MovieChat Forums > Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990) Discussion > PSYCHO IV THE WORST OF THE LOT

PSYCHO IV THE WORST OF THE LOT

posted 17 years ago by HammTate
30 replies | jump to latest

I am a big fan of the original, and I thought that the sequel (Psycho 2) was an original follow up. Interestingly the book sequel 'Psycho 2' written by Robert Bloch is totally different from the film. I realise that script writers probably wrote this, but I wonder why no elements from Bloch's novel were used. Psycho 3 started to pander to the slasher generation, and lost its ori'ginality, however, still dished up some chilling moments. In my opinion the worst of the lot was the fourth instalment. I cannot believe that Stefano wrote it, after the brilliant screenplay he penned for the original. Psycho IV couuld have been so much better. Norman should have escaped, and could have made a couple of attacks at the original house and then he should have moved to a new town, where it all started again; with bits of his past being revealed (as in the film). For me the ending of Psycho IV was the biggest let down of all. A hackneyed plot and totally unbelievable.

ALSO Olivia Hussey was totally miscast as Norma Bates. Although a fine actress, she was totally wrong for this part. Her accent and general characterisation did not fit in well the image that I had in my head after reading the book and seeing the other films. To balance things, I feel that Henry Thomas was a great choice to play the young Norman.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] HammTate 17 years ago

Thanks for responding. I am surprised that you felt that HT sucked as NB. I thought he played it dead pan, which really worke.? I suppose it would have been difficult for any actor to have stepped in to the shoes of the brilliant Anthony Hopkins; albeit a portrayal of when he was young.

Just out of interest, who would you have cast in that particular role? And whom would you have cast as the 'mother'?

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] HammTate 17 years ago

Piper Laurie would have been a good choice when younger, but in theory she was probably too old to play that part at the time it was filmed.

[–] HammTate 17 years ago

WHoops I can't believe I wrote Anthony Hopkins in my previous post!!!! PLease Mr Perkins, if you are up there listening, please forgive me... how could I!

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] HammTate 17 years ago

True; I agree with you about the age of the mother. Sticking to this theory, how about Louise Fletcher playing Norma Bates. In my mind she would have made the PERFECT Norma Bates. She would have been about 56 at the time the film was made. Her role as the grandmonther in Flowers in The Attic is the reason she is top of my list. Her voice would have been right too.

I suppose the point of having Olivia Hussey in the role is that the makers wanted to make her so that she was still sexually attractive; but it would have been more sinister if Louise Fletcher, in the role, had portrayed Norma as a woman (using her whole being to appear attractive) who was grabbing at the last opportunity in her life of having a relationship with a man, other than her son.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] HammTate 17 years ago

Hey we should get together and re-write the final PSYCHO. Mind you, arogantly, I would also like to re-write quite a few other horror films:

Jaws 4
Wrong Turn 2
(the ending of) White Noise
Jeepers Creepers
28 Weeks Later

To name but a few......

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] HammTate 16 years ago

Yes agree with you about Jaws 3 being a masterpiece compared to Jaws 4! Mind you when I went to see Jaws 3 at the cinema originally, it held up well. The 3d made the film, and viewed without, they just look tacky!

Yes I have written quite a few horror stories (not published) and have to say modestly tha tmine are far better than any we see on screen today. I have written a few that are certainly a cross between Psycho and Halloween, with various twists.

What's your fav horror movie then?

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] HammTate 16 years ago

Totally agree with you about liking horror films that are grounded in reality. I am not a fan of demons (exception The Living Dead); vampires (exception The Lost Boys; werewolfs (exception American Werewolf in London)evil beings (exception The Omen), or anything that is fantastical like Hellraiser. I like the traditional 'make you jump' thriller types. The problem with most horrors today is that they are just not scary. MOst of them are just gory. I don't find gore frightening. Psycho is probably my all time favourite. But I remember Halloween scaring the hell out of me when I was younger. 'Jeepers Creepers' started off with the potential of being such a good film and then developed in to one forgetable movie, when it emerged that it was some supernatural being.

