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Psycho
First Published: 1959 Publisher: Simon & Schuster Format: Hardcover |
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Summary: Norman Bates, a middle-aged bachelor, lives with his domineering and overly possessive mother in a house that overlooks the Bates Motel. The motel, a small ten-room property in the city of Fairvale, California, rarely receives visitors now, isolated as it is after the state’s move of the main highway years ago. The arrival of Mary Crane, an unexpected guest, sets off a series of vicious murders at the property. But who is the killer—Norman? Or Mother?
Bloch: “Elsewhere (The Quality of Murder, edited by Anthony Boucher), I have recounted the story of the grim case which shocked Wisconsin in 1957 and led me, the following year, to write a novel in which a seemingly normal and ordinary rural resident led a dual life as a psychotic murderer, unsuspected by his neighbors. I based my story on the situation rather than on any person, living or dead involved in the [Ed] Gein affair.”
“From time to time people come to me and volunteer the information that after seeing the film they were unable to take a shower. I can only tell them that they’re lucky I didn’t kill off my victim on a toilet seat.”
Note: Bloch’s follow up novels in the series: Psycho II and Psycho House, are not the basis for any film in the cinematic series.
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Bloch: “Elsewhere (The Quality of Murder, edited by Anthony Boucher), I have recounted the story of the grim case which shocked Wisconsin in 1957 and led me, the following year, to write a novel in which a seemingly normal and ordinary rural resident led a dual life as a psychotic murderer, unsuspected by his neighbors. I based my story on the situation rather than on any person, living or dead involved in the [Ed] Gein affair.”
“From time to time people come to me and volunteer the information that after seeing the film they were unable to take a shower. I can only tell them that they’re lucky I didn’t kill off my victim on a toilet seat.”
Note: Bloch’s follow up novels in the series: Psycho II and Psycho House, are not the basis for any film in the cinematic series.
More...
- Psycho filming locations - each location from the film is shown how it looks now. (Thanks to David J. Schow for making us aware of this!)
- Precursors of Psycho - Randall D. Larson examines the psychologies and inner workings of the psychotic mind in the lead characters of Bloch's pre-Psycho crime novels.
- Some Mothers...(Part 1) - Jim Nemeth details the origins of Bloch's Psycho and Hitchcock's film.
- Some Mothers...(Part 2) - Jim Nemeth compares the novel Psycho against the film.
- The Calvin Beck-Norman Bates Connection - Tom Weaver details inspiration for the character of Norman Bates beyond that of serial killer Ed Gein.
Behind-the-scenes shot for which supplier David J. Schow suggests said apparatus might be known as the Marion...crane.