EXOTIC (Psycho)

Corpse of dead Mrs. Bates in the fruit cellar

Throughout the film we are shown all the little details that help in developing the plot. The house in which Norman lives is scary and all the things that are placed in it are scarier. As audience we feel a sense of uneasiness when Lila and the detective steps into his house and tries to reach for the mother. When we closely see the mother’s dead corpse in the fruit cellar and the birds in the background it dramatizes the whole scene.

In order to feed his ego, he keeps his mother’s dead corpse in her room; her clothes in the cupboard seem clean and kempt. He even brings a white gown and a fake wig to dress up like her. In addition, he talks in a high-pitched sound when he plays the role of the mother as it is his way of imitating her and thus keeping her alive, at least in his head.

Norman’s parlor

Furthermore, he is seen in as a freakish man with an odd hobby—Taxidermy—which is the stuffing of animals and birds. What makes it even more bizarre is the way he describes his interest. When Marion enters his parlor she is bewildered to see all the dead stuffed birds which seem to be staring at her. There are pictures of birds not only in the parlor but also on the walls of the motel. Whittington-Walsh (2013) notes that through the camera movement and angle we forget it is a film. It gives rise to the idea of cinematic apparatus. She further states that audience starts identifying with the apprehending characters like a child in a mirror image. Lastly, through Norman Bates’s bestial character, the director gives us a glimpse of psychopaths and their conflicting thought processes. 

CHILDLIKE AND ASEXUAL(Psycho)

Norman Bates peeing

Due to the dissociative personality disorder, Norman is still entrapped in his childhood. This rare disorder develops due to the abuse he dealt with as a child; therefore, he still has an identity of a child. Throughout the film, he is shown eating candies like a little kid whenever he is agitated. Audience gets a glimpse of his childlike behavior when Marion’s sister, Lila goes into Norman’s house in order to solve the mystery behind the mother. When she enters his room, she sees toys scattered all around. This might hint towards the idea that he still plays with these toys. On the other hand, she finds a magazine containing erotic pictures of nude women. It highlights how he has been trying to suppress his sexuality through such means. Furthermore, his sexuality is presented in the first half of the movie when he tries to peep inside Marion’s room through the peephole. When he sees her undress, he starts masturbating which is evident from the noises he make, the sound of zipping up and buckling his belt once he is done. http://www.metacafe.com/watch/an-sEn1J2u7nhbbt4/psycho_1998_masturbating_and_peeping/  He demonstrates sexual fetishism as he is seen deriving sexual pleasure through the situation (Genter, 2010). 

We are given a hint about the sexual and physical abuse that deteriorated his emotional and psychological state. He says, “[Son] sounds like a poor substitute for a lover” when Marion tells him that his mother can still count on him (husband and lover no longer there for her). This statement highlights the idea that she might have turned to him for her sexual needs as Norman’s father left them when he was five years old. On the other hand, it also highlights Freud’s concept of Oedipal complex (a child is sexually attracted to the opposite sex parent and wishes to possess him/her). This complex might have triggered feelings of jealousy in him which made him kill his mother and her beloved.

Genter, R. (2010). “We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes”: Alfred Hitchcock, American             Psychoanalysis, and the Construction of the Cold War Psychopath. Canadian Review of        American Studies 40(2), 133-162. University of Toronto Press. Retrieved April 18, 2013,           from Project MUSE database.

ISOLATION AND PITY(Psycho)

The isolated house of Norman Bates

Norman Bates is isolated from the outside world and occasionally comes across guests at his motel. The rooms in his motel are usually vacant as he states, “we have 12 cabins and 12 vacancies.” When Marion asks him if he goes out with his friends, he replies “a boy’s best friend is mother.” This shows how secluded the mother and son were after Mr. Bates left them. The psychiatrist at the end notes that for years they lived as if there was no one else in the world. Furthermore, when Marion is heading to her room, he asks her if she could stay for a while so they could talk. This shows his yearning to share his feelings and thoughts with others. He has human needs and desires; however, his disorder obstructs the development of a ‘normal’ mind-set. Another incident which shows how he is so deeply rooted to the place is when Sam questions him. Norman refutes back angrily “This place? This place happens to be my only world. See I grew up in the house up there and I had a very happy childhood. My mother and I were more than happy.” This shows how he still lives in his own bubble, shut-off from society. Contrary to his statement, we know that he did not have a happy childhood and was emotionally drained.

