The screen's master of suspense moves his camera into the icy blackness of the unexplained!

Starring: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Simon Oakland, Frank Albertson

DML Rating: ★★★★★★★★★★ - perfect

"Well, a boy's best friend is his mother." - Norman Bates

Why watch this? Ah, Norman Bates and his mother... for its time, this film was disturbing, and generated quite the buzz.

Plot Summary: Marion Crane is a secretary who embezzles money and flees, eventually seeking refuge at the isolated Bates Motel. There, she encounters the timid and troubled proprietor, Norman Bates, who lives with his domineering mother in the house overlooking the motel. The film then delves into the dark secrets and psychological complexities surrounding the Bates family and the mysterious events at the motel.

Dad's Preview: I resisted viewing this film for years because I shy away from films that I feel (often unjustifiably) are over-hyped. However, this psychological thriller, which may be the first slasher film, certainly plays with your head. As Hitch loves to do, it steadily builds in tension to a knock-your-socks-off ending. Perkins' memorable and creepy performance typecast the handsome young actor for years.

Shamley Productions; Paramount Pictures