Bad luck for a bored bombshell, who opportunistically pockets a large sum of money, skips town and unwittingly pauses at a mass-murderer's motel to lay low. To say more would be a disservice to the uninitiated, even if the major points have already been spoiled by way of cultural osmosis. Sixty years is a long time to keep a secret, especially when all the most important scenes have been so frequently mirrored.

Compelled to operate on an extremely low budget (studio brass had major doubts about the premise), in _Psycho_, Alfred Hitchcock leans heavily on his finely-honed directorial senses - artistry and atmosphere, primarily - in lieu of a dazzling set or gaudy wardrobe. The end result is a very moody, up-close and personal piece, entirely appropriate for such a character-driven tragedy. Subtext is the rule of the day, whether it's foreshadowing the awful events to come or nervously reveling in their aftermath.

Much is said outside of the dialogue, in other words, and in such visually compelling ways! The guiding hand of frequent collaborator (and graphic design legend) Saul Bass is apparent in more than just the dynamic opening credits. Bass may not have actively directed the iconic shower episode, as is often rumored, but his tight storyboards and Bernard Herrmann's indispensable musical cues essentially make the scene. Not to downplay Hitchcock's involvement, either; it takes a special brand of mastermind to assemble and curate such talent, to piece it all together in just the right order to achieve maximum dramatic effect.