Psycho (1998)

User Rating:

4.6/10   

Director:

Gus Van Sant

Writers (WGA):

Robert Bloch (novel)
Joseph Stefano (screenplay)

Release Date:

4 December 1998 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

Check in. Unpack. Relax. Take a shower. [Theatrical]

Plot:

A young female embezzeler arrives at the Bates Motel which has terrible secrets of its own.

Plot Keywords:

Motel | House | Money | Remake | Detective

Awards:

3 wins & 3 nominations

Cast

Vince Vaughn	...	Norman Bates
Anne Heche	...	Marion Crane
Julianne Moore	...	Lila Crane
Viggo Mortensen	...	Samuel 'Sam' Loomis
William H. Macy	...	Milton Arbogast
Robert Forster	...	Dr. Fred Simon
Philip Baker Hall	...	Sheriff Al Chambers
Anne Haney	...	Mrs. Eliza Chambers
Chad Everett	...	Tom Cassidy
Rance Howard	...	Mr. Lowery
Rita Wilson	...	Caroline
James Remar	...	Patrolman
James LeGros	...	Charlie the Car Dealer
Steven Clark Pachosa	...	Police Guard
O.B. Babbs	...	Mechanic
Flea	...	Bob Summerfield
Marjorie Lovett	...	Woman Customer
Ryan Cutrona	...	Chief of Police
Ken Jenkins	...	District Attorney
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Roy Brocksmith	...	Man in Cowboy Hat outside Realty Office (uncredited)
Gus Van Sant	...	Man Talking to Man in Cowboy Hat (uncredited)

Directed by
Gus Van Sant

Writing credits (WGA)
Robert Bloch		(novel)
Joseph Stefano		(screenplay)

Produced by
Brian Grazer	....	producer
Gus Van Sant	....	producer
James Whitaker	....	associate producer
Dany Wolf	....	executive producer

Cinematography by
Christopher Doyle

Film Editing by
Amy E. Duddleston

Casting by
Howard Feuer

Production Design by
Tom Foden

Art Direction by
Carlos Barbosa

Set Decoration by
Rosemary Brandenburg

Costume Design by
Beatrix Aruna Pasztor

Makeup Department
Lana Heying	....	hair stylist
Clayton Martinez	....	makeup effects lab technician
Gina Monaci	....	makeup artist
Matthew W. Mungle	....	special makeup effects artist (as Matthew Mungle)
Sylvia Nava	....	hair depatment supervisor: Rick Baker/Cinovation
Elaine L. Offers	....	makeup department head
Nadege Schoenfeld	....	body makeup artist
Edward St. George	....	hair stylist: Ms. Moore
Candy L. Walken	....	hair department head
Chad Waters	....	special makeup effects artist
Clinton Wayne	....	prosthetic technician (uncredited)

Production Management
Buddy Enright	....	unit production manager
Robert Hackl	....	post-production supervisor
Dany Wolf	....	unit production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Hans Berggren	....	second second assistant director
Bruce Franklin	....	first assistant director
Conte Matal	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Richard J. Bayard	....	construction coordinator
Tim Beach	....	set designer
Cliff Bergman	....	construction foreman
Kelly Berry	....	set dresser
Mauro Borrelli	....	illustrator
Jo Brown	....	scenic
Bill Cancienne	....	prop assistant
Gary Clause	....	propmaker foreman
Kristen Davis	....	set designer
Steven E. Fegley	....	propmaker foreman
Jim Feldman	....	production illustrator
Adeline Flores-Bayard	....	labor foreman
Kris Fuller	....	set dresser
Claudia Gilligan Ivanjack	....	paint foreman
Tom Ivanjack	....	lead paint foreman
Patrick Kim	....	art department production assistant
Nicole Koenigsberger	....	set designer
David Ladish	....	set dresser
Steven Ladish	....	set dresser
Holiday Landa	....	art department production assistant
Willard Livingston	....	propmaker foreman
John Loughlin	....	set production assistant
Amie McCarthy	....	property master (as Amie McCarthy-Winn)
Terry Nagel	....	propmaker foreman
Angi Neff	....	lead man
Errol C. Nofziger	....	stand-by painter
Rhonda Paynter	....	on-set dresser
Edward J. Protiva	....	set dresser
Glenn H. Roberts	....	set dresser
Bert Rodriguez	....	propmaker foreman
Victoria Ruskin	....	set designer (as G. Victoria Ruskin)
Lawrence Shepherd	....	propmaker foreman
Brett C. Smith	....	lead man
Jay Smith	....	set dresser
Roland Tantin	....	propmaker foreman
Michael Van Dyke	....	propmaker foreman
Walter Zieska	....	propmaker