We pity him when he says “It’s like a private trap that holds us in like a prison. You know what I think? I think that we’re all in our private traps, clamped in them, and none of us can ever get out.” He believes that he was born in his “private trap” and can never get out of it. He wants to be free, but his mental condition and the circumstances do not allow him to do so. He feels as if he is tied to the place and it is his duty to take care of her mother whose dead corpse lies in her bedroom. When Marion advices him to send his mother to “someplace,” he gets infuriated as he thinks that his mother deserves a much better place than an institution. He still thinks that she is alive. The movie illustrates the isolation and deinstitionalization of people with mental and emotional disability (Erb, 2006).

Erb, C, (2006). “”Have You Ever Seen the Inside of One of Those Places?”: Psycho, Foucault,         and the Postwar Context of Madness. Cinema Journal, 45(4), 45-63.

 

CRIMINALITY, EVILNESS AND VIOLENCE IN PSYCHO (1998)

The dead Marion Crane

Norman Bates is portrayed as a psychopath who has emotional disability which developed from the abuse that he had to bear for a long time. This disability turns him into a violent criminal who commits one murder after another. In the movie, we are told that he killed his mother and her lover as he could not stand the fact that her mother no longer dotes on him the way she used to. However, he is never really able to accept the fact that his mother has died. This is evident when Norman gets attracted to Marion; he does what his mother would have done to control his relation with a woman. He comes back to mercilessly murder Marion and stabs her multiple times. He later cleans the blood-stained floor and throws her car in the swamp with Marion locked inside. According to Erb (2006), Marion’s stealing the money and Norman’s killing her shows the relationship between value and waste which highlights the Nazi’s ideology of “waste-currency-humanity.” This means that the mentally ill Norman will never have any relation with the money. He does the crime out of passion not profit. Moreover, the manner in which the camera focuses on Norman’s face, shows his emotionless and cold heartedness when he commits such atrocious crimes. Another incident that shows his criminality is when detective, Arbogast goes to Bates’s house to see his mother. Norman again comes disguised in a white gown and wig running towards the detective to stab him.  

His evilness is depicted through the scene in which he seen talking to Marion in his parlor. He says, “I feel like I could crush her out and leave her forever.” This shows how he detests his mother and wishes to abandon her but is stuck in his “private trap.” Violence is shown in the scene when he hits Sam with a golf-stick and later they get into a duel in Norman’s house. He reacts violently whenever he is provoked.

Reference:

Erb, C, (2006). “”Have You Ever Seen the Inside of One of Those Places?”: Psycho, Foucault,         and the Postwar Context of Madness. Cinema Journal, 45(4), 45-63.

PSYCHO (1998)

On left is Anthony Perkins as the original ‘Norman Bates’ in Alfred Hitchcock’s, ‘Psycho’ (1960), on right, ‘Vince Vaughn’ taking over the role as, ‘Norman Bates’ in Director Gus Van Sant’s remake of Hitchcock’s classic.

Gus Van Sant’s movie Psycho (1998) is a remake of Alfred Hitchcock’s movie Psycho (1960). Both are based on Bloch’s novel about a true story of a serial killer. The plot revolves around Norman Bates’s life who was abused by her mother as a child. He had become really perturbed after his father left them when he was only five years old. He murdered her mother and her lover 10 years ago due to his mother’s lack of attention on him. He had become insecure as she was his “only world.” As an adult he now suffers from dissociative personality disorder which means that there are two voices in one head that interchange roles according to the circumstances. The second voice is of his deceased mother who has been buried in Green Lawn Cemetery and the first is of Norman himself. The movie begins with Marion Crane’s boss handing over $40,000 to her, and asking her to keep it in the safe. Marion changes her mind about the money. She decides to keep her boss’s money and drives away. She changes her car with another in order to save herself from the police officer’s prying eyes. While driving in the dark thunderous night, Marion comes across a motel—Bates—to stay for the night. However, she is not aware of Norman’s mental illness. When Norman sees her undress through a hole in the wall, he starts having an orgasm. He later comes into the scene as the mother, dressed in a white gown and white hair. He does what his mother would have done to take revenge from Marion as he got attracted to her. He murders her and then comes back as the “responsible” son who would leave no evidence behind to protect her mother from being caught. The story then revolves around Sam Loomis (Marion’s boyfriend) and Lila Crane’s (Marion’s sister) quest to find Marion along with detective Arbogast who is eventually killed by Norman when he tries to look for Mrs. Bates, Norman’s mother (who is dead).

