This video is a visual essay based on this written essay. Count Norman Bates jaredning “We all go a little mad sometimes” Norman Bates “We’ve all become God’s madmen” Professor Abraham Van Helsing Many of Hitchcock’s characters possess hints of supernatural powers. Mrs. Danvers in Rebecca (1940) creepily appears from room to room with an uncanny knowledge of everything that happens in the mansion. Rupert in Rope (1948) displays god-like characteristics exhibiting a power not far from omniscience with his intellect and sixth sense. Another one of Hitchcock’s supernatural characters who is often overlooked because of his subtlety is Norman Bates from Psycho (1960). A comparison to Bram Stoker’s Dracula (Francis Ford Coppola 1992) would help to make Norman Bates’ powers more apparent. Connections have already been drawn between a Hitchcock character and Dracula (William Rothman. Hitchcock The Murderous Gaze. pg. 182). Uncle Charlie at the beginning of Shadow of a Doubt (1943) exhibits vampire traits. Uncle Charlie lies in bed like Dracula lies in his coffin. Both Uncle Charlie and young Charlie lie in bed the same way even though they are many miles apart and share a mental connection with each other. Later young Charlie claims that Uncle Charlie had somehow heard her calling and responded. Even more so, Norman exhibits vampire-like characteristics. Among the many similarities between Psycho and Bram Stoker’s Dracula, a comparison provides a unique look at one of Hitchcock’s most sinister characters. The house on the hill overlooking the Bates Motel seems as threatening as Dracula’s castle. Its chilling structure in the night looms over everything around it. It sits waiting for its next victim just as Dracula’s castle sits upon the mountains of Transylvania. The road to the castle is a dark one. No mortal chariot dares to go even a step into the haunted forest. Only a ghostly rider can take Jonathan Harker through the heart of the dark woods to the castle of Count Dracula. The road to the Bates Motel is no joyride either. Symbolically, one must be impure to find it. Loomis and Lila are determined to find the Bates Motel, but Loomis says that Lila would never find it. Lila is the only pure character in the entire film. The three people that do find it are Marion, who steals the money, Arbogast, who might be going after the money and not the girl, and Loomis, who is indebted and divorced. Other characters in Psycho and Dracula share some similarities as well. Arbogast and Van Helsing seem to serve the same purpose: two experts tracking down a villain. Both seem to possess similar powers to their respective villain. Arbogast’s first appearance is a spooky one. At the hardware store when Lila and Loomis argue over Marion’s whereabouts, Arbogast appears in a flash at the door and walks uncomfortably close to the camera. Norman also moves with misty swiftness and stares uncomfortably into the camera at times like at the very end in the cell. When Arbogast ascends the stairs to his death, Hitchcock uses the vertigo effect to show Arbogast’s departure from the real world into the world of Mrs. Bates. A similar technique is used in Dracula in the cell of Renfield as he stands up to talk to Dracula. Van Helsing in his infinite wisdom tries to explain the entity of vampires to Lucy’s three suitors. To give them an example of what he is trying to explain, he disappears and reappears behind a tree moving with supernatural speed just as Dracula does throughout the film. The women share similar roles in the two films as well. When Dracula sees a picture of Mina, he immediately thinks that she is the reincarnation of his wife Elizabeta. When Lila and Loomis arrive at the Bates Motel, Norman peers out his window, sees Lila for the first time, and, with no explicit explanation, immediately becomes suspicious as if he had some mental connection with her. Arbogast and Van Helsing must exhibit the same powers as their enemies to catch them. At times Arbogast and Van Helsing are interrogated as to which side they are on. Hitchcock often likes to play with character’s goodness or evilness such as the shady characters of Johnnie in Suspicion (1941) and Uncle Charlie in Shadow of a Doubt. The theme of semi-reincarnation is also a favorite of Hitchcock’s such as in Rebecca and Vertigo (1958). Norman and Dracula have similar habits. Norman has a habit of becoming his mother. Dracula has a habit of changing into beasts and younger versions of himself and rats. Norman likes to stuff birds. One of Dracula’s favorite forms is the bat. Dracula is strongest at night and weak during the day. Norman kills at night, and the only scene with Norman in daylight is the day he is captured. Earlier, as Norman watches Arbogast leave the motel, the car’s lights shine where Norman stands but do not illuminate him, and he laughs as if light has no affect

• published: 08 Mar 2010
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