PSYCHO II

US, 1983, 107 minutes, Colour.
Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly, Robert Loggia, Dennis Franz.
Directed by Richard Franklin.

Psycho II seems at first glance a pretentious project. Hitchcock made his classic in the late '50s with Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh and Vera Miles. its skill in horrifying audiences has been noted (and imitated extensively). Film critics, with a moralising bent, have written extensively on Hitchcock's moral preoccupations in the film.

Writer Tom Holland was commissioned to do a sequel to Psycho, focusing on the character of Norman Bates. Anthony Perkins and Vera Miles agreed that there were possibilities in the screenplay. Australian director Richard Franklin, a one-time pupil of Hitchcock's and the director of such thrillers as Patrick and Road Games, was brought to Hollywood to direct the film.

Critics tended to be divided about the success of Psycho II. On the whole, they seemed to be satisfied that it was a satisfactory sequel -opening with a reprise of the famous shower scene, modelling a lot of the sequences on Hitchcock's original and using the house, the motel and its atmosphere and design to satisfactory effect. While the influence of the multiple murder films of the late '70s and early 180s is evident, it is less gruesome in its visual presentation than many other films of its kind. The strength of the sequel is in the performance by Anthony Perkins who makes Norman Bates' emergence from an institution credible. Vera Miles is rather shrill as Leila. However, Meg Tilley is attractive as Mary. Various characters are made to parallel the original characters - but the end is somewhat confusing and there seemed to be certainly too many Mrs. Bates'.

1. The popularity and impact of Psycho in its time? Its becoming a Hitchcock classic? The decision to make a sequel after 22 years? The sense of continuity? Changing times and tastes? The choice of Richard Franklin for director?

2. The work of Anthony Perkins in the original, in the sequel? Vera Miles? A sense of continuity? Sets, decor? Credibility?

3. The '70s and '80s and the emphases on horror, shock tactics, gruesome murders? The comparisons in horror with the original? The presentation of atmosphere, menace, suspense, deaths? The motel, the house? The parallels of the musical score with the original by Bernard Herrmann?

4. The sequel's homage to the original: the importance of using the opening shower sequence, the house and the way that it was photographed and framed, the silhouettes, especially of Norman, the birds in the motel, shower sequences, the stairs where previous deaths had occurred, the costume for Mrs. Bates, the draining of the swamps etc.? Character parallels?

5. The film as an exercise (rather than a study) in horror techniques?

6. Audience response to Norman - knowledge of the original film? Anthony Perkins' persona and the creation of the character of Norman Bates? Cured, returning home, his hopes? Leila Loomis and her appeals? work in the motel, cooking? His seeming to adjust to ordinary life? The menacing notes, the glistening knives? The attack on the manager and sacking him? The friendship with Mary, talking to her, her moving into the house? Norman's way of talking, talking about his cure? The beginning of the phone calls - and audience puzzle about Leila’s calls and the uncertainty of Norman's real mother ringing? Norman's pleasantness, under siege by Leila and Mary, his slips into insanity? His meeting with the doctor, the discussions, the faces at the window? The exhuming of Mrs. Bates? Could Norman have been saved from lapsing into madness again? Friendship with Mary, sharing chores with her? The effect of the phone calls, his being locked in the attic, the night protecting of Mary? Responding to Leila, responding to Mary as his mother? Trying to cope, the deaths? His being vindicated by the police? The irony of his real mother arriving? Her madness, his killing her? 'It's starting again'. The references to the Norman of the original film?

7. Leila and her revenge, the appeals, her frantic behaviour, moving to the town, her madness and normality, hysterical behaviour with Mary? The law, the petitions? The campaign? The plan with Mary: the wig, redecorating the room and taking away all the furniture again? The clash with Mary at the hotel? Her making a scene? Her going to the house - echoing her previous visit 22 years earlier, her death? Mary discovering her in the coal-heap?

8. Mary as friendly, at work, infiltrating into the house, her pleasant attitude towards Norman, her responsibility for the notes, the elaborate setting up of Norman's mother's room? The shower sequence and the eyes? The sexual overtones and voyeurism in the hole in the wall and the memories of the initial film? Unlocking the door and letting Norman from the attic? Her knowing that Norman was not responsible for the deaths in the fruit cellar? Phone calls to her mother, the confrontation? The police asking her to leave after discovering the truth? Her changed attitude towards Norman? Trying to keep him sane, disguising herself as his mother. the accidental killing of the doctor, her being shot - and the ambiguity of the appearances and the police interpreting the events wrongly?

9. Mary as the parallel with her aunt (Janet Leigh), in the original? Her arrival at the house, the shower, nudity. the sexual overtones? Her death?

10. The theme of mothers and sons? The original and Norman's responsibility for his mother, the psychotic taking her part? Leila using the same device as the original to make Norman mad? Her malevolence? Her using Mary and Mary's becoming Norman's mother? The parallel between Mrs. Bates and Norman, Leila and Mary? The interchanges? Being causes of death? The phone calls - and the irony of Norman's real mother? His killing her, his setting her up again and the process starting over? Themes of American mothers and sons and daughters, possessiveness?

11. The sketch of the doctor, his belief in Norman, helping him to cope -his investigations and the accident of his death? The parallel with Arbogast in the original?

12. The sketch of the police. memories of 1959, being exasperated with Leila? Her dissatisfaction with them? Discovery of the truth, the clash with Mary and telling her to go away? Dragging the swamp? The final investigation and vindicating Norman?

13. The deaths and their visual appearance, shock, gore? The death of the manager and his drinking, the kids in the fruit cellar, Leila's death, the doctor, Mary?

14. Suggestions of madness: the eyehole, the room, the cellar, the motel itself?

15. Atmosphere of terror, horror? Fears, shocks? The use of light and darkness?

16. Violence and madness? The humorous touches - and Norman's memory of toasted cheese sandwiches?

17. The comparisons with the original - its match, a satisfying enough homage to the original? A film of the '80s?