Sam and Lila then take upon themselves to reveal the mystery behind Norman’s mother and to find Marion who has been missing. They visit the Bates’s motel and checks in as a couple. Sam engages Norman in conversation when Lila goes inside Norman’s house to meet his mother. She is shocked to find her mother’s corpse that is sitting in a chair. Norman runs toward his house to make sure that no one is inside. He disguises himself as his old mother and runs towards Lila to kill her with the same knife that he used to kill others. Then Sam enters just in time to protect her from the “psycho” Norman. In the next scene we see him confined in a room of the courthouse where he is cross-questioned by the psychiatrist. The psychiatrist reveals the factors that led to his present condition and how his mind is completely taken over by his mother’s thoughts. Towards the end, Norman is seen talking in his mind in the voice of the mother. He believes (the mother) that the officials would be watching her and she should not kill the fly on her hand in order to prove her innocence.

 

References

Erb, C, (2006). “”Have You Ever Seen the Inside of One of Those Places?”: Psycho, Foucault,         and the Postwar Context of Madness. Cinema Journal, 45(4), 45-63.

Genter, R. (2010). “We All Go a Little Mad Sometimes”: Alfred Hitchcock, American             Psychoanalysis, and the Construction of the Cold War Psychopath. Canadian Review of        American Studies 40(2), 133-162. University of Toronto Press. Retrieved April 18, 2013,           from Project MUSE database. 

CRIMINALITY IN CHAINED FOR LIFE

Vivian kills Andre as he fooled them and betrayed her sister, Dorothy. When Vivian sees Andre kissing Renee, she gets infuriated. While Andre is busy performing his sharpshooter act, Vivian grabs the opportunity to end Andre’s life. She shoots Andre and he dies on the spot. Although, the now dead Andre is the villainous type, Vivian is taken to the court as a result of the crime she has committed. The case of

Dorothy & Vivian being questioned by the prosecutor

Dorothy and Vivian is quite unusual and the judge does not have a precedence to make the decision. The prosecutor describes the event in extreme terms as he says “Premeditation and in cold-blood shoot and kill the deceased Andre Pariseau—[Vivian] guilty of murder in the first degree.” At the very beginning, Judge Mitchell highlights the way Vivian is described by the prosecution as a “coldblooded murderess, a woman without a soul.” This shows how people with disabilities are seen as committing atrocities on people without a disability. It reflects the hate and fear of having such people in society. Although, Vivian has committed the murder and is punishable by law, they cannot deprive an innocent Dorothy from her life and liberties. Later, their lawyer argues that when the law has not provided people with disabilities enough protection then why does the law demand extreme penalty to punish them. Even in real life people with disabilities are suppressed due to the cultural and social barriers created by society which marginalizes them even more (Knoll, 2009).

Knoll, K.R. (2009). “Feminist Disability Studies Pedagogy. Feminist Teacher, 19(2), 122-133.     doi: 10.1353/ftr.0.0031

ASEXUALITY & “BETTER-OFF-DEAD”

It is quite evident that the Siamese twins—Dorothy and Vivian—are not asexual. They have sexuality like any another woman. When they are getting ready for a date with Andre, Dorothy says that she should go shopping as she is now engaged to Andre. She argues, “I can’t be seen in just anything.” This statement shows how they have ‘ordinary’ feelings and wishes. Like the conjoined twins in Stuck on You, Vivian has to tag along with Dorothy on her date. Another instance which illustrates how they have their own unique minds and lives is when they are in the Café with Andre. Dorothy questions Andre, “Do you really think we are one?” Dorothy tells him that they lead separate lives and spend as they like. 