Will tell you about my storylines privately as you never know if there are any producers or writers on here who could steal you ideas! ha ha

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] james_oblivion 14 years ago

Is it somehow imperative from a narrative standpoint that Norma Bates be 40 when Norman is born? It seems more likely that she would have been younger.

And particularly within the scope of the series as a whole, it makes much more sense for her to be a younger woman. If Norma Bates was killed around 1950, Emma Spool would've been about 35 at the time (assuming the character and the actress portraying her in Psycho II can be considered roughly the same age). If the two sisters were close in age (which seems more likely than Norma being old enough to be Emma's mother), then she should be in her mid-to-late 30s when she's killed. Olivia Hussey was 39 in 1990, which is age appropriate, in my opinion.

[–] mcgill_j 14 years ago

Yeah.. "Mother" was NOT an old woman.. and even Psycho IV explains in his mind how mother aged after she died, in his mind.. but just disregarding that.. a woman with a 12 year old SON (as was stated in the ORIGINAL when he killed her).. she might have been in her EARLY to mid 30s when she was killed.. and at 39.. Olivia Hussy might actually have been TOO OLD to be mother.. but.. they never give an age and I thought she looked fantastic in the film.

I know there are lots of plot holes in 2 and 4 and connecting the two.. but WHY would she have been OLD as in Psycho II when he poisoned her when he was 12? I would assume Spool was around her early 60s in Psycho 2? putting her at around 40 of the time of the ORIGINAL.. and then was it a DECADE before that Norma was murdered?

[–] kellymariekitty 12 years ago

Haha Yeah he's probably listening and having a chuckle like me!
Dont think he'd mind. xx

[–] DrGerbil 14 years ago

To Reeseleee:

You could be right, but I am SO glad they made this film before Anthony Perkins died. If I remember correctly, he passed away not long after this film was released. So if it was this film or nothing, I would rather have this film.

Having said that, Olivia Hussey's accent bothered me tremendously. If her sister Emma was American, it seems unlikely that Norma would have a British accent.

[–] james_oblivion 14 years ago

Screenwriter Jonathan Nolan has an American accent, while his writer/director brother, Christopher, has a British accent. So while it may be unlikely, it's not entirely implausible.

[–] theunabeefer 13 years ago

I am SO glad I'm not the only one who noticed that about the Nolans. Confuses the hell out of me.

And to stay on topic, I personally like Psycho IV far more than either of the other 2 sequels. The only real big issue I had with it was Perkins' over-acting when he gets all crazed... Otherwise, it feels more accurate atmospherically than 2 or 3.

Been a Psycho fanatic since I was about 5 or 6... I guess that just says something about me.

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] esstee55 12 years ago

I hafta disagree with you, Reeseleee, bad as this movie was. It's all in your mind, ya know? This "prequel" is pretty cool actually! It has an inexplicably different kind of "feel" to it, as compared with Psychoes 2 and 3. Those movies do in fact suck, but I like them anyway, to a moderate degree. But this movie is wayyy superior to those two, for lots of reasons. Some of those, are the fact that the wonderful, original score by Bernard Herrmann is used, although arranged and played by obviously different musicians than in the original film. Director Garris seems to be more interested in drawing the filmgoer in, in subtle ways, in ways vastly superior to II and III, as opposed to the "slasher-flick"-style done for those two films.
Nothing great at all, but a real surprise; I expected this last-ditch attempt at a Psycho sequel to be the absolute pits. What did I know?

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] wallacesawyer 10 years ago

I disagree. PSYCHO 4 might actually be my favorite after the original.

http://www.freewebs.com/demonictoys/

[–] WeAintFoundShin 9 years ago

I disagree. PSYCHO 4 might actually be my favorite after the original.

Agree.

It's questionable as being canon to the first film.

But so much better than II or III.

And a very nice "what if?".

[–] mr_casper_sgv-219-481496 10 years ago

I liked this one a lot.. it was even better then part 3.

[–] Disarmed-Doll-Parts 9 years ago

This is not the worst film in the series as barely anything touches PSYCHO '98 as one of the worst films EVER.