78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene

Name: 78/52: Hitchcock’s Shower Scene
Genre: Documentary
Released: October 13, 2017
Duration: 91 min
Rating: 74
Cast: Alan Barnette, Amy E. Duddleston, Danny Elfman, Desi Arnaz, Elizabeth Allan

2017

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Generally favorable reviews based on 20 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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7.9

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7.9	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 13 Ratings

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78/52

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Movie Details & Credits

IFC Midnight | Release Date: October 13, 2017 | Not Rated

Starring: Alan Barnette, Amy E. Duddleston, Danny Elfman, Desi Arnaz, Elizabeth Allan, Frankie Avalon, Guillermo del Toro, Jamie Lee Curtis, Judith Anderson, Judy Bamber, Justin Benson, Leslie Banks, Lucille Ball, Marco Calavita, Martin Balsam, Peggy Ashcroft, Pepijn Caudron, Peter Bogdanovich, Tallulah Bankhead, Tere Carrubba

Summary: The screeching strings, the plunging knife, the slow zoom out from a lifeless eyeball: in 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho changed film history forever with its taboo-shattering shower scene. With 78 camera set-ups and 52 edits over the course of 3 minutes, Psycho redefined screen violence, set the stage for decades of slasher films to come,The screeching strings, the plunging knife, the slow zoom out from a lifeless eyeball: in 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho changed film history forever with its taboo-shattering shower scene. With 78 camera set-ups and 52 edits over the course of 3 minutes, Psycho redefined screen violence, set the stage for decades of slasher films to come, and introduced a new element of danger to the moviegoing experience. Aided by a roster of filmmakers, critics, and fans—including Guillermo del Toro, Bret Easton Ellis, Jamie Lee Curtis, Eli Roth, and Peter Bogdanovich—director Alexandre O. Philippe pulls back the curtain on the making and influence of this cinematic game changer, breaking it down frame by frame and unpacking Hitchcock’s dense web of allusions and double meanings. [IFC Midnight]… Expand

Director: Alexandre O. Philippe

Genre(s): Documentary

Rating: Not Rated

Runtime: 91 min

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Critic Reviews

Chris Nashawaty

Oct 13, 2017

In 1960 this was a shocking, sexually charged symphony of taboo-smashing terror. And thanks to the artistry of Alfred Hitchcock, it remains one today. Read full review

Empire Dan Jolin

Nov 6, 2017

Psycho’s accepted greatness means we can leave it on the shelf as we look for newer sensations. This prompts an urgent desire to revisit it. Read full review

Kevin Harley

Nov 13, 2017

Does for Norman’s place what Room 237 did for the Overlook: reopens old haunts for welcome re-investigation. Read full review

Chuck Bowen

Oct 12, 2017

78/52 comes to life when riffing on the psychosexual perversity of Psycho, which changed cinema's relationship with sex and violence. Read full review

Michael Phillips

Nov 9, 2017

Philippe’s strongest work in 78/52 is the historical context, ranging from the images and roles of mothers in 1950s popular culture to a key handful of movies photographed in black and white (as was “Psycho,” partly to get the blood past the censors) released the previous year, 1959. Read full review

Barry Hertz

Oct 12, 2017

Films about single film scenes, however, represent unexplored territory. Which is why 78/52 is such an enticing prospect – a deep dive into one of the most influential moments in cinema history: the shower scene in Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Read full review

Mike D'Angelo

Oct 12, 2017

78/52 is at its best in cinema studies mode, examining specific compositional and editing choices made by Hitchcock and his collaborators. Read full review

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User Reviews

donelson

Oct 29, 2017

I saw this extraordinary and unusual movie last Friday. It was FANSTASTIC, even if you are not a fan of Hitchcock. During the legendary shower scene, there were 52 camera setup positions. Filming of the 45 second scene took a week, and during the editting there were 78 cuts in view. AnI saw this extraordinary and unusual movie last Friday. It was FANSTASTIC, even if you are not a fan of Hitchcock. During the legendary shower scene, there were 52 camera setup positions. Filming of the 45 second scene took a week, and during the editting there were 78 cuts in view. An average of about 1/2 of a second of each view, 78 times in 45 seconds. Extraordinary. This movie is about how that came about, what Hitchcock was trying to achieve, and how this scene was a breakthrough in how movies are filmed and constructed. Fabulous!… Expand

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JLuis_001

Jun 30, 2018

A documentary about a scene.
But it's not just a scene and it's not from just a regular film.

If you're a Hitchcock fan, a horror fan or just a film lover this is a really cool and interesting revision of an historic film and an historic film moment.

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

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