That is how ground-breaking Alfred Hitchcock's "Psycho" was. Its influence on the horror genre is undeniable, and an argument for the irrevocable changes in film in general which it heralded can also be made. First, I will write about its influence on the horror genre. 1950s horror was dominated by the science-fiction horror. Horror is a microcosm of the fears of the generation from which it came, and in the 1950s, of course, you had the fear of nuclear war and the powers of atomic energy. Thus, you had sci-fi greats such as "Tarantula" and "Them!" from this decade, along with a wave of alien and UFO movies that were influential in their own way - "Forbidden Planet", "It! The Terror from Beyond Space" and countless more.
Then, " Psycho" came along in 1960 and completely blew audiences away. The monster was now a man. "Peeping Tom", coincidentally, was also released the same year and explored the similar theme, but it is Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece that is remembered and takes its place alongside the greatest films ever made. The shower scene has been explored in-depth in every review on every site, so I will not get into it. I will just say that it is still blood-chilling even today in 2023. But it is the psychological horror and exploration of insanity that is the most compelling for me in this film.
Then, " Psycho" came along in 1960 and completely blew audiences away. The monster was now a man. "Peeping Tom", coincidentally, was also released the same year and explored the similar theme, but it is Alfred Hitchcock's masterpiece that is remembered and takes its place alongside the greatest films ever made. The shower scene has been explored in-depth in every review on every site, so I will not get into it. I will just say that it is still blood-chilling even today in 2023. But it is the psychological horror and exploration of insanity that is the most compelling for me in this film.