The straightforward kissing scene would be looked down at by the younger viewers.Nowadays you have to show them as they themselves behave-. The director was keenly aware of how audiences responded to his films and wanted to maintain their interest. He was among a handful of Hollywood filmmakers who deliberately sought out innovative composers for Psycho. Hitchcock hired Bernard Hermann who wrote a modern score that challenged the norm. The title itself, fifties and sixties slang for the violently psychotic, suggested the nearness of a new generation. Fully aware that his film was unconventional and daring, Hitchcock used the media to sell his film to a younger, fresher audience. It was advertised as Alfred Hitchcock's greatest, most shocking mystery with a galaxy of stars. The stars themselves (Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, and Anthony Perkins) were of a younger generation than the top stars Hitchcock had previously employed for his films. Posters for Psycho featured a very lightly dressed Leigh wearing only a brassiere and slip. Hitchcock established a policy whereby viewers would not be permitted into the theatre once the film had begun, a measure that had never before been taken. The pre-publicity and the rumours of censor cuts all combined to give Psycho precisely the send-off Hitchcock clearly wanted. .
The timing was perfect. In 1960 in the United States the number of teenagers was on the rise, there were more people in the 15 to 19-year-old category than in any other adult age range. In addition, the number of children under 15 years of age greatly surpassed the number of young adults in the population. Not only was there a current market for modern films, but an even greater surge in the youth market was coming up. Although the mixed reviews and sexuality kept a fair number of Hitchcock's older fans away from Psycho, this did not put off the younger audience. Beyond the violent content, the Slasher film gave a clearer picture of current sexual attitudes.