Sound Department
Peter Appleton	....	adr supervisor
Kelley Baker	....	sound designer
Kelley Baker	....	supervising sound editor
Patrick Carew	....	apprentice sound editor
Chris Carpenter	....	sound re-recording mixer
David A. Cohen	....	dialogue editor
Ben Conrad	....	foley recordist
Steve Fontano	....	foley mixer
Michael 'Gonzo' Gandsey	....	sound editor (as Michael Gandsey)
Alan Holly	....	adr mixer
Wayne Horvitz	....	additional sound designer
Robert Jackson	....	boom operator
Ron Judkins	....	sound mixer
Doc Kane	....	adr mixer
Rick Kline	....	sound re-recording mixer
Marnie Moore	....	foley artist
Richard Moore	....	sound editor
Aaron Olsen	....	assistant sound editor (as Aaron Olson)
Margie O'Malley	....	foley artist
Daniel Palin	....	location sound effects recordist
Jim Pasque	....	foley recordist
Frank Rinella	....	foley recordist
Leslie Shatz	....	sound re-recording mixer
Concha Solano	....	assistant sound editor
Patti Tauscher	....	foley editor
Patrick Winters	....	sound editor
Wayne Woods	....	sound editor (as W. Wayne Woods)
Bill Meadows	....	dubbing recordist (uncredited)

Special Effects by
Garnet Baril	....	special effects assistant
Erick Brennan	....	special effects coordinator
Charles Cooley	....	special effects technician
G. Peter King	....	special effects assistant
Mark Lilienthal	....	special effects assistant (as Mark R. Lilienthal)
F. Lee Stone	....	special effects assistant (as Lee Stone)
J.D. Streett	....	special effects foreman

Visual Effects by
Melanie Boettcher	....	visual effects production coordinator
Syd Dutton	....	special visual effects
Michael Flynn	....	rear projection engineer
Carolyn Garcia	....	visual effects production coordinator
Lynn Ledgerwood	....	special rigger
Fumi Mashimo	....	animator
Kelvin McIlwain	....	matte artist
Roberto Moreno	....	digital assistant
Kenneth Nakada	....	matte artist: Illusion Arts
Richard Patterson	....	digital supervisor
Catherine Sudolcan	....	visual effects producer
Bill Taylor	....	special visual effects
Mike Wassel	....	senior matte artist
David S. Williams Jr.	....	lead compositor

Stunts
Robin Lynn Bonaccorsi	....	stunt double: Anne Heche
Jack Carpenter	....	stunts
Mickey Giacomazzi	....	stunt coordinator
Stephanie Reaves	....	stunts

Camera and Electrical Department
Bob Anderson	....	best boy grip
Marek Bojsza	....	lighting technician
Brad Boyer	....	grip
Clyde E. Bryan	....	first assistant camera
Erik Butters	....	lamp operator
Tony Chiu	....	camera loader
Daniel Coscia	....	rigging grip
Chris Culliton	....	set lighting technician
David Devlin	....	gaffer
Jamie Franta	....	grip
Gerry Ganger	....	assistant camera: SpaceCam
Charley Gilleran	....	key rigging grip
Brad Gissell	....	grip
David Golia	....	camera operator: remote head camera
Ron Goodman	....	camera operator: SpaceCam
Alexander Griffiths	....	grip (as Pie Griffiths)