Audience Intrigue

It is tough to capture in words the genius of Alfred Hitchcock and his strategy to ‘sell’ Psycho. By requiring complete focus and attention to the rules about how Psycho should be properly experienced he had established intrigue even before one frame was projected. Gimmick? Maybe. Effective? Definitely. That level of engagement is completely voluntary and cannot be purchased. In fact, it is the contrary, you are paying Paramount Pictures for that level of attention to detail.

Hitchcock also knew that his film would get people talking and by politely asking people not to discuss the ‘horrors’ of Psycho after seeing it he again, couldn’t lose. Critics have spoken to the indescribable ‘mood’ of Psycho over the plot. Hitchcock knew that audience members would have difficulty articulating just what they experienced. Whether people told their friends all about it or allowed them to experience it for themselves both only benefited the exposure of the film.

This, to me, proves once again that despite careful film marketing and strategy the movie needs to have substance. I wonder in this age of abundant ‘communication’ could an audience be requested to keep quiet in a way similar to that of the early screenings of Psycho. The film may have been called Psycho but the selling strategy should have been called Psychology.