8mm Forum: U8's Print Of Psycho

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Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on October 15, 2015, 09:21 PM:

I just finished watching my U8 digest of Psycho which, by the way, is a superb editing job. Well I noticed in the infamous shower scene that some bottom frame masking is definitely introduced to cover up Janet Leigh's impressive figure. My question is, were some other non-masked digest prints ever released to other markets that fully revealed miss Leigh's awesome anatomy, and was this masking present on the 35mm theatrical release prints?

Posted by Kevin Clark (Member # 211) on October 16, 2015, 02:16 AM:

Hello Paul

That is the most tastefully worded film related question I have ever read - I will join you in the likely very long queue for a print if a more 'revealing' non-masked version does exist!

Kevin

[ October 16, 2015, 03:40 AM: Message edited by: Kevin Clark ]

Posted by Paul Browning (Member # 2715) on October 16, 2015, 06:42 AM:

I READ RECENTLY THAT IT WASN'T JANET IN THE SHOWER SCENE BUT A DOUBLE, AND SHE WAS SO TRAUMATISED BY IT THAT SHE NEVER SHOWERED WITHOUT THE DOOR BEING LOCKED,OR SOMEONE IN THE HOUSE WITH HER.

Posted by Alexander Vandeputte (Member # 1803) on October 16, 2015, 09:26 AM:

Also the 35mm prints I have seen were hard masked. My guess it was done 'in camera'. So little chance in finding something else...

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on October 16, 2015, 02:49 PM:

This is famous. Film prints show that extra mask in some shots of the shower scene. If you look at the blu ray it doesn't appear, the shot has been zoomed in slightly. The story I have always thought, though I can't recall where I read it, was that Janet was shot topless. Working with the Censors, Hitchcock realised he couldn't get away with it and put in the black mask at the bottom of those shots. The film went back and forth to the Censors more than once, the last time he famously sent it back without the last changes they had asked for guessing they wouldn't look at it again and he was right. Amongst other things this was apparently the first mainstream film to show a toilet on screen, as well as brutal murders, etc.

Posted by Carter Bradley (Member # 984) on October 17, 2015, 07:57 AM:

I've read Janet Leigh's book on Psycho and thoroughly enjoyed it. She was in fact almost nude throughout the filming of the shower scene, wearing just three pasties in strategic locations! In fact, while she was slumped over the bathtub for the final position after she dies the pasties started to separate from her body due to the steam and heat. (Hitchcock was very considerate and demanded that the water be at a constant comfortable temperature). She realized that there were many stage hands watching (some directly above her with a perfect view) but was so exhausted at the end of many days of filming that one scene she just thought "oh well" and completed the filming. There was indeed a nude model on set, but she was just used to set the lights and to choose the shower curtain which would show basically a silhouette of the body. This model, Marli Renfro was never in the final cut of the film. There are many funny stories of Ms. Renfro walking around the set completely naked, since she was a professional artist's model and was at ease. By the way, Anthony Perkins had completed filming and was in New York doing a Broadway play during the shower scene filming, so he was not even there. And we all know that the blood was actually Hershey's syrup, since Hitch thought it read best swirling down the drain! Happy Halloween all!

Posted by Kevin Clark (Member # 211) on October 17, 2015, 10:02 AM:

Thank you Carter, this is fascinating stuff, literally then there is 'no more to be revealed' unless you were on the set at the time!

Kevin

Posted by Jack Cleveland (Member # 4485) on October 17, 2015, 10:32 AM:

I guess this film was never released in it's entirety on Super 8?

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on October 17, 2015, 10:38 AM:

Thanks guys I will forever remember the shower scene with Janet and her 3 strategically placed pasties. Nice when you are hungry with chips and gravy but could never cope with 3. Janet was nice in that era but as Steptoe senior would say she was always a skinny bird with no meat. I prefer them with more padding. None of this will mean anything to anybody outside the UK [Wink]

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on October 17, 2015, 10:44 AM:

[ October 17, 2015, 03:31 PM: Message edited by: Mike Newell ]

Posted by Steven J Kirk (Member # 1135) on October 17, 2015, 11:38 AM:

There is that Standard 8mm full length print. Don't know who released it. With mag sound. I have seen 16mm prints for sale. The Castle one reeler I have got in 16mm and in Super 8mm. Later Universal did a 400ft one. The promo trailer with Hitch I have on Super 8 though the master material is a bit grungy. Anyone else know of any others on film?

Posted by Paul Suchy (Member # 80) on October 17, 2015, 11:45 AM:

Steve Osborne's site has Psycho listed as a brand new feature for sale on Super 8. Does anyone own one?

Posted by Mike Newell (Member # 23) on October 17, 2015, 11:56 AM:

Derann brought out the Standard 8 feature. Did Classic release Psycho as a Super 8 feature?

Posted by Brian Fretwell (Member # 4302) on October 17, 2015, 02:17 PM:

I believe that Psycho was one of the first films in Derann's film hire library, a bit of a coup, that got them off to a good start.

Posted by Paul Browning (Member # 2715) on October 17, 2015, 02:39 PM:

There is a super 8 feature of psycho, German print, ask Phil at chc don't know if it still available though, and the price. If the still's iv'e seen of it are anything to go by, very nice print indeed.

Posted by Paul Adsett (Member # 25) on October 17, 2015, 03:41 PM:

I recently mounted my U8 400ft digest, along with the 200ft Hitchcock Bates Motel trailer, onto a 600ft reel, and generated some new box art.

And Mike, I would share the shower with Janet any day of the week! [Big Grin]

Posted by Andrew Woodcock (Member # 3260) on October 17, 2015, 05:14 PM:

Nice work! [Wink]

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