Director: Richard Franklin
Writer: Tom Holland
Starring: Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, and Robert Loggia
Available On Video: Only Available On DVD ($19.95) from Goodtimes Home Video
Body Count: 6
Review: When Universal made the decision to make a sequel to Psycho, many people felt that they were going over the line. Alfred Hitchcock has long been respected as one of the best directors of all time, and to make a sequel to one of his greatest works (especially something as degrading as a slasher sequel) seemed to be an injustice (I have three words regarding injustice: Gus van Sant).
But to tell you the truth, Psycho II really is pretty good--but only by slasher standards. If you put this sequel next to the original, not only would certain things seem really repetitive (the sequel makes reference to the first film in dozens of ways, both verbal and visual), but you'd see just how inferior the sequel is. But by viewing on slasher movie terms alone, Psycho II really does stand out as a great example of the genre--and a great way to continue the story of norman bates.
After being released from the mental hospital he's been living in for the past 30 years, Norman returns home to find that the manager he's been employing to take care of the motel has let the place turn to shit. There's drugs everywhere, rampant sex going on in the basement of the house--it's a party motel, as the manager explains.
Norman takes care of that--he fires the manager, and pretty soon, things start to turn ugly. The manager shows up at Norman's new place of employment--a diner (hey, after the events of the last film, who the hell would be dumb enough to think it's a good idea to put something as feminine as an apron around Norman's waste?).
The deaths are really brutal and bloody, though some of the effects leave a little bit to be desired. The ending--well, let's just say it's up to you whether or not you believe the whole story about Mrs. Bates not actually being Norman's real mother. All-in-all, however, Psycho II is definitely worth watching--and much less infuriating as the Gus Van Sant remake of the original.
Trivia: Tom Holland, writer of Psycho II, also starred in the film in a brief role as Deputy Norris. He went on to write the disturbing high school flick Class of 1984, and then write/direct Fright Night and the original Child's Play.
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