Psycho was one of Alfred Hitchcock's best movies and is considered a masterpiece by many. Over the years, I had heard about the movie before I actually saw it. I only saw the movie for the first time about five years ago. I think it was about a year after that when I saw Psycho 4 on television late one night. I was less than impressed, though there were a few interesting elements to the movie, and I didn't have plans to watch any of the other sequels. Some other late night I came across Psycho 2 on television, and despite my misgivings, decided to leave it on. It was much better than Psycho 4.
I will be discussing some things that will be spoilers for Psycho. Anyone that hasn’t seen the movie yet and who is interested in it may want to stop here.
Twenty-two years after the events that happened at the Bates Motel involving Marion Crane, Norman Bates was released from an asylum. Lila Loomis, Marion’s sister, wasn’t happy that Norman was free. She thought he should remain locked up for the rest of his life. Norman decided to return to the house where he had lived with his mother against his doctor’s advice. He was barely back when he thought he heard his mother’s voice and even found a note.
Dr. Raymond, Norman’s psychiatrist, arranged for Normal to work as a cook’s helper at a local diner. Mary, a waitress at the diner, was having trouble with her boyfriend and ended up with nowhere to stay. Norma offered her a room at the hotel and then in the house once he saw what was happening at the hotel. Warren Toomey had been running the hotel and using it as a base for some criminal activity. Once Norman figured that out he fired Warren. Norman and Mary developed a friendship though she was keeping something from him. Norman continued to find notes that he believed were from his mother. He even thought he saw her in the house.
Psycho was a very popular movie and one of the best mystery/suspense/thriller movies ever made. I don’t think sequels were done when the movie was originally made. That changed by the 1980's when Psycho 2, the first of three sequels to Psycho, was made. I really don’t know why after so long the decision was made to make another Psycho movie. There really wasn’t any need for one, though it was interesting to see Norman again and find out what had happened to him over the years. This movie wasn’t as good as the original but I did think it was a good sequel. The plot fit in with the original well and didn’t seem to be just an excuse to have Norman in another movie.
Psycho 2 started off in black and white showing Marion’s murder. Doing that helped to reinforce the connection between the two movies since so many years had passed since the original was released. Watching this movie first would spoil many things related to the first movie. Several events from the first movie were mentioned more than once during this movie. It had its own plot, but it was very connected to what had happened in the first movie. If someone did watch this movie first, they might have some trouble following a few things and understanding why certain things were done. A few events in particular wouldn’t make sense without having first watched the original. Something strange was going on in Norman’s life which did add some mystery and suspense to the movie. I did think the plot was interesting, though I don’t think there was as much mystery or suspense as there was in the original.
Like the original, Psycho 2 had a creepy atmosphere in several scenes, especially when the house was shown in certain lighting. The setting and music used did help to build tension throughout the movie. The music that was used in certain scenes was very creepy without being overbearing like has happened in some movies. I didn’t think the movie was that scary though it did include some scare moments. Violence was used at different times without it being that graphic. The theatrical version of the movie was rated R. I have only seen the version that has been edited for television. I have no idea what was edited out, but since the movie was originally rated R, I’m guessing there was more violence in some scenes along with possibly swearing or nudity. This is not a movie for kids to see.
Norman Bates had been released from the asylum he spent twenty-two years in but he still had some problems. His insisting on returning to the house didn’t help his mental state. He heard his mother’s voice more the longer he was in that house. He really did seem like he had changed. Anthony Perkins returned to play Norman after playing him in the original. He was very good in the part. It’s very hard to think of anyone else in the part of Norman.
Lila became an important character in the original movie when she started looking for her missing sister Marion. Lila was also back for this movie, though her part was smaller. She was furious that Norman had been released. She wanted him back in the asylum and that was taking over her life. Vera Miles played Lila in the original movie as well. Having Miles and Perkins return to the roles they had played before helped connect the two movies, especially since so much time had passed between them.
Mary and Norman met at the diner where he had a job in the kitchen. Mary was a lot younger than he was and going through a difficult time with her boyfriend. She shared many things with Norman when they barely knew each other which lead to Norman offering her a room in the motel. They spent a lot of time together, especially once Mary moved into the house. Norman seemed to feel protective of her at times. Mary wasn’t as vulnerable as she first seemed and was keeping some kind of secret from Norman. Meg Tilly was fine in the part.
Dr. Raymond, Norman’s doctor, had a few sort scenes. Warren Toomey, the shady man that was managing the hotel when Norman returned, was also only in a few scenes. Since those parts were so small, Robert Loggia and Dennis Franz really didn’t have much to do.
Main Cast
Dennis Franz - Warren Toomey Robert Loggia - Dr. Raymond Vera Miles - Lila Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates Meg Tilly - Mary
Richard Franklin - Director
Psycho 2 wasn’t as good as Psycho but it did manage to be a good sequel and continued the story of Norman Bates in a way that made sense. I do think it is the best of the three sequels that were made. People that liked the original may also like this one.
Psycho II is the terrifying sequel to one of the most suspenseful films of all time Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho. Anthony Perkins makes a horrific home...More at NBC Universal
Norman Bates is coming home after being released from the mental institution where he has spent the last 22 years. His plan is to renovate the old Bat...More at Family Video
Epinions.com periodically updates pricing and product information from third-party sources, so some information may be slightly out-of-date. You should confirm all information before relying on it.
- Add to My Yahoo!: 
- Add to Google Homepage: 
© 1999-2009 Shopping.com, Inc.