Strictly for all the psychos based all over the world.

Psycho (1960) directed by Alfred Hitchcock

After having heard all the noise surrounding this film,I decided to watch this film as I had to give a presentation of a Stephen Rebello's book based on this film for my teacher Monsieur François Thomas at Cinema studies section of the University of Paris 3 Sorbonne Nouvelle. I was utterly disappointed as this film was not so chilling as I had expected it to be.Psycho is more of a character study of some oddball persons.In the beginning Hitchcock takes us on a guilt trip of a woman who is in love with a married man.Funny thing is that both of them know that they cannot find any happiness in their so called secret love.Later on we are taken for a ride as this bizarre woman steals a lot of money and without any rhyme nor reason decided to leave her hometown.Now everybody knows what happens after that.Psycho is a film about matter of taste. It might have appealed to the people of the sixties with their fascination for things black and white.But Psycho does not make any sense in the colored era of 2008.

Why Elephant ? It could have been some other animal.

Elephant (2003) directed by Gus Van sant

In American films,there is a general tendency to shoot violence in rather gruesome manner.Despite its scenes of gun rampage (young boys going amok),Elephant cannot be classified as a violent film.It is more of a frank statement on the state of affairs in contemporary high school world.One close look at the film will reveal that Gus Vant Sant chose to give a puzzling look to the film's characters.It is for this reason that there are too many hidden references,symbols.This claim is further supported by the use of innovative manner in which the film has been shot.One word about the characters is that they are all nice, talented guys involving themselves in their daily chores.Whether it is a boy busy clicking pictures or students answering question posed by their teachers there is a hint of quietness of their behavior.However the film does not give any hint as to how some of them decided to lead the path of violence.Both the beginning and end of the film are convincing.All in all, a very different film from what is made these days.