When it comes to violent horror movies, everyone in the film is a potential victim, and somebody’s gotta be the first to go. Still, our jaws were on the floor when these victims bit the dust…
5Marion Crane (Janet Leigh, Psycho)
Directed by Alfred Hitchcock, the original Psycho movie from 1960 is one of the most well-known horror films of all time. Even people who haven’t seen it are familiar with the iconic shower scene, where Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) murders Marion Crane while dressed as his own mother. Part of the reason this scene has had such a lasting legacy is because of how shocking and unexpected it was for audiences at the time.
In the movie, Janet Leigh portrays the role of Marion Crane, a young woman who hits the road after stealing $40,000 from her employer. She chooses to stay in a desolate inn called Bates Motel, where she has a change of heart and decides to return the cash the following morning. Before she can make it to the next day, however, Marion is stabbed to death in the shower by what appears to be an older woman. Of course, it later turns out the murderer is none other than Norman himself, having gone completely mad following his mother’s passing.
One major reason why Marion’s death shocked viewers is because Janet Leigh was such a big name actress at the time. Filmgoers assumed this meant Marion would be the lead character of the movie, only to be surprised to see her murdered at around the half hour mark. Anticipating this, Hitchcock had mandated a “no late admission” policy for Psycho viewings, not wanting viewers to miss out on the scenes featuring the top-billed actress.
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