Welcome to the Hitchcock Architecture of Suspense Film Festival at the Shepherdstown Opera House

October 30 - November 1, 2026

Three hosted screenings with live introduction and post-film discussion by author Christine Madrid French, author of the acclaimed book "The Architecture of Suspense"

Costumes Invited! Come dressed as your favorite Hitchcock character, a building from the films, the mood of suspense—or the master director himself.

Click here for more information on the Film Festival and to buy a discounted ticket for the entire Festival (all three film blocks including author talks and Q&A sessions). Can't come to all three films? No problem, you can buy single-film tickets, too!

Film Block #1

Psycho (1960)

Hitchcock's famous thriller about a psychotic motel owner who obsesses over his late, controlling mother while becoming the prime suspect in a murder case involving one of his recent guests, a pretty secretary who checked into the Bates Motel after impulsively stealing $40,000 and never checked out.

Cast: Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam

Program time: Film is 108 minutes + presentation/Q&A

Age Rating: R

General admission. Doors open 30 minutes before showtime. Advanced purchase encouraged. Refreshments available for purchase (no outside food or drinks please).

Accessibility: Theater is wheelchair accessible and has an accessible restroom. Hearing assistance: The Opera House uses the AudioFetch system to enable patrons to receive movie sound on their own phones and listen via their Bluetooth-enabled hearing aids. For instructions, look for instructions on our website (OperaHouseLive.com) under "Planning Your Visit."

Plan Your Visit: Parking and other helpful information available on OperaHouseLive.com under "Plan Your Visit."