Psycho- Authority and Gender in parlour Scene - Lighting and Sound
Throughout the scene, the two characters are placed on two opposite ends, immediatly this suggest that there is going to be two sides. Futhermore, the lighting is also very different for the two characters. The light in the shots with Marion is mostly bright, even the objects that surround her are light in tone, and the lamp is also placed on ehr side, whilst the shots that show Norman are mostly dark, with some brighter areas, and a large black desk with the white book as the only light toned object.
The fact that Marion's side is much brighter creates the atmosphere that she is warm, a good person and the protagonist. Also since the environment is lit around her, it emphasis that she is a the protagonist, and although she stole the money, it implies that she wants to return it.
On the other hand, when Norman is in frame, he is mostly dimly lit, with occasional lighter areas. Also Norman himself mostly only has one side of his face shined. This symbolizes the two personalities struggling within him. The times where one side is in shadow, we can cannot tell there is a obvious dominance, but when they talk about the mother, the shot is from the side therefore only one side is shown. The side that is shown has minimal light, this suggest that the more sinister and darker personality is in control, where Norman himself is being completely dominanted by his mother's personality. Afterwards, when Norman explains that he wanted to move his mother to the 'madhouse', he moves away from the camera. This is one of the few moments in the scene where a mojority of his face is lit. I think that this is when Norman's personality is closes to be free from the mother.
The non diagetic music from this scene seems to acompany the mood of the scene. The theme is heard whenever Marion descovers something abnormal. The music is heard when we enter this scene, but is more audiable when she sees the bird, afterwards the music fades out until it is heard again when Norman talks about sending his mother to the institution. I believe that the music in this scene, is heard whenever Hitchcock wants to highligh the presence of something abnormal and his mother. As mentioned before, the bird represents woman, but more specifically his mother, the music is louder, and i think this effect is to remind the audience that the mother is a key character in this scene. Again, when they talk about sending the mother to the instution, the mother seems to dominate Norman, the music is then played faintly, to suggest that the mother is currently the dominant personality.
The fact that Marion's side is much brighter creates the atmosphere that she is warm, a good person and the protagonist. Also since the environment is lit around her, it emphasis that she is a the protagonist, and although she stole the money, it implies that she wants to return it.
On the other hand, when Norman is in frame, he is mostly dimly lit, with occasional lighter areas. Also Norman himself mostly only has one side of his face shined. This symbolizes the two personalities struggling within him. The times where one side is in shadow, we can cannot tell there is a obvious dominance, but when they talk about the mother, the shot is from the side therefore only one side is shown. The side that is shown has minimal light, this suggest that the more sinister and darker personality is in control, where Norman himself is being completely dominanted by his mother's personality. Afterwards, when Norman explains that he wanted to move his mother to the 'madhouse', he moves away from the camera. This is one of the few moments in the scene where a mojority of his face is lit. I think that this is when Norman's personality is closes to be free from the mother.
The non diagetic music from this scene seems to acompany the mood of the scene. The theme is heard whenever Marion descovers something abnormal. The music is heard when we enter this scene, but is more audiable when she sees the bird, afterwards the music fades out until it is heard again when Norman talks about sending his mother to the institution. I believe that the music in this scene, is heard whenever Hitchcock wants to highligh the presence of something abnormal and his mother. As mentioned before, the bird represents woman, but more specifically his mother, the music is louder, and i think this effect is to remind the audience that the mother is a key character in this scene. Again, when they talk about sending the mother to the instution, the mother seems to dominate Norman, the music is then played faintly, to suggest that the mother is currently the dominant personality.
posted by augi at
9:32 PM
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