making the spectators aware of the name of the thriller film. The word 'Psycho' which means a psychopath, creates anxiety for spectators for what is to come in the film.
Title Sequence of PSYCHO
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