I give a big, fat, "DUH" to this recent report:

In the gore stakes, Janet Leigh's shower scene in "Psycho" is the "best movie death" of all time, according to a critics' poll published Thursday.

The 44-year-old Hitchcock thriller beat other iconic movies such as "The Godfather" and Quentin Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" (23rd) in the poll by Total Film magazine. Stanley Kubrick's "Dr Strangelove Or: How I Learned To Stop Worrying And Love The Bomb" (1964) came second, with the surreal ending when Slim Pickens rides an atomic bomb.

"Some of the deaths in the poll, like The Wicked Witch melting in 'The Wizard Of Oz' (13th), are iconic but laughable, but nearly 45 years on, 'Psycho's' shower scene is still distressing," said Total Film deputy editor Simon Crook.

"It's the sheer violence of the edit rather than any explicit gore — 70 different angles, over 90 cuts and those shrieking violins. It's a masterclass in montage and audience manipulation." Crook added: "Knowing that the blood is Bosco's chocolate syrup and that a pulped casaba melon stood in for the stabbing noises does nothing to reduce the impact."
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I mean, did anyone doubt that? Hitchcock is the master--always has been and always will be. For those of you who don't know, I am a Hitchcock buff--have been ever since middle school. I own almost every Hitchcock movie. He was a genius and NO director--EVER--will surpass his inventiveness in the thriller genre. Yes, I said EVER.

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Posted by Lawren at May 21, 2004 09:23 AM

You Said

In total agreement. Hitchcock was the master. I have seen most of his films, and am trying to complete the collection.

BTW, Janet Leigh (the mother of Jamie Lee Curtis) has said that to this day, she takes baths instead of showers due to that scene. Apparently it effected her just as much as it did us.

Says: chuck at May 21, 2004 10:20 AM

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Okay - I have not seen all of his movies, but the ones I have seen I have absolutely LOVED...Rear Window is my all time favorite...it could just be b/c I LOVE Jimmy Stewart.... :)

Says: Kelly P. at May 21, 2004 01:57 PM

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What always cracks me up about him is is cameos in all of his films.

He showed us suspense rather than gore - I prefer suspense.

There's a few I haven't seen - need to get on that.

I'm annoyed Hollyweird did a re-do of Rear Window. blah. They shouldn't be allowed to touch his stuff.

Says: GrumpyBunny at May 24, 2004 08:57 AM

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