25 Facts You May Not Know About ‘Psycho’

If you’re a fan of Alfred Hitchcock, you’ve likely seen his 1960 masterpiece, “Psycho.” Not only was this film his most profitable but it’s also ranked by IMDb as #36 on their list of top-rated movies.

“Psycho” is a horror film that tells the story of Norman Bates, who runs the Bates Motel. When Marion Crane stays the night at the motel after running off with $40,000, she eats a meal with Norman and learns about his controlling mother. Later on that night, Marion is stabbed to death in the motel shower. The rest of the film follows the investigation of Marion’s disappearance.

Hitchcock’s film was based on Robert Bloch’s 1956 novel, “Psycho,” and the film incredibly was controversial at the time. While many of the elements in “Psycho” that were considered shocking are the norm in TV and movies nowadays, Hitchcock’s film pushed a lot of boundaries when it came to censorship and what was allowed in films.

The censorship guidelines applied to films until 1968, also known as the Hays Code, was already in its final days when Hitchcock filmed “Psycho.” However, since the studio system didn’t want to produce Hitchcock’s film, he ended up financing most aspects of the film himself.

In a lot of ways, “Psycho” set the standard for horror films with an impressive plot twist at the end and clever editing that changed the horror film industry forever. These are only a few of the facts about “Psycho” that you may not know, but our full list of facts about the film will help you become an expert in “Psycho” trivia. (Also Read 17 of the Best Lines Ever Written in Hollywood.)

To create a list of 25 facts about Psycho you may not know, 24/7 Tempo consulted numerous media and news sources including IMDb, Rotten Tomatoes, and Newsweek. Here are 25 facts you may not know about Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho.”

Despite the criticism and controversy that came with "Psycho." it ended up being Hitchcock's most profitable film. The film made $32 million in the US and Canada.

Hitchcock's famous shower scene might seem less chilling when you realize the fake blood was chocolate syrup. While there are many different mixtures used for fake blood, chocolate syrup shows up best in black and white.

As strange as it sounds, censorship guidelines in the 1950s and 60s were pretty strict. "Psycho" pushed a lot of boundaries and one of them had to do with the inclusion of a flushing toilet in the film.

The screenplay for "Psycho" was based on a novel by Robert Bloch. The inspiration for Bloch's novel was the story of the serial killer Ed Gein.

The story of the serial killer Bloch's novel was based on inspired several other major films, including "The Texas Chainsaw Massacre" and "The Silence of the Lambs."

While "Psycho" was in theaters, Hitchcock enforced a rule that stated you couldn't watch the film if you showed up late to the viewing.

The shower scene in "Psycho" is considered a cinematic masterpiece. It featured over 70 camera angles and took a week to film.

Part of what made the shower scene so dramatic was the music. Although Hitchcock originally wanted the scene to be silent, he changed his mind after hearing what the composer came up with.

When you hear the sound in this scene that's supposed to be a knife stabbing Marion, it's actually the sound of a knife stabbing a melon.

To achieve the right voice for Norma Bates, three different actresses recorded the lines. Hitchcock ended up mixing the voice recordings together for the different scenes.

To prevent people from spoiling the plot twist in the end, Hitchcock initially withheld the name of the novel it was based on.

Inevitably, the name of the novel got out, although they revealed an incorrect name. The report who leaked it claimed it was "Psyche," instead of "Psycho."

After a reporter revealed the incorrect name, there was a rumor that Hitchcock bought up all the copies of the novel to prevent anyone from finding out the ending. There was no evidence for this rumor, however.

If you pay attention in the beginning of the film, you can spot Hitchcock outside of Marion's office wearing a cowboy hat.

Hitchcock ensured the film was consistent with Bloch's novel in most cases. One of the main differences is Norman is overweight and unattractive in the novel.

The director ended up making a fortune off of "Psycho," especially because he purchased the screen rights from Bloch for only $9,000.

Another reason why he ended up making so much off of the film is how he set up the rights. To keep production costs down, he financed most of the film himself and gave up his fee in exchange for majority ownership of the film.

Although Hitchcock never won the award, he was nominated for Best Director five times. "Psycho" led to him his last nomination for Best Director.

The MPAA ratings system for movies didn't exist until 1968. However, due to the controversial content in "Psycho," it received an R-rating in 1984.

Even Hitchcock himself gave a lot of credit to the composer for "Psycho." The score for the film was unique because it only used string instruments.

Bloch published two sequels to his original novel, but they weren't used to create the three sequels for the film version of "Psycho."

Allegedly, when Hitchcock wanted to film his movie "The Blind Man" in the park, Disney wouldn't allow it because of the disturbing content in "Psycho."

Hitchcock filmed "Psycho" in several locations, including Universal Studios Hollywood. After the success of the film, the set became a popular attraction on the Universal Studios Tour in Hollywood.

On the 100 Heroes & Villains list released by the AFI, Norman Bates is at the top of the list. He ranked as number two on the list of villains behind Dr. Hannibal Lecter.

After finishing the filming for "Psycho," Hitchcock didn't have much hope for its success. That is, until he saw the finished version with the music added. (Don't miss R-Rated Movies Embraced by Audiences But Scorned by Critics.)