The Movie Waffler Video Essay Explores Alfred Hitchcock's Distinctive PSYCHO Trailer | The Movie Waffler

Video Essay Explores Alfred Hitchcock's Distinctive PSYCHO Trailer

hitchcock psycho
New video essay takes an in-depth look at one of the most memorable movie trailers.


A common complaint about movie trailers is that they too often give away the best parts of the movie. In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock wanted to promote his upcoming film, Psycho, without revealing any of its twists. His answer was to create a trailer that features not a second of footage from his film. Instead, the original trailer for Psycho features Hitchcock taking the audience on a six minute tour of the Bates Motel and its adjoining house. It should be noted that Hitchcock was inspired to make Psycho by the success of the lurid b-movie thrillers of William Castle, and this trailer is very much inspired by Castle's movie promos.

Rob Ager, who recently argued the case for Psycho II, has created a new video essay in which he takes an in-depth look at one of the most distinctive movie trailers ever created.