Alfred Hitchcock directed some terrifying classics but the horror film considered his very best is 1960’s Psycho.

Based on the novel of the same name, the serial killer movie stars Anthony Perkins as motel owner Norman Bates and Janet Leigh as an on-the-run embezzler who is infamously slaughtered in that iconic shower scene.

Her daughter Jamie Lee Curtis would follow in her mother’s footsteps, going on to star in the slasher franchise Halloween.

At first, Psycho divided critics due to its controversial nature but ended up being a box office smash nominated for four Oscars including Best Director and Best Supporting Actress.

Now considered one of the greatest films of all time, Psycho raised the bar of acceptability for sex and violence in American cinema.

Upon Psycho’s release, Hitchcock blocked cinema admission to latecomers as he thought the audience would feel cheated by missing the entrance of Leigh’s character.

At first movie theatre owners were opposed to this idea but then embraced it after noticing long lines outside their venues to see the movie.

Psycho is on BBC Four tonight at 10:35pm and is streaming on BBC iPlayer.