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Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”

Upon learning of this event in Houston, Media Arts instructor, Lionell Hilliard, jumped at the chance to offer this incredible evening to The Art Institute of Houston students.

Hilliard sees the benefits of attending the Houston Symphony Orchestra’s performance of Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho” as a rare opportunity to see it on the big screen (whereas, most from this generation have only seen it on television), as well as the opportunity to see it as it was originally intended – with music provided by a live accompanying orchestra.

The film was originally released in 1961. At this time, the theater experience was beginning to transition away from playing live music with the film, as it was simply more economical to include the film score as an additional audio track on the projector reel. But just a short decade prior, audiences were wowed by the artistry of marrying live orchestral music with film. And a tempestuous marriage it was for this selection, as Hitchcock wasn’t exactly enchanted by the idea, nor was he a proponent of it, “…as it could distract from the true emotional intent of my artistic vision.”

Keeping with this argument, there is no music in his film “The Birds,” but thankfully the studios insisted, and “Psycho” continues to prove to audiences how its music score enhances rather than obscures.

It was the hauntingly perfect experience for our students to attend.