This scene introduces the start of the realisation that Norman is not “normal” in the way he seemed in this scene overly attached to his mother even though he didn’t really like her. In PSYCHO and this image it shows that Norman Bates has a quite obsession of birds: “I-I don't really know anything about birds. My hobby is stuffing things. You know - taxidermy.” This quote foreshadows the end of the film, where we see Norman has also stuffed “Mother”. Norman represents Ed Gein who also dug up his mother and preserved her body; Ed Gein murdered women and thought it wasn’t his fault either. In 1960 Ed Gein was fresh in everyone’s mind which was why the film scared so many people as Norman reminded them of Ed Gein. The shot shows low angle of Norman Bates showing he’s more powerful over Marion and a stuffed bird of prey connotes what is going to happen to Marion later on in the film. The low key lighting gives of a shadowy effect which gives Norman and the Birds a very creepy eeriness to it as well as this the shadow effect which half’s Normans face in a shadow shows the schizophrenic way he is divided form him and Norman.
Throughout the film Hitchcock references the use of Norman’s birds. For example Marion’s full name is Marion Crane, and Norman “You-you eat like a bird” to further his obsession with Marion. This could also fit into another Hitchcock’s film “The Birds,” where birds become evil forces.
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