This was about the lowest point in her career after she showed so much promise in "Romeo...". She was also totally wrong for the role. You're supposed to hate Normans mother. She just didn't have the required viciousness. Where is she now?
Somebody needs a happy meal.
I thought she was great in this role. I think she fit the role perfectly as Normans mother. Plus Olivia is beautiful.
shareThat's the point. In the original, Normans mother is established as a vicious, nagging harpy who turned him into an emotionally stunted, homicidal Mammas Boy. Olivias beauty works against her in this and she has too much class. For all her talent, she doesn't have it in her to be Mrs Bates. I can't connect her with the voice coming from the house in the original. Also, why is she in a "B" movie to begin with? She deserved better.
Get me a meeting with Spielberg.
You have to take into account what you know about Mother Bates in the films and in the novels. Remember, Norman's mother was kind some times and off her rocker the other times. The version of Mother that became the Norma Bates persona of Norman was suppose to be his interpretation of what she would be as she got older with an overblown version of her ideals (for example, the whole "filthiness" when it comes to mother's view on sex and sexuality resulted in Norman killing women he felt any kind of attraction to). So, instead of being the kind sometimes/off her rocker other times, the Mother personality became the vicious and nagging harpy that we've become accustomed to. Plus, Norman stated that he couldn't create "her sweet voice", so what came out was Norman's voice as Mother.
So, when it comes to this film, Olivia did a good job because we're suppose to be seeing the real Mother Bates and what she did that added to Norman's fragile personality, from Norman's memory. And the Mother he grew up with is not suppose to be exactly the same as the personality. The Mother Persona is a photocopied version, much more darkness without any of the good. So, saying she was "miscast" or this being the wrong role for her is incorrect. Because we're suppose to like and hate Mother the same way Norman does. And we see what happens to Norman, and how certain actions Norma made unintentionally led to her own demise and the made her son into the psycho he would become.
Besides Olivia's beauty and class is what helps bring Norma Bates to life, because Norma Bates was "Victorian" in a way.
But this one's eating my popcorn!
why does mrs. bates suddenly have an english accent?!
shareMaybe she always had a british accent. It's just that with Norman, who interacted with a lot of American kids while going to school (and it's safe to assume that Norman's father was American as well), didn't catch it. And remember, Norman did say he tried to recreate her voice, but he couldn't get it as sweet sounding. So, it's possible that he wasn't able to recreate her accent correctly either, so he did the best he could, and what came out is the voice we know as Mother's voice.
But this one's eating my popcorn!
Everything you said makes sense, still, industry-wise, at this point in her career, Olivia should have been working opposite Connery, Ford, Gere etc. I don't know how she ended up in a B movie. Her career took a downturn.
We got a job.
What kind?
The forever kind.
Better question is how did Psycho - more esteemed as a film than Hussey ever was as an actress - end up being followed by a STRING of b-movies?
shareQuote: "Better question is how did Psycho - more esteemed as a film than Hussey ever was as an actress - end up being followed by a STRING of b-movies?"
Because when they made Psycho II, it inexplicably managed to be a well made, tightly written, and expertly acted film. Rather than standing back and saying "well, we did the impossible", the money men looked at it and said "well, we didn't quite f*u*c*k this up yet. Let's give it another go." And of course, considering that that this was the era of endless horror series, they kept trying. Of course, Psycho III works as a great send-up of the genre, and Psycho IV at the very least attempted to do something different, and they all have Perkins being just plain outstanding, so just be glad that for B-movies, these were more of the B+ variety.
-----------------------------------------------
If there were reason for these miseries,
Then into limits could I bind my woes.
"Also, why is she in a "B" movie to begin with?"
She did B-movies long before Psycho IV- Black Christmas in '74, and Turkey Shoot in '82...her doing Psycho IV is hardly surprising.
I collect dead pigeons then I press them between the pages of a book.share
one factor here..in psycho 1 it was stated that norman was very jealous in regards to who his mother was with so he when imagining her alive made her as jealous of him and anyone whod want to be with him...to paraphrase...
shareIMO, her lowest point was Quest of the Delta Knights three years after this one. She's gorgeous but 1968 was the prime of her career.
Proud to be one of the Joker's wild cards.
Agreed. She made her mark when she was 17, then became an adult and had to compete in that arena. I have to see "Quest".
"Well, how was it?".
"It was degrading, humiliating, emasculating... and somewhat enjoyable".
You DON'T have to see Quest of the Delta Knights. Unless you're really intrigued by the notion of David Warner gluing hair to his face, it's just not worth it.
Then again, if you can catch the MST3K episode featuring the movie, that would be somewhat more worthwhile.
[deleted]
Psycho III was a paint-by-numbers slasher flick straight out of the 1980's play book: the first babe gets it in the car, the second babe gets it in hotel room, the dead woman on the couch surrounded by candles etc.
Attaching the name "Psycho" to it was almost a coincidence.
Unc John "We makin' trouble?"
Stacy "Yeah"
Unc John "What kind?"
Stacy "...The forever kind"
Didnt have the viciousness - she was a complete B***h!
Watch the scene where he is cleaning the rug and she whacks him with the newspaper - listen to what she says whilst having a tantrum. God thats vicious and dragging him in the closet, calling him Norma, dressing him up and calling him a girl.
Boy she was horrible.
Oh god yes I thought she did. I like Olivia and she is perfect for Norma bates. She plays it like a bitch and is horrible and disgusting little witch in this.. Watch the scene where she whacks Norman screaming at him that she should have killed him in her womb.
Terrible things to say to your child. Watch the scene, it's where he is beating the dust out of the rugs. She's a perfect mrs bates
Sorry, but I think that Olivia Hussey was the best thing about this movie. That was a brilliant piece of casting.
Doctor Mabuse, Evil Genius, King of Crime
Girl had bills to pay!
share
Sink so low?! What is wrong with playing Mrs. Bates? She rocked in this role, and I agree with others: The film wouldn't be the same without her.
"I'd say this cloud is Cumulo Nimbus."
"Didn't he discover America?"
"Penfold, shush."
OP:Olivia Hussey has to put food on the table and pay the bills. If you didn't like her in this then stay away from ICE CREAM MAN - www.imdb.com/title/tt0113376/
share