Psycho

Well, I have to agree with the critics on this one, who all said "leave it alone." Why they had to make this re-make of the 1960 "Psycho," I don't know. My guess is they wanted to reach a new audience and thought color and modern-day actors were the answer, since those were the main changes. The dialog was the same and the story the same.

On one hand, I applaud them for not making this over with a lot of profanity and nudity and making it a sleazy film. Yet, if they were going to keep everything the same, why bother when you weren't going to improve on Tony Perkins, Janet Leigh and the original cast?

Did they honestly think Vince Vaughn was going to be as good or better than Perkins? Are you kidding? Ann Heche, with her short mannish-haircut, is going to be better than Leigh? I don't think so!

Yes, the colors were pretty in here but it's the black-and-white photography that helped make the 1960 version so creepy to begin with. It's perfect for the story, not a bunch of greens and pinks! Once again, I guess the filmmakers were banking on an audience that never saw the original.

This was just a stupid project that never should have gotten off the ground.

Watchable in a film school project kind of way, but its obsession with trying to do everything exactly like Hitchcock's version leaves it cold and emotionless. Who'd have ever thought seeing Marion Crane slashed to death in a shower would inspire nothing more than a simple shrug? As a stand alone movie, it doesn't work very well.

My biggest question is "Why did they re-make a classic Hitchcock movie?" It's a "no-win" situation. The original, with Tony Perkins and Jamie Lee's mom (Janet Leigh), is so indelible on our minds that even subconsciously we compare the two. Vince Vaughn is not very believable as Norman Bates. I have yet to find a movie role played by Ann Heche that I like. Her nasal delivery and disingenuous reactions as Marion simply grate on me. Anyone else would have been better. The only character I thought was an improvement was investigator Arbogast played well by William Macy. Even Julliane Moore, as Marion's sister, seemed to have a smirk that announced "I feel silly doing this film." Had this been a completely original film I would probably rate it 5 or 6 for some entertainment. As an inferior re-make, I rate it "4".

19 years after the original shock of seeing one of the great Hitchcock classics massacred by one of the greatest living directors, I sat to watch it again. Surprise, surprise. Gus Van Sant's daring attempt could have been another masterpiece if the casting of Norman Bates, in particular, had been more visionary and less opportunistic. Imagine what a break for an actor to re-invent that iconic character. Imagine what Heath Ledger, Billy Crudup, Ryan Gosling or Guy Pearce could have done with it. I'm sure that if you had been riveted rather than embarrassed by that characterization, if Vince Vaughn was more of a serious actor who understood the responsibility of his endeavor Van Sant's Psycho would have been a triumph.

This known shocker concerns about Marion Crane(Anna Heche in similar role Janet Leigh),she works at a Phoenix office when his employer(Chad Everett) trust her a money .Seeing the opportunity to take the cash and beginning a new life along with her fiancé(Viggo Mortensen in role of John Gavin).Larcenous Marion Crane leaves Phoenix(Arizona) and heads with her car toward California where lives her lover.Later,when is caught in a storm, leaves the highway and pull into to the Bates hotel.The motel with twelve rooms(and 12 showers) is managed by a strange and paranoid young(Vince Vaughn-Anthony Perkins)who seems to be controlled by his overbearing mummy , and ,she's living in a creaky old mansion nearly to hotel,then rare things start to happen.After a detective called Arbogast(William H. Macy with similar character at Martin Balsam), her sister(Julianna Moore-Vera Miles)along with Sam(Viggo Mortensen)are looking for to Marion, asking help to sheriff(Philip Baker Hall-John McIntire).

The story is a rip off from original classic picture,frame-for-frame, with a few news scenes though filmed in glimmer color and lensed beautifully by cameraman Christopher Doyle.Thus,it contains the same screenplay by Joseph Stefano and Robert Bloch infused with deliciously macabre wit,plenty of grisly murders,stabbing shots,horror,suspense and lots of blood.The highlights film are,of course,the famous murder of Marion Crane-Anne Heche completely copied scene-for-scene although with a few more nudism and the creepy final images where is turned out the killing conclusion.Again the suspenseful music score,adding impressive excitement,nowadays deemed a classic soundtrack by Bernard Hermann is arranged by Danny Elffman.The motion picture is regularly directed by Gus Van Sant(Drugstore cowboy,Elephant,among others),nowadays considered a cult-director.The original Hitchcock film is highly superior to this one and the numerous movies which tried duplicate it, like as : Psycho II(1983) by Richard Franklin,Psycho III(1986)by Anthony Perkins,and for cable TV :PsychoIV(1990)by Mick Garris