Dorothy with Andre in the dream scene

Another scene which beautifully captures Dorothy’s sexuality is when she has a dream about being separated from Vivian. She seems contented as she smiles and dances in the lush garden. The camera follows her from the moment she wakes up in her dream and steps into the garden. She sees Andre, the love of her life, in her dream and her happiness knows no bound. She dances with him, without Vivian by her side. This is what she wishes in reality which we know as audience when she wakes up from her dream. She cries and regrets that she cannot lead a ‘normal’ life like other people who do not have a disability. She shares her feelings with Vivian. Vivian says “Don’t you think, I know how you feel. I wanted love too.” Till this scene we did not know that Vivian has kept herself deprived of love, we only see her outer toughness. Dorothy further adds “All our lives we had to bury every normal emotion. I am not a machine, I am a woman. I should have the right to live like one.” These remarks show the sorrow of being a disabled woman who has to hide her true feelings from the outside world and abide by the constraints imposed by society for people with disability. Then Dorothy says “I want to be free. Now I know that the only way I can be happy is to be alone with the man I love.” It reflects the frustration that Dorothy experiences as a conjoined twin. It also reflects the “better-off-dead” code when she says “I don’t care! I would rather be dead then go on like this.” How badly she wishes to be separated is evident when the sisters decide to see the doctor. She yearns to be free of her disability so that she can enjoy the happiness that love can bring. In spite of being rejected the marriage licence from 27 different states, she goes on to marry Andre; however, their marriage did not last long.

While looking up for journal articles, I found this documentary which depicts the struggle that people with disability in real life have to face in terms of their sexuality. The link to the movie is provided below:

http://digital.films.com.ezproxy.kwantlen.ca:2080/PortalViewVideo.aspx?xtid=41389

EVIL AND VIOLENT

In Tod Browning’s Freaks (1932) and Harry L. Fraser’s Chained for Life (1951), we see the “abled-bodies” planning and plotting against the “disabled bodies” for the most part. It is only later that the characters with disability take upon themselves to seek revenge from characters without disability. Like Cleopatra, Ander shows Machiavellian characteristics since the very beginning of the movie. He is seen plotting against the Siamese twins—Vivian and Dorothy—throughout the film. Initially, we as audience are fooled into believing that Andre is a genuine and kind-hearted man but soon we realize how he is putting a mask to hide his true self which is heinous and atrocious. There are many instances in the movie that show us Andre’s villainous side. One instance is when he comes home he tells Renee, his beautiful assistant and beloved that he has started collecting money (given by Dorothy) for their future. When Renee complains about his misdeeds, he says, “Charm is the word Renee, Charm!” He tries to cover his negative traits by euphemism.

Another incident is when he is seen talking to Renee. He believes that a true artist must give every performance whole-heartedly. He holds true to this statement as he makes Dorothy believe that his love is genuine and pure. His greed reflects in his eyes when he is seen boasting in front of his friends about the 5 carat engagement ring. His hope to make quick money is reflected in his remark “Andre and Renee in the second spot [in the new building].” He also adds that they will soon make the headlines. His utter ruthless and narcissistic personality comes out in full swing when he gets married to Dorothy. In the newspaper, the headlines are occupied by the topic of the betrayal of the Siamese twin: “Couldn’t Go Thru with Marriage to Siamese Bride….Says Pariseau.”

Hinckley, Andre & McKenzie with the conjoined twins

Not only Andre but also other characters in the film exploit the conjoined twins. McKenzie and Hinckley use the sisters to make profit. They believe that if they do the publicity stunt, money will start pouring into their pockets. On the theatre’s board, the name of—HAMILTON SISTERS—which has the tag Siamese Twins right underneath is placed on the top and has the biggest font size among other names. This shows how manipulatively McKenzie and Hinckley use the sisters’ name to become successful in show business.

 

