Psycho (1998) Movie Review

Well, they did it. Right down to the last scene where Marion Crane’s car is dragged out of the river. And it’s great. It is scarier, more frightening, and more disturbing than the original. And I was fair too. The day after watching the new version, I watched the old version. I generally don’t like movies in black and white but I found the old version very enjoyable.

Now I now I’m the only critic who is going to say this in the world, but I thought Vince Vaughn was more effective as Norman Bates than Anthony Perkins was. There, I said it. Vaughn had a presence and a confidence on screen that paid off for him. Tony Perkins was great. So was Vaughn. Almost every aspect of the movie is better in a way except for the roles of Marion Crane and her boyfriend. Janet Leigh was more attractive and definitely a better actress then Anne Heche. Viggo Mortinson is too dead-voiced for a major role in a thriller/horror movie. I just want to give this guy some coffee and get him to wake up.

One thing that got a laugh out of me but was inappropriate considering the guff this remake has gotten, was the masturbation scene. It’s the scene where Norman looks at Marion through the peephole in his parlor. The scene didn’t have to be put in there and I thought that was a mistake. One thing I liked about the movie was the glimpses of the killer. In the 1960 version, you see the killer as a figure with short hair, so it could possibly by Norman. In this version, it’s a woman with stringy blond hair, so it erases the belief that it was Norman. And for some reason, I’ll always get a kick out of the scene where the cop brings Norman a towel and he says “Thank You” in his mother’ s voice.

Give this movie a chance. If you are familiar with the old version, I think you’ll enjoy it. If you’re not, I think you’ll enjoy it. Vince Vaughn and William H. Macy are perfect. Vaughn makes you believe the whole duration of the film that he is a genuine psycho. Perkins had that same effect. I just hope Vaughn won’t get typecast like Perkins did.