Screenwriting: Psycho (1969) Deconstructed

From our deconstruction of hundreds of Hollywood blockbusters at www.managing-creativity.com/

The Hero's Journey is the template upon which the vast majority of successful stories and Hollywood blockbusters are based upon. In fact, ALL of the Hollywood movies we have deconstructed are based on this template.

Understanding this template is a priority for story or screenwriters.

The Hero's Journey:

a) Attempts to tap into unconscious expectations the audience has regarding what a story is and how it should be told.

b) Gives the writer more structural elements than simply three or four acts, plot points, mid point and so on.

c) Interpreted metaphorically, laterally and symbolically, allows an infinite number of varied stories to be created.

and more...

Sample Movie Deconstructed: Psycho (1960)

FADE IN: the city; Phoenix Arizona.

Meeting the Hero: Marion having sex, an affair.

Hero's Ordinary World: Marion back to work.

Call to Adventure: Marion is given the money.

Foreshadow of the Journey: Vegas, that's where you should go.

Refusal: Marion doesn't put the money in the bank.

Preparing for the Journey: Marion packs.

Pushed into the Journey: Marion sees her boss.

Threshold Guardian: the police officer knocks on the window.

First Threshold: Buying a new car at the Garage.

Forced out of the First Threshold: the cop watches and drives up behind Marion.

Journey to the Physical Separation: Marion driving in the car and thinking about the cop, salesman, boss et al talking.

Forced to the Physical Separation: raining; need to find a hotel.

Physical Separation: arriving at the Bates Hotel.

Road of Trials:

Pushing the Meeting with the Antagonist: honking the horn.

Meeting the Antagonist: Norman Bates walks out.

World of the Transformation: Marion's room.

Foreshadow of the Sword: the bathroom.

Pulled to Trial 1: would you like to have dinner with me?

Red Herring: Marion hides the money.

Developing the Antagonist: Marion hears Norman and his mother.

Antagonist 's Ordinary World: the back office; taxidermy.

Transformation / Trial 1: having dinner with Norman; Norman turns evil eyed; Marion decides to go back to Phoenix to sort things out.

Developing the Antagonist: Norman watches Marion get undressed.

Developing the Antagonist: Norman goes into the old house.

Returning to the Old Self: Marion tears up the paper and flushes it down the toilet.

Transformation / Trial 2: Norman kills Marion.

Transformation / Trial 3: Bates runs to the room; cleans up; puts the body in the car; dumps the car in the bog.

Meeting the Oracle: Lila finds Sam and asks if he knows where Marion is; Milton turns up too.

Journey to the Sword:

Milton asks around.

Milton arrives at Bates' Motel.

Milton questions Bates in reception.

Milton sees the house.

Seizing the Sword: Milton phones Lila and tells her Marion was at the hotel.

Near Death Experience:

Milton goes back to the Hotel.

Milton goes back up to the house.

Milton dies.

Reward: Lila impatient; Sam goes after Milton.

Norman burying Milton when Sam arrives.

Sam returns; only a sick old lady unable to answer the phone.

Atonement with the Father: Sam and Lila go to see Sheriff Al Chambers.

Apotheosis: Norman's mother died ten years ago; she killed someone then.

Norman carries his mother out.

Refusal: Al's already been out there. Norman is alone out there.

Lila and Sam plan to check in as a couple and search the place.

Crossing the Return Threshold: Lila and Sam check into the hotel.

Lila and Sam talk in their room.

Lila and Sam check room 1.

Sam diverts Norman.

Lila checks the house.

Norman knocks out Sam.

Magic Flight: Lila runs from Bates.

Master of the Two Worlds: Lila finds Mother.

Norman attacks Lila with the wig.

Sam restrains Norman.

Freedom to Live: the courthouse; the psychiatrist reveals his analysis.

Norman's mother talks to him.

FADE OUT.

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