Psycho II

The return of Norman Bates

The enormous commercial success of Psycho, motivated studio executives to produce the sequel of original film. Psycho II is a film based on the original film’s storyline and the storytelling conditions as the villain character of Psycho - Norman Bates - is back to Bates Hotel after 22 years in mental institution.

Psycho II

Psycho II was produced in 1983 by Bernard Schwartz and Hilton A. Green. The script was developed by Tom Holland and it was directed by Richard Franklin. Psycho II distributed by Universal Studios.

I need to highlight that there is also the Psycho II novel but t it’s not related with the film Psycho II. The novel Psycho II was written by Robert Bloch as sequel to novel Psycho I.

The Plot of Psycho II

Do not play with filthy girls

- Mother Bates -

Norman Bates is back, he’s trying to reconstruct his motel and his life after 22 years in a mental institution. Lila Loonis (the part is played by Vera Milles) has a different idea and with her daughter Mary Loomis is trying to drive Norman Bates crazy and put him back into a mental institution.  

Handwritten notes of mother Bates are found, telephone calls to Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) from a mysterious voice pretending to be the mother Bates. A mysterious figure in a black dress stairs out of the upstairs window resembling the mother Bates. Unexpected and unexplained killings occur at Bates Hotel and the mind of Norman Bates is again trapped into a logarithm of schizophrenia - into the twilight of death and live - between the personality of Norman and his mother.


To be continued

Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins the unforgettable Narman Bates in Psycho

The Unforgettable perfodmance of Anthony Perkins in Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho made Anthony Perkings an international recognized actors in horror genre.

The Early live of Anthony Perkins

Anthony Perkins was born in 1932 in New York, his father Osgood Perkins was a film and theater actor. Anthony Perkins attended the Brooks school, the Browne & Nichols School, Columbia Unversity and Rollins School.

The Career of Anthony Perkins

(a). Before the Psycho film

Anthony Perkins started his career in the film “The Actress” (George Cukor,1953). The film is based on the Ruth Gordon’s theatrical play “Years ago”. The film Actress is about dreams and desires of a young woman from Boston to start a theatrical career in Broadway, New York. She is very young and she wants to drop - out school and go to New York. She has to overcame great obstacles as hers fathers resistance, the hard live in a mega city like New York and finally the theatrical system of auditions. Anthony Perkins plays the part of Fred Whitemarsh a film debutant and he received a Golden Globe Award for New Star of the Year for his performance in the Actress film.

In 1956 Anthony Perkins participates in film Friendly Persuacion (William Wyler, 1956). The Friendly Persuacion is a Civil War film based on the same name novel (1945) by Michael Wilson. The Friendly Persuacion is a film about the dilemma to participate in a war because you need to support your family or not to participate because it’s against your religious, ethical and family values, principals and beliefs. Anthony Perkins plays the part of John Bindwell, the elder son of a Quaker family, he is trapped in the above mentioned dilemma, he has to choose between his hate for violence and the need for survival, the need to protect his family and to join the armed forces and fight for his life. The performance of Anthony Perkins was amazing, unforgettable and incomparable and he received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actor in Supporting Role.

In 1957 Anthony Perkins participate in the autobiographical film “Fear Strikes Out”. Anthony Perkins portrays the legendary trouble maker Boston Red Sox baseball player Jimmy Piershall. The fear strikes out, was directed by Robert Mulligan and was distributed by Paramount Pictures.

The Career of Anthony Perkins as Musician

Anthony Perkins had released three pop music albums in 1957 and 1958 as “Tony Perkins”. I need to highlight that his singel “Moon Light Swim” it was a great hit in U.S.A. and peaked at 24th position on the Billboard hot 100 in 1957.

(b) The Career of Anthony Perkings - Before the Psycho Film Pt. 2

In 1958 Anthony Perkins participate in the film version of the Thorton Wildre’s (American novelist and playwright) theatrical play “The Matchmaker”. The script was adapted by John Michael Hayes and it was directed by Joseph Anthony.

