Netflix fans given deadline to stream 'immortal' Alfred Hitchcock movie with 97% ratings
Ellie Kemp
Featured Image Credit: Paul Harris/Getty Images
Netflix is removing one of the most influential movies of all time from its catalogue this August.
I hope you're paying attention - because a new month means a load of titles are about to vanish from Netflix.
And while the streaming site tries to give us ample warning, we don't always notice our favorites are leaving before it's too late.
We're only human, after all...
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If you're a horror fan - or even a cinema fan in general - then you'll probably be pretty annoyed about this removal.
Sadly, we're saying goodbye to an Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece that was so chilling, it left a lasting mark on its actors.
It involves a hair-raising shower scene... and already, I've said too much.
The movie facing the Netflix chopping block is none other than Psycho. The 1960 movie was so ground-breaking, it's actually responsible for the way we watch films today.
Because, before it came out, theatres would screen movies on a loop. People could walk in whenever, take a seat, pick up from where they were, then fill in the gaps as the movie replayed, according to Chichester Cinema.
But Psycho's twists and turns would've been majorly spoiled if this was allowed. So Hitchcock and Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer got cinemas to enforce start times - and the rest is history.
The movie follows Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) who flees town after embezzling thousands from her employer. She seeks refuge at the secluded Bates Motel, where she is welcomed by the shy but unsettling innkeeper, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins), who lives nearby with his mysterious mother.
When Marion vanishes, a private investigation unravels a chilling truth about Norman’s fractured mind and a string of gruesome murders.
Psycho racked up a Rotten Tomatoes of 97 percent from critics. Across more than 100,000 audience reviews, that score only dropped by two percent, to 95.
"Infamous for its shower scene, but immortal for its contribution to the horror genre. Because Psycho was filmed with tact, grace, and art, Hitchcock didn't just create modern horror, he validated it," the site's critics' consensus reads.
One social media user added: "Alfred Hitchcock is undoubtedly the master of suspense. He makes a lot of bold decisions throughout this film that would become staples in the horror genre." They went on to praise Perkins for his portrayal of Norman Bates.
Meanwhile, Leigh won a Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress - though developed a fear of showers as a consequence of the role.
If you were planning a re-watch, then you'd better get moving; Psycho is leaving Netflix in the US on Friday (August 1).