Psycho (1998)

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writers (WGA):

Robert Bloch (novel)
Joseph Stefano (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 December 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Check in. Unpack. Relax. Take a shower. [Theatrical]

Plot:

A young female embezzeler arrives at the Bates Motel which has terrible secrets of its own.

Plot Keywords:

Motel | House | Money | Remake | Shower

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Vince Vaughn	...	Norman Bates
Anne Heche	...	Marion Crane
Julianne Moore	...	Lila Crane
Viggo Mortensen	...	Samuel 'Sam' Loomis
William H. Macy	...	Milton Arbogast
Robert Forster	...	Dr. Fred Simon
Philip Baker Hall	...	Sheriff Al Chambers
Anne Haney	...	Mrs. Eliza Chambers
Chad Everett	...	Tom Cassidy
Rance Howard	...	Mr. Lowery
Rita Wilson	...	Caroline
James Remar	...	Patrolman
James LeGros	...	Charlie the Car Dealer
Steven Clark Pachosa	...	Police Guard
O.B. Babbs	...	Mechanic

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 (uncut) | Iceland:16 | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:14 | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:VM14 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG (censored version)

Filming Locations:

Gorman, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The peep hole in the parlor is covered by a painting by French artist Jean-Honore Fragonard. The painting, titled "The Lock", depicts a man preparing to rape a woman.

Goofs:

Continuity: The opening scene is supposed to be 2:48 in the afternoon, but it's quite obvious that it was filmed at sunrise, probably on a Saturday or Sunday morning. There is no street activity, and the light from the right (east) is very weak and nearly horizontal. If it had been shot in mid-afternoon the sun would have been higher, the light stronger, and shadows pronounced and angled.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Samuel 'Sam' Loomis: You never did eat your lunch, did you?
Marion Crane: I better get back to the office. These extended lunch hours give my boss excess acid.
Samuel 'Sam' Loomis: Why don't you call your boss and tell him you're taking the rest of the afternoon off? Its Friday, anyway - and hot.
Marion Crane: What do I do with my free afternoon? Walk you to the airport?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Jay and Silent Bob Strike Back (2001)

Soundtrack:

Put It On

What was the point?

This is easily the worst remake in film history. I have never understood the idea of a remake at all. If a film, like Psycho, is so good to start with why on earth do you want to try and improve on it? If you insist on tampering with perfection, why then do you have to try to recreate it in it's whole? There is nothing original here. Gus Van Sant put nothing of himself into this film. They say imitation is the highest form of flattery, but this is ridiculous. There are a lot of sides to a character as complex as Norman Bates, and I suspect that Vaughn may have wanted to explore them. Instead Van Sant forced him into sticking to a cheap imitation of Anthony Perkins. Perkins turned in a performance that lead to one of the most memorable characters in film history and it would have been impossible for any actor, no matter how good to recreate that. The rest of the characters are stuck just as tight to similarly wooden imitations of the originals. It is almost painful to watch very talented actors (namely William H Macy) have that talent stifled. In the end, Gus Van Sant set out to pay homage to a great film. Instead he cheapened it, and created a movie that is not worthy of late night cable.