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
Flea	...	Bob Summerfield
Marjorie Lovett	...	Woman Customer
Ryan Cutrona	...	Chief of Police
Ken Jenkins	...	District Attorney
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Brocksmith	...	Man in Cowboy Hat outside Realty Office (uncredited)
Gus Van Sant	...	Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)

Directed by
Gus Van Sant

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Bloch		(novel)
Joseph Stefano		(screenplay)

Produced by
Brian Grazer	....	producer
Gus Van Sant	....	producer
James Whitaker	....	associate producer
Dany Wolf	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Christopher Doyle

Film Editing by
Amy E. Duddleston

Casting by
Howard Feuer

Production Design by
Tom Foden

Art Direction by
Carlos Barbosa

Set Decoration by
Rosemary Brandenburg

Costume Design by
Beatrix Aruna Pasztor

Makeup Department
Lana Heying	....	hair stylist
Clayton Martinez	....	makeup effects lab technician
Gina Monaci	....	makeup artist
Matthew W. Mungle	....	special makeup effects artist (as Matthew Mungle)
Sylvia Nava	....	hair depatment supervisor: Rick Baker/Cinovation
Elaine L. Offers	....	makeup department head
Nadege Schoenfeld	....	body makeup artist
Edward St. George	....	hair stylist: Ms. Moore
Candy L. Walken	....	hair department head
Chad Waters	....	special makeup effects artist
Clinton Wayne	....	prosthetic technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Buddy Enright	....	unit production manager
Robert Hackl	....	post-production supervisor
Dany Wolf	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hans Berggren	....	second second assistant director
Bruce Franklin	....	first assistant director
Conte Matal	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Richard J. Bayard	....	construction coordinator
Tim Beach	....	set designer
Cliff Bergman	....	construction foreman
Kelly Berry	....	set dresser
Mauro Borrelli	....	illustrator
Jo Brown	....	scenic
Bill Cancienne	....	prop assistant
Gary Clause	....	propmaker foreman
Kristen Davis	....	set designer
Steven E. Fegley	....	propmaker foreman
Jim Feldman	....	production illustrator
Adeline Flores-Bayard	....	labor foreman
Kris Fuller	....	set dresser
Claudia Gilligan Ivanjack	....	paint foreman
Tom Ivanjack	....	lead paint foreman
Patrick Kim	....	art department production assistant
Nicole Koenigsberger	....	set designer
David Ladish	....	set dresser
Steven Ladish	....	set dresser
Holiday Landa	....	art department production assistant
Willard Livingston	....	propmaker foreman
John Loughlin	....	set production assistant
Amie McCarthy	....	property master (as Amie McCarthy-Winn)
Terry Nagel	....	propmaker foreman
Angi Neff	....	lead man
Errol C. Nofziger	....	stand-by painter
Rhonda Paynter	....	on-set dresser
Edward J. Protiva	....	set dresser
Glenn H. Roberts	....	set dresser
Bert Rodriguez	....	propmaker foreman
Victoria Ruskin	....	set designer (as G. Victoria Ruskin)
Lawrence Shepherd	....	propmaker foreman
Brett C. Smith	....	lead man
Jay Smith	....	set dresser
Roland Tantin	....	propmaker foreman
Michael Van Dyke	....	propmaker foreman
Walter Zieska	....	propmaker

Sound Department
Peter Appleton	....	adr supervisor
Kelley Baker	....	sound designer
Kelley Baker	....	supervising sound editor
Patrick Carew	....	apprentice sound editor
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
David A. Cohen	....	dialogue editor
Ben Conrad	....	foley recordist
Steve Fontano	....	foley mixer
Michael 'Gonzo' Gandsey	....	sound editor (as Michael Gandsey)
Alan Holly	....	adr mixer
Wayne Horvitz	....	additional sound designer
Robert Jackson	....	boom operator
Ron Judkins	....	sound mixer
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Richard Moore	....	sound editor
Aaron Olsen	....	assistant sound editor (as Aaron Olson)
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist
Daniel Palin	....	location sound effects recordist
Jim Pasque	....	foley recordist
Frank Rinella	....	foley recordist
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Concha Solano	....	assistant sound editor
Patti Tauscher	....	foley editor
Patrick Winters	....	sound editor
Wayne Woods	....	sound editor (as W. Wayne Woods)
Bill Meadows	....	dubbing recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Garnet Baril	....	special effects assistant
Erick Brennan	....	special effects coordinator
Charles Cooley	....	special effects technician
G. Peter King	....	special effects assistant
Mark Lilienthal	....	special effects assistant (as Mark R. Lilienthal)
F. Lee Stone	....	special effects assistant (as Lee Stone)
J.D. Streett	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Melanie Boettcher	....	visual effects production coordinator
Syd Dutton	....	special visual effects
Michael Flynn	....	rear projection engineer
Carolyn Garcia	....	visual effects production coordinator
Lynn Ledgerwood	....	special rigger
Fumi Mashimo	....	animator
Kelvin McIlwain	....	matte artist
Roberto Moreno	....	digital assistant
Kenneth Nakada	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts
Richard Patterson	....	digital supervisor
Catherine Sudolcan	....	visual effects producer
Bill Taylor	....	special visual effects
Mike Wassel	....	senior matte artist
David S. Williams Jr.	....	lead compositor

