The big news out of Hollywood is not the upcoming movie, “Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho,” but rather the actress playing Janet Leigh’s character will be doing a nude shower scene. That’s because, the said actress is none other than Scarlett Johansson.
Labeled as one of the most beautiful actresses in the world and a recent victim of a nude photo scandal, the 27-year-old actress will bare it all (we think) for one of the most frightening onscreen murder scenes ever.
The movie itself, which touches on the struggles of Hitchcock’s quest to make the film, will star Anthony Hopkins as Norman Bates and Helen Mirren as Bates’ wife, Alma Reville. What’s interesting to note is not that Johansson will be baring it all in the movie or the fact that her role is minor in the story, but rather the two leads are portrayed by veteran actors who both have won Academy Awards.
This goes to show either the impact of a Scarlett Johansson nude scene or the disappointment of a film that garnered criticism toward Hitchcock, who opted to film this low budget horror movie at the height of his career.
Of course, just because the rumored nude scenes are circulating the gossip mill it does not mean that the actress, who has been stern on non-nudity in movies, will actually be naked in the film. There are body doubles, creative shooting and editing to take into consideration.
This buzz is reminiscent of another beautiful actress, Halle Berry, whose topless scene in the movie “Swordfish” had no reason to even be in the movie. At first, the Oscar winning Berry dismissed the idea but changed her mind when the scene came with a hefty $500,000 bonus on top of her reported $2 million paycheck.
The movie itself was decent but paled in comparison to Hitchcock’s horror gem. Although Johansson’s nude scene is validated in the film, it’s a wonder why the movie itself is losing its steam over the actress’ shower scene.
But then again, when fans remember “,” thoughts are often brought to the chilling scene of a screaming Janet Leigh. If anything, this buzz will help bring fans to the theaters, but at the end of the day, “Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho” has to do what “Swordfish” could not, and that is to get moviegoers to talk about the movie and not Johansson’s nudity.
