What was the significance (if any) of the police officer in Psycho? He was the main 'villian' for the first twenty minutes of the movie, and just as soon as he appeared, he was gone. What was his characters purpose?
As it was mentioned in class --I think Hitchcock had a fear and hatred of police officers... probably his way of jabbing at local annoying and domineering authority figures.
Maybe he was a for warning for Marion to go back and return the money so she wouldn't get killed. There were many times she was scared and wanted to turn around and didn't. The police officer disappeared after she had decided she wasn't turning back and continued to travel, ending up at the Bates Motel where she dies.
That is a great question I wondered myself. I think it was a way to build suspense in a part that could be considered a dull moment. Imagine her trip out of town without the Police officer. There would have been no anxiety and the trip would have been boring, but the introduction of the police officer added suspense.
Kelly that is a good representation of what that character stood for. He was there to make Marion think that if I go through with this I could be in some serious trouble. If she would have headed the warning perhaps she would of still been alive.
I wondered where he went also or what was his point. I thought also maybe he wasn't real, like in Marion's state of paranoia she created him in her head. I kind of felt like the car salesman couldn't see him.
At first I felt like the car salesman couldn't see him as well. I think they end up talking at the end of the scene though. One of them asks the other if she seemed like she was acting strange. Interesting observation as far as her making him up though. That would have fit well into the movie.
The purpose is fairly clear. I think the mystery is that we expect something more will come of his apparent suspicions about Marion but they never do. He pretty much purely serves the function of creating suspense. Pure and simple. Will Marion get arrested? Is he going to stop her again? Of course, we hope he doesn't or that she'll not be caught--again aligning us with the "villain" (or at least wrongdoer).
As it was mentioned in class --I think Hitchcock had a fear and hatred of police officers... probably his way of jabbing at local annoying and domineering authority figures.
ReplyDeleteMaybe he was a for warning for Marion to go back and return the money so she wouldn't get killed. There were many times she was scared and wanted to turn around and didn't. The police officer disappeared after she had decided she wasn't turning back and continued to travel, ending up at the Bates Motel where she dies.
ReplyDeleteThat is a great question I wondered myself. I think it was a way to build suspense in a part that could be considered a dull moment. Imagine her trip out of town without the Police officer. There would have been no anxiety and the trip would have been boring, but the introduction of the police officer added suspense.
ReplyDeleteKelly that is a good representation of what that character stood for.
ReplyDeleteHe was there to make Marion think that if I go through with this I could be in some serious trouble. If she would have headed the warning perhaps she would of still been alive.
I wondered where he went also or what was his point. I thought also maybe he wasn't real, like in Marion's state of paranoia she created him in her head. I kind of felt like the car salesman couldn't see him.
ReplyDeleteAt first I felt like the car salesman couldn't see him as well. I think they end up talking at the end of the scene though. One of them asks the other if she seemed like she was acting strange. Interesting observation as far as her making him up though. That would have fit well into the movie.
ReplyDeleteThe purpose is fairly clear. I think the mystery is that we expect something more will come of his apparent suspicions about Marion but they never do. He pretty much purely serves the function of creating suspense. Pure and simple. Will Marion get arrested? Is he going to stop her again? Of course, we hope he doesn't or that she'll not be caught--again aligning us with the "villain" (or at least wrongdoer).
ReplyDelete