Stunts
Robin Lynn Bonaccorsi	....	stunt double: Anne Heche
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunt coordinator
Stephanie Reaves	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Anderson	....	best boy grip
Marek Bojsza	....	lighting technician
Brad Boyer	....	grip
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Erik Butters	....	lamp operator
Tony Chiu	....	camera loader
Daniel Coscia	....	rigging grip
Chris Culliton	....	set lighting technician
David Devlin	....	gaffer
Jamie Franta	....	grip
Gerry Ganger	....	assistant camera: SpaceCam
Charley Gilleran	....	key rigging grip
Brad Gissell	....	grip
David Golia	....	camera operator: remote head camera
Ron Goodman	....	camera operator: SpaceCam
Alexander Griffiths	....	grip (as Pie Griffiths)
David Katz	....	video assist operator
Jim Kwiatkowski	....	executive grip
Josh Levy	....	video assist operator
Brian Lukas	....	rigging gaffer
Mathew Marden	....	rigging grip
Steve Owen	....	best boy rigging grip (as Steve C. Owen)
Larry J. Richardson	....	best boy electric
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Suzanne Trucks	....	second assistant camera (as Suzanne M. Trucks)
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator: re-shoots
Rick Uva	....	rigging grip (as Richard Uva)
Daniel Windels	....	electrician
Michael-Ryan Fletchall	....	crane technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Meredith Tucker	....	casting associate
Dixie Webster	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank Helmer	....	set costumer (as Frank C. Helmer)
Cookie Lopez	....	key costumer
Vanessa Vogel	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Phillip J. Bartell	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Helen Hand	....	assistant editor
Bill Lilje III	....	apprentice editor
Bob McMillian	....	color timer

Music Department
Steve Bartek	....	conductor
Steve Bartek	....	music producer
Steve Bartek	....	orchestrator
Julian Bratolyubov	....	music preparation
Brent Brooks	....	music editor
Debbi Datz-Pyle	....	music contractor
Danny Elfman	....	music adaptor
Danny Elfman	....	music producer
Danny Elfman	....	music supervisor
Kenneth Karman	....	supervising music editor
Marc Mann	....	score preparation: MIDI
Shawn Murphy	....	music recordist
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Patti Zimmitti	....	music contractor

Transportation Department
Victor Anderson	....	transportation coordinator
Paul Jones	....	driver

Other crew
Guy Adan	....	unit publicist
Sherif Ahmed	....	stand-in
Ben Alexander	....	assistant to director
Cathy Andrade	....	construction accountant
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Aloura Melissa Charles	....	production office assistant (as Aloura Charles)
Kristin Claiborne	....	assistant production coordinator
Paul Conkling	....	stand-in
Jeff Crandell	....	location manager
Tara Ann Culp	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Gregory Dunigan	....	assistant production office coordinator: re-shoots
Timothy Falconer	....	assistant location manager (as Tim Falconer)
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer (final cut)
Michael Flynn	....	rear projectionist
Russ Gething	....	stand-in
Jane Goldsmith	....	script supervisor
Noelle Green	....	production coordinator (as Noelle Chapin)
Rick Halpern	....	production office assistant
Jay Hernandez	....	assistant: Dany Wolf
Jon Joseph	....	assistant: Mr. Wolf
Vince Lamarche	....	fly wrangler (as Vince LaMarche)
Rose Marie	....	adr voice
Peter McKernan	....	helicopter pilot (as Peter McKernan Jr.)
Peter McKernan Sr.	....	safety pilot
Karen P. Morris	....	first assistant production accountant
Jenni Muro	....	production office assistant
Jennifer Muro	....	production office assistant
Julius 'Butch' Naveira	....	payroll accountant
Glenn Nicol	....	production accountant
Andrea Nunn	....	stand-in
John Polyhar	....	production office assistant
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Talley Singer	....	production secretary (as Taylor Singer)
Hallie Singleton	....	stand-in
Lindsay Sloane	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Phil Smith	....	bird wrangler
Dan Sullivan	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Jules Sylvester	....	spider wrangler
George L. Tarrant Jr.	....	production assistant
Mark H. Weingartner	....	rear projection supervisor
Mark Chambers	....	production safety (uncredited)
Tommaso Rossellini	....	presenter (uncredited)

