V for Vendetta and Psycho Shower Scenes Comparison

V for Vendetta and Psycho both have shower scenes in which somebody is murdered but due to the types of shots used, and the characters in the showers they have very different feels and different effects on the viewer.

Firstly starting with psycho the majority of the shots used are close ups of the woman in the shower, this allows us see her facial expressions before she is attacked. The close ups also make the viewer feel as if they are in the shower with her immediately creating a sense of unease as it is supposed to be her private place and you feel as if you are invading. Extreme close-ups are also used at various times such as when she screams there is an extreme close up of her mouth and also once she has died there is an extreme close up of her eye, showing its blank dead stare.

 The clip also makes use of high angle shots showing her lack of power, the higher angle could also be seen as the point of view of the killer showing his dominance over her.

However the V for Vendetta shower scene is very different, his shower is much larger than the one in psycho, and is filmed as a mid-close up which makes you feel as if you are further away and therefore less invasive of his personal/private space. Also as he is male you feel as if it is much more acceptable for you the viewer to be in there, than it was with the woman in the psycho shower scene. The mid-close up allows you to see the televisions on the wall; by showing these it eases tension in the room because it feels as if he is not alone. 

Much different to that of psycho were you feel like something is going to happen the whole time. A racking shot is also used when we see the reflection of V in the television. We see him faintly but then the racking shot pulls focus too him, making him the clear image and almost making his reflection feel more powerful than the physical body of the man in the room. 

When V is about to kill the commander a close up of V’s face is filmed from a low angle, showing that he is standing above the commander making him the dominant, more powerful character, the close up also emphasises his mask and how his facial expression can’t change whatever he is doing, adding a sense of mystery. Also when the commander is on the floor there is lots of lead room showing that he is looking up speaking across to V who is off scene.

 Of the two clips i think that psycho is the one which makes use of voyeurism. The fact that she is female makes it feel much more private than if she was male because females are much more private whereas it is generally more acceptable for men’s bodies too be uncovered. Also as there is no dialogue in the psycho shower scene you feel as if you are not supposed to be there and feel more as if you are spying on her, whereas in the v for Vendetta sequence the television and the fact the commander is on the phone make it feel much more acceptable for you too be watching. I think voyeurism was used very effectively in the psycho scene as it makes you feel uncomfortable watching it but also brings across an aspect of her weakness as she is naked and uncovered.