PITIFUL AND DEPENDENT

In the first half of the movie, when Vivian and Dorothy’s manager, Hinckley diplomatically persuades the conjoined twins for the publicity stunt, it shows how the “abled bodies” of McKenzie and Hinckley exploits the “disabled bodies” of the Hamilton sisters for their own benefit. Moreover, they agree to Hinckley’s proposal as they see it as a means of making money in addition to the theatre shows. As audience when we see Andre playing with Dorothy’s feelings and emotions we pity how unbeknownst to her, Andre is cheating on her. She is just a means of gaining fame and money for him. Likewise, in Tod Browning’s Freaks the beautiful trapeze artist, Cleopatra tries to take over the huge fortune of short-statured man, Hans. By giving the sisters and Andre $100 each week, they exploit the feelings of the sisters. When Andre is asked to play Romeo, the lover boy, he does not seem keen on it. However, when he is offered the money by Hinckley, he says “Bring on Juliet” which shows that he does not really care about anything but money. Furthermore, when Andre leaves Dorothy overnight, she feels quite disheartened and broken. The headlines state “Siamese Twin Deserted by Groom of One Night.” However, the strong-headed Vivian asks Dorothy to pretend in front of Andre that she is happy. This shows that Vivian is not dependent on others, at least, emotionally.  Moreover, both the sisters are financially independent as they make money through stage shows. Also, in real life the girls had been trained in acting and singing. The songs they sing in the film reflect their feelings and it seems they are hinting at Andre as the “love thief.”

Hilton Sisters during the stage show

            You stole the golden sunshine,

            And left a barren sky,

            You stole the silver moonlight,

            And left all heaven dry.

            The diamonds, stars above you,

            You plucked them all one day,

            Then in one magic moment,

            You stole my heart away.

            Why, Why, Why!!!

            Did you rob the sky?

            You are a love thief,

            But I know your reply.

            You stole the golden sunshine……

Towards the end, we see the lawyer defending the Siamese twins in court and pose some questions and facts that leave us pondering. He says “The law demands equality, but the fact is the law has never considered them as equals. They have been denied marriage, children, love and all normal human fulfillments.” Then he questions “Are they monstrosities or are they human-beings?” This scene illustrates how “normal” people are still not being able to come to terms with the whole idea of disability. According to David Church (2011) the issues of race and gender are subordinate to the topic of disability. 

 

Church, D. (2011). Freakery, Cult Films, and the Problem of Ambivalence. Journal of Film and      Video, 63 (1), 3-17. doi: 10.1353/jfv.2011.0003

 

Hilton Sisters in Chained for Life (1951)

Hilton Sisters in Chained For Life

Chained for Life is a movie based on the life of Siamese twin sisters—Dorothy (Daisy) and Vivian (Violet) Hamilton who are into show business. The movie directed by Harry L. Fraser, depicts to some extent the exploitation that the sisters’ had to face in real life. The movie was a huge failure and was banned in many places. In the first part of the movie, the sisters are fooled into making money through different tactics other than their talent. The sisters’ manager Ted Hinckley and the theatre owner, Mackenzie, try to increase their business by putting up a publicity stunt. Hinckley asks the Hamilton sisters and a sharpshooter, Andre Pariseau to put up a show for $100 per week. Vivian outright refuses to play Andre’s better half; however, Dorothy willingly accepts the offer. What started as a publicity stunt becomes reality for Dorothy. She falls in love with Andre. He puts a fake masquerade of love and sweetness to hide his villainous characteristics from Dorothy. As part of his plan, he purposes Dorothy for marriage. She ecstatically accepts the offer and they decide to get married.

However, Dorothy comes across a big hurdle before she can get married, which is her disability. The sisters decide to consult the doctor as Dorothy wishes to get separated from Vivian in order to lead a “normal” life but the doctors suggest that the operation may have an unfavourable outcome. Therefore, Siamese twins go forward with the marriage plan despite their condition. However, their problem does not end here. Another obstacle that they now have to overcome is to obtain a marriage licence for Dorothy. She is denied the marriage licence by 27 different states as according to law they are committing polygamy. Even in real life the conjoined twins were denied the licence by 21 states. In real life the sisters do get married but their marriage lasted for merely two weeks. In the movie, Dorothy’s marriage to Andre lasts for only one night. Their failed marriage makes headlines—“Siamese Twin Deserted by Groom of One Night.” Towards the end, infuriated Vivian cannot tolerate the fact that her sister has been betrayed and thus she shoots Andre with a gun and he dies on the spot. The movie closes with the judge questioning the audience about the dilemma that he is facing in giving the verdict that must be in line with the law.   

References

Church, D. (2011). Freakery, Cult Films, and the Problem of Ambivalence. Journal of Film and      Video, 63 (1), 3-17. doi: 10.1353/jfv.2011.0003

Knoll, K.R. (2009). “Feminist Disability Studies Pedagogy. Feminist Teacher, 19(2), 122-133.     doi: 10.1353/ftr.0.0031