Anthony Perkin’s Theater career

Anthony Perkins was also a great theatrical actor. His exceptional performance in “Look Homeward, Angel” on Brodaway (New York) was considered one of the best theatrical performances in 1958 and Anthony Perkins was nominated for a tony Award for Best Actor in Play.

Among the most remarkable theater performances of Anthony Perkins are (a) Desire over the Elms (1958) with Sophia Loren, (b) Tall Story (1960) where he played the role of a basketball player.

Anthony Perkin’s in Psycho film

“I ‘m Norman Bates, welcome to our hotel”

Anthony Perkins was cast by Alfred Hitchcock for the part of Norman Bates. His performance as Norman Bates is one of the best ever in horror genre. Really unforgettable acting. The enormous commercial and artistic success of Psycho film gained Perkins an enormous International fame and recognition as an actor.

Obviously the part of Norman Bates in Psycho was the highest pick in Anthony Perkin’s career. After Psycho film the Hollywood career of Anthony Perkins went into permanent decline. He has offered parts in European film projects and he playd the part of Norman Bates other three times in Psycho II, Psycho IV and finally at the prequel Psycho III (he also directed the last film)

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Casting of Psycho

Main Actors and Actresses of Psycho

By rule Alfred Hitchcock did not not left room to actors to interpret parts of their works. Alfred Hitchcock used to prepare his work very well before shooting, so he knew exactly what he wanted. Also, Alfred Hitchcock wanted to draw attention away from the stars of his films to him - the director of the film.

Anthony Perkins in Psycho

Anthony Perkins was the first actor to hired for Psycho, he was 27 years old and he had been already groomed as a teen idol. Unusually, Alfred Hitchock, gave free space to Anthony Perkins and he accepted Perkin’s suggestions for dialogue and for characterisation for Bates, also Anthony Perkins was allowed By Alfred Hitchcock to attend rehearsals in New York for a play during the shooting of the shower scene.

Psycho was both the jump - starter for Perkin’s career but also curse him to suffer from typecasting. Anthony Perkins reprised the role  three times and finally directed Psycho III (1986). Anthony Perkins has given similar parts in lurid psycho - killer films like Pretty Poison (1986), Crimes of Passion (Ken Russel 1984) and Edge of Sanity (1990).

According to wikipedia Psycho (film) “when Perkins was asked whether he would have still taken the Role Knowing that he would by typecast afterword, he replied with a definite yes”

Janet Leigh in Psycho

For part of Marion Craine there was a large number of candidates among them Eva Marie Saint (North by Northwest), Hope Lange and even Lana Turner and finally Janet Leigh who took the part. Janet Leigh was a recognized star with a heavily publicized marriage with Tony Curtis.

Vera Miles in Psycho

For the part of Lila Craine, Alfred Hitchcock chose Vera Miles. Hitchcock tried to groom Vera Miles as a new Grace Kelly until her independent style and philosophy made him to give up in despair.

John Gavin in Psycho

The part of Sam Loomis was given to John Cavin, a Universal contract actor. Alfred Hitchcock after the unexpected lack of erotic tension between Gavin and Leigh he started to call him privately with the nickname “the stiff”. Alfred Hitchcock, used lighting techniques and profile shots of each actor to exaggerate the lack of eroticism in the already mentioned Gavin - Leight scene.

I need also to highlight the fact that Alfred Hotchcock’s daughter played the part of Caroline, Marion’s Office Collage.

Mrs Bates (Normans Mother) in Psycho

The voice and body performance of Mrs Bates (Normans mother) was played by a number of people (two woman and a man) Paul Jasmit, Virginia Cregg and Jeanette Nolan - all voices were mixed together to create the amazing soundtrack of Psycho.

Soon there will be an article about the soundtrack of Psycho.

Elias Stoikos

Relative articles 

Psycho Film (1960)

Psycho Movie

Psycho Movie Part 2

Psycho - Shower Scene 

Recognition of Psycho

Resources 

Psycho on Internet Movie Database

Psycho in Wikipedia

Psycho (1960)

Psycho is Alfred Hitchcock’s masterpiece - one of the best films ever.

”We all get crazy sometimes” - Psycho is a film about psychosis and human mind, because human mind sometimes can be the most dangerous in our universe.

