Psycho IV: The Beginning 1990

Psycho IV: The Beginning was the last time we see Anthony Perkins as Norman Bates in this made for Showtime movie that did not get a big screen release.  This movie is set primarily as a prequel as Norman is out of the looney house again and seems to be living a normal life.  He is home cooking and listening to talk radio as he waits for his wife to get home to celebrate his birthday.  
 

The talk radio show Norman is listening to just happens to be about sons that kill their mothers otherwise known as matricide.  Norman decides to call in and says his name is “Ed”, an obvious wink to Ed Gein, which Psycho is based on.  Norman talks about his relationship with his mother and this has the movie going back and forth in a series of flashbacks starring ET’s Henry Thomas as a young Norman.  As Norman talks about his past experiences with his mother he is reliving the bad relationships with her and her boyfriend and this is making Norman a little edgy as the night goes on. 

Eventually the talk radio host discovers who she is really talking to and begins to really dig into Norman to find out why he did the things he did and he if he intends to kill again.  Here Norman discloses he does have some future plans but you will have to watch to see what ol’ Norman does.

I first watched this on VHS right when it came out and was not too impressed with it back then but my viewing this week has changed my opinion.  It was great seeing Anthony Perkins as Norman one last time.  Perkins had been recently diagnosed with AIDS so you so just sit back and admire his last take as Norman Bates as he played it just as well the last time as in the original.  I liked the way director Mick Garris (The Stand, Sleepwalkers) portrayed the tension between Norman and his mother and it makes you feel sorry for Norman because his mother was crazy.

This appeared to be quite a tight production as the Bates Motel and house were reconstructed on the Orlando Universal Studio lot and all filming was done there while the park was open.  Director Mick Garris has stated he had many creative differences with Perkins during filming because Perkins wanted to direct but since Psycho III was a commercial failure there was no way the studio was letting him direct.  Perkins did praise Garris for his direction and liked how the movie turned out.  Recommended.  So go give it a spin then start watching Bates Motel to see the new Norman.