1. AS Film Studies
FM2: Section C
US film comparison
Psycho (1960)
Halloween (1978)
‘Horror in the Home’

3. Contexts of production
 Psycho: studio picture (Paramount)
 High production values ($1,000,000)
 Successful director (Alfred Hitchcock)
 Star cast (Janet Leigh, Anthony Perkins)
 Gross: $32, 000,000

4. Contexts of production
 Halloween: Independent production
 Low production values ($320,000)
 A then largely unknown director (John Carpenter)
 No star leads (apart from Donald pleasence)
 Gross: $47, 000,000
 Influenced heavily by Psycho: casting, character
names, themes, shots

5. Representation
The Monster
Human, NOT supernatural
Product of psychological trauma
Faced incarceration in psychiatric hospitals
Stalk/murder women
Sexually and morally confused
Not motivated by money

6. Women
 Victim
 Vulnerable
 Sexually active
 Deviant behaviour: crime, drugs, drink, sex
outside of marriage

7. Authority figures
 Powerless
 Male

8. Not safe/Dangerous
‘Haunted’ by monsters
 Not safe/Dangerous
 ‘Haunted’ by monsters

9. Key differences
 Laurie (Halloween) is not sexually active (and survives)
 The victims in Halloween are younger (teens) than those in Psycho
 Psycho offers a more subtle approach in its depictions of horror:
 Norman’s psychologically traumatic past is only referred to in
dialogue. Halloween shows the past in greater detail as well as
Michael incarceration
 The violence in Halloween is more graphic and lingers on the act
of killing
 No alternative narrative is offered for the victims in Halloween,
unlike Psycho which features a ‘thief on the run’ plot with Marion
and her stolen cash

10. Narrative
 Both have a ‘three act’ structure (see notes)
 Psycho features a conventional thriller plot in its first act which
amplifies the sense of surprise and horror and Marion’s murder in
the second act.
 Halloween offers a simple (and now formulaic) ‘stalk and slash’
narrative
 Both monsters have traumatic pasts which ultimately form a
crucial part in the narratives of both films. Halloween starts with
this explanation whereas Psycho waits until the closing moments
to fully reveal Norman’s psychological problems

11. Key scenes:
Scene comparison 1: ‘Shower scene’ (Psycho) and ‘Opening scene’
(Halloween)
Scene comparison 2: Norman’s Parlour (Psycho) and Dr. Loomis’ visit to
the Myer’s House (Halloween)
Scene comparison 3: Lila’s discovery in the Bate’s family home (Psycho)
and Laurie’s Discovery of her friends murder (Halloween)
Use cinematography, sound, mise en scene (micro aspects) to discuss
these in detail (see your notes)