The poster of Psycho film

"No one .... BUT NO ONE ... will be admitted to the theatre after the start of each perfomance"

Alfred Hitchcock

The Film Psycho (1960)

Psycho is one of the best ever films in history of cinema. It’s not just a masterpiece  of horror cinema is also a wonder of seventh art. Beyond all horror archetypes, psycho is at the same time innovative,  modern and all time classic film.

Psycho was produced in USA (Shamley Productios / Paramount). It was directed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock. The screenplay of Psycho was written by Joseph Stefano (based on a relative novel by Robert Bloch). Director of Photography in Psycho film was John L Russell (ASC). Art director in Psycho Film was Joseph Hurley and Robert Clatworthy. The film Psycho was edited by George_Tomasini and special effects were created by Clarence Champagne. The sound of the film was recorded by Waldon O Watson and William Russell.

The music of Psycho was composed by Bernard Herrmann.

The Synopsis of film Psycho.

Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) had a tryst with Sam Loomis (John Cavin) in a Hotel Room. She was dreaming to start a new life with him, but it’s not easy, Sam has to pay his father debts and his ex- wife support. At the Real Estate office where she works, Marion was asked to deposit $ 40.000 cash in the bank. Marrion did not deposit the money in bank but she packs and drives off with money to the town where her lower lives. Unfortunately for her on her way out of town she was recognized by Mr. Lowey, her boss.

She was afraid and tired, she spends the night by the roadside and she was woken up by a traffic - policeman. Marion worried by Policeman’s attention she exhanged her car at a used car dealership, but she was spotted by the Policeman. She was driving in the night under heavy rain. She found shelter in a motel. She uses a false name and the owner of the motel, Norman Bates (John Perkins), offers to share a meal with her.

Marion heard Norman’s mother, who lives in a California - Gothic house behind the motel, telling him off for killing his time with a strange woman.

Marion undresses for a shower, Norman watches through a peephole. Finally, Marion was killed in the shower (it’s an unforgettable film sequence in cinema history). Norman finds the body and disposes of it, along with the car, the $ 40.000 in the swamp behind the motel.

Marion’s sister Lila (Vera Miles) visits - Marion’s lover Sam, and she asks him if he knows where Marion is. At the same time, the customer who had given the $ 40.000 to Marion had hired a private detective Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam). Private Detective - Milton Arbogast visits the motel and he found that Marion had stayed at the Bates Hotel. He informed Sam and Lila, that he wanted to go to the motel, but when he goes at the motel he is killed.

Lila and Sam visit Sherif (John McIntire), but according to Sheriff there was nothing wrong at Bates motel. They visited the motel by themselves. Fortunately for them in one of the bathrooms they discovered a paper with Marion’s calculations on it.

Lila investigates the house and finds Norman’s mother - a dessicated corpse  - and is attacked by Norman in his mother’s clothes. Sam arrives and saves Lila.

A psychiatrist explains that Norman had poisoned his mother and hers lover, and he had been traumatised by guilt that a separate persona “mother” periodically took over.

The film Psycho ends with Norman speaking with the voice of his mother. There is no Norman - has now been fully absorbed by his mother persona.            

Cast of Psycho   

Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Janet Leigh, Martin Balsam, John McIntire, Simon Oakland, Frank Albertson, Patricia Hitchcock, Vaugh Taylor, Lurene Tuttle, John Anderson, Mort Mills, Fletcher Allen, Prudence Beers, Kit Carson, Francis De Sales, George Dock Stader, George Elderge, Harper Flathery, Sam Flint, Virginia Gregg, Alfred Hitchcock, Paul Jasmin, Lee Kass, Frank Killmord, Ted Knight, Pat McCaffrie, Jeanette Nolan, Lillian O’ Maley, Fred Sheiwiller, Helen Wallace.      

Trailer of film Psycho

 Elias Stoikos

Relative Articles 

Psycho the movie

Psycho (Origins and Resources of Inspiration)

Casting of Psycho

Recognition of Psycho

Resources 

Psycho - Internet Movies Data base  

Psycho in wikipedia