May 11, 2016

This footage has been floating around the internet for years, but as someone who cites the original 1960 Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece, PSYCHO, as one of my all-time favorite films, it’s always good to revisit, analyze and discuss. When PSYCHO originally played on the big screen back in it’s initial run, the following extra frames were very much in the picture. These 3 scenes had small bits excised for TV airings, as well as cut from British prints of the movie. For whatever reason, when it airs on German TV, the original deleted footage is still present, which made the following video comparison possible.

The 3 scenes in question? When Norman first looks through the peephole to spy on Marion as she’s preparing to take a shower, we get a longer glance at the implied nudity as she removes her bra. Later, when Norman is dragging the body and preparing to wrap it up in the plastic shower curtain, there are prolonged shots on his bloody hands. And finally, the death of Arbogast quickly fades out after the second downward stab of the knife. Here, it comes down a full 4 times. Have a look for yourself and check out the differences!

For whatever reason, despite being re-released countless times in every home video format, Universal has never gone back and restored the film to the version that originally played in theaters in 1960. For most people that grew up on the film, they’d never notice, but You Tube videos like this serve as a reminder. It’s also fascinating to see that this is what the censors board had a problem with back in 1960. Wouldn’t it be great to sit them down to an episode of WALKING DEAD? It probably would’ve blown their minds to see what would be acceptable for television 50-some-odd years later!