Psyched Out

So my dear friend Mika is leaving me again to go back to Japan where she teaches English. She came home to the states for about a month to visit and reconnect, which ends tomorrow morning at 11. So last night she and I hung out one last time before she returns to the motherland. And, like the well educated and world savvy women that we are, we watched Psycho until 12:30 in the morning. And then took out the garbage from the dark and unlit back yard.

Warning! Spoilers ahead!

First off, I have never seen Psycho, though I think everyone has seen that shower scene, if only in lists of ‘best movie scenes of all time’ or other such nonsense. We chatted through most of the beginning and backstory when we learn about Marion and her motives for stealing $40,000. When she started to flee however, we moved into the mocking of Marion, specifically the fact that she doesn’t blink. Like ever! Seriously, watch Psycho again and watch her eyes. Not only does she not blink like ever, but she keeps her eyes so wide open that you can see white space all around the iris. Mika speculated that maybe keeping your eyes that wide open helps to not blink. As a matter of fact it makes it harder to resist blinking, as Mika and I continually proved in our own highly scientific experiments on the couch. It really was disconcerting, as on the one hand, your eyes water on Marion’s behalf. But on the other hand, you want to try to out not-blink her. Plus she was so obvious to that cop. She was a bad fugitive, and we both agreed that she deserved to be stabbed to death in the shower.

Next up for discussion was Norman. He was actually really endearing. So nerdy and almost cute. In fact I compared him to our friend Dan, both of whom have a loping grace about them when they move, but seem to start and stop movements really abruptly. Dan has a habit of springing from his seat and pelting out of the room for no apparent reason and with no explanation. I think Norman would do the same.

Mostly I enjoyed it. I knew the plot, but there were still surprises. Like the butt bump that Norman adds to the ensemble when dressing like Mother. That was highly entertaining. And the appalling acting by the Private Eye and the Psychiatrist. And the not so subtle sexism when Marion tries to buy a car. Real quote during the car trade in scene from Mika: Since you’re a woman I’ll totally rip you off, but I am also afraid of you and your magical vagina which produces $700 cash when you go to the bathroom.

After the SUPER CREEPY ending, Mika needed to take out the trash, and asked almost timidly if I would come with her. I asked if she was scared and she said yes, though I don’t think she really was. I do know that I kept looking over my shoulder, and was glad that Mika’s dog Ricky had accompanied us outside and would most certainly at least bark were I stabbed to death in the driveway. Surprisingly, though Mika had seen Psycho several times, she has not seen Rear Window which is my favorite Hitchcock. Not as overtly creepy/scary as Psycho, it does do the suspense thing really well. I recommend it. But I do not recommend watching Psycho until 12:30 in the morning. That was dumb.