Psycho

 Often considered the forerunner for slasher flicks, Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is a true masterpiece and after more than 50 years, it holds up better than ever.

 Adapted from Robert Bloch's novel of the same name, the film tells a very simple, yet compelling story of a troubled young man, Norman Bates, who looks after the small Bates Motel while also caring for his sick mother. As the film progresses, however, it becomes clear that Norman is much more than he appears to be and some of the motels visitors are in for a lot more than they expect.

  Anthony Perkins, who stars as the deranged Norman Bates, is quite possibly one the most influential villains that film has to offer. In fact, Bates lends so much to the role that his inspiration led to the birth of the slasher genre. This means every movie serial killer from Krueger to Voorhees owes their fame to this menacing mother's boy. So much about Psycho was, at the time, groundbreaking and ahead of its time.

 

 Another groundbreaking aspect of Psycho was its remarkable cinematography. The famous shower scene, which was comprised of 70 camera set ups and 78 shots of film, is one of the most recognizable and powerful scenes in movie history.

 Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho is an absolute work of art both in the technical aspect as well as the story.