"Psycho Killer" Cocktail (Inspired by "Psycho") (BOTB 2022 Day 21) Recipe

 

Bring Out the Boos 2022

Day 21: "Psycho Killer" Cocktail (Inspired by "Psycho")

By: The Film Bartender

    The shower scene from Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 horror masterpiece "Psycho" is one of the scariest and most famous horror scenes in film history. This scene caused many people to be scared of taking showers alone, thinking there is a terrifying serial killer waiting to strike them down like Norman Bates did Marion Crane. Bates is perhaps one of the most famous serial killers in horror history, with his calm and cool demeanor on display but sinister and disturbing thoughts on the inside. Our drink today, called "Psycho Killer", represents the blood from the fatal wounds that Bates inflicts upon his victims in Hitchcock's film. Keep reading to find the full recipe to this devilishly delicious drink to add some spookiness and horror to your next Halloween Party! 

    "Psycho" was released in 1960, and was directed by Alfred Hitchcock off a screenplay by Hitchcock and Joseph Stefano. It was adapted from Robert Bloch's novel of the same name. The film stars Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, Pat Hitchcock, and John A. Gavin. The movie follows Marion Crane at first, who is a young woman that has been seeing a man from out of town named Sam Loomis. When she embezzles $40,000 from her boss, she is planning on running away and starting a new life with Sam. 

    However, tensions are high as she is being pursued by a cop, who knows there is something shady going on with the young woman. When she decides to pull off when driving through a windy road at night and in the pouring rain, she stops at the Bates Motel, a small inn on the side of a side road. She meets Norman Bates, the owner of the hotel who lives in the house behind the inn with his mother, who he claims is his best friend. She is a little disturbed by the young man, but thinks nothing of it. However, later that night, she is brutally murdered in the shower by an unknown killer, which Norman then discovers and figures out his mom is who killed the visitor. 

    When Sam and Marion's sister, Lila, notice that Marion has gone missing, they start to follow in her footsteps to find out where she is at. When they find out that something is shady going on in the Bates Motel, they are going to try and figure out what happened to their loved one, and find out who Norman Bates really is. What they don't expect is to find something more than sinister happening in the house behind the hotel.

    When the movie first released, it received high praise from both critics and audiences, with people citing it as the scariest movie ever made at the time. I think even now, this movie is still regarded as one of the most frightening movies ever made, with the aspect of Norman turning into his mom and some of the terrifying imagery present in the film. The shower scene, for me personally, still scares me and makes me terrified to take a shower to this very day. 

    The original film from Hitchcock has spawned multiple sequels that starred Perkins in his killer role, as well as a reboot in 1998, with Vince Vaughn as the psycho killer. However, none of these films top the original, and some would claim these are horrible sequels and a terrible reboot. It is kind of like the Jaws franchise, with the first movie being a masterpiece and the sequels being disappointingly mediocre. However, there was a great TV spinoff to this movie, which served as a prequel to this movie. It was titled "Bates Motel", and was praised by both fans and critics alike. 

    This drink is inspired by the classic bloody shower scene, where Norman kills Marion while being possessed by his mother. While the drink may be red in color to represent the brutal murder, Hitchcock actually used chocolate syrup to get the color of blood since the film is displayed in Black & White. Keep scrolling to check out the full recipe for this drink!

Ingredients

- 2 oz Prosecco

- 1 oz Pineapple Juice

- 3/4 oz Simple Syrup

- 3/4 oz Lime Juice

- Club Soda (to top)

Directions

1. In a highball glass, pour in the Prosecco, the Pineapple Juice, the Simple Syrup, and the Lime Juice. Stir together with a bar spoon. 

2. Top the glass with Club Soda.

3. Serve. 

Film Fact: Director Alfred Hitchcock was so pleased with Bernard Herrmann's score for "Psycho" that he doubled the composer's salary to $34,501. Hitchcock later said that "thirty-three percent of the effect of Psycho was due to the music." In fact, he originally envisioned the shower sequence as being completely silent, but Hermann composed music for that scene anyways. After hearing the music with the scene, Hitchcock immediately changed his mind.

    Now you have made your very own cocktail inspired by the classic and original slasher film, "Psycho". This drink will add some spookiness to your next Halloween party, and add a kick whenever you rewatch this classic horror film. Let me know in the comments what you think of this incredible horror film, and what you think of this cocktail based upon it. 

    This is Day 21 of my "Bring Out the Boos 2022" Halloween Event, where I make a drink everyday in the month of October to celebrate this fun holiday! All of my drinks up until now, which includes drinks based off of "The Evil Dead" and "It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown", is now on the website. We still have much more to come, with drinks based off "Poltergeist" and Jordan Peele's "Us" still to come! Check back tomorrow to find Day 22's recipe in this year's Halloween series! Until then, happy drinking!