Thanks
Patricia Hitchcock	....	special thanks (as Pat Hitchcock)
John Woo	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• Imagine Entertainment

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998-1999) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Japan) (theatrical) (Far East)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Finnkino (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2002) (2003) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2002) (2005) (Finland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Hammerhead Productions (visual effects) (uncredited)
• Illusion Arts (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  score recorded at (as 20th Century Fox)
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• Geffen Records  soundtrack
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks
• The Estate of Alfred Hitchcock  special thanks
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  sound re-recorded at (as Universal Studios Sound Facility)

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

You can't look at this movie in it's own right

No matter what other people have said you can't review this movie without comparing it to the original, if it existed on it's own it would be a 2-3 out of 5 film but it is a remake of a 4-5 out of 5 film and so has standards to live up to and we need to see if it reached those standards. If the film was a re-working or, as in Planet of the Apes, a re-imagining of the original you would be able to look at the film in it's own right, only referencing the original. Imagine it this way, if someone took the model in the 'Mona Lisa', posed her in a different way, and painted her you could only compare the framing,concept etc to the original but if someone just repainted her in the position of the original you would have to compare it totally.

That said this film doesn't just fail to be as good as the original it fails spectacularly, like it or not the original was one of the best movies ever made, the shower scene will never be forgotten, the remake was meant to be a celebration of Hitchcock but ended up actually degrading him and his master work.

The degrading aspects of this picture were Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche. It's nothing to do with wether they acted better or not it's that the relationship between Norman and Marion in the original was really quite innocent, Norman didn't really understand sex, he had hardly any contact with the outside world and when he meets beautiful Marion and watches her change you feel that he is partly doing it from fascination as he doesn't really understand sex and his attraction to her,this makes Norman sympathetic and almost an anti-hero, you are on his side because he doesn't fully understand the world and is constantly fighting with himself and his 'Mother'. In the remake that whole dynamic is gone, I must admit to Janet Leigh not being my type but she is very attractive and you can see that, Anne Heche is really unattractive and so Norman finding 'her' Marion attractive is unbelievable if you add that to Vince Vaughn's Norman masturbating whilst looking at her and you get a Norman that is just waiting for a chance to jack off at any naked woman no matter what she looks like, who you feel absolutely no sympathy for, they further destroy Norman's innocent nature by putting the porno mags in his room. It destroys a character that we have come to like and feel sorry for, it's like re-making 'It's a wonderful life' and having the main character a pimp, totally degrading.

The only other character that I had problems with was Rita Wilson as Caroline, Marion's workmate. In the original when Pat Hitchcock says the line 'he must have noticed my wedding ring' it elicits a response of laughter as she is absolutely kidding herself, when Rita says it it just seems plausible as there really isn't any other reason why any man would flirt with Anne Heche over her.

I'll admit that I am very biased, the original 'Psycho' is my favorite film of all time, had the film been a reworking, with a different angle, then you could have turned these characters on their heads and it would have been perfectly acceptable.

Hitch famously thaught the film would be too gory in colour and made it in black and white to lessen it. This also made the film more atmospheric and frightening in it's own way and it gave it a beauty that could never be captured in colour and it is a sad statement about how movies are de-sensetising the public that people have said how the shower scene was more frightening in colour. (n.b before people think 'he can't spell' remember I'm from England and we spell it colour)

A remake should be just that, re made, this is a forgery, a complete copy and a very bad one at that. I could go on comparing but there is no point, almost everything is superior in the original. The only one thing that is better is the performance of Viggo Mortensen as Sam Loomis, John Gavin was very flat in the original (Hitch called him 'The Stiff' behind his back) and Mortensen gives a more believable if less likeable performance. William H. Macy and Julianne Moore are the only other actors that hold up to the originals.

Overall a movie that should be labeled 'Expensive Embarrassing Failed Experiment. Only view if comparing to original or if original is unknown to you. But view original too' The movie would have got a 3 out of 5 if it were original or a reworking but as it is 0.5 out of 5 (for Macy, Moore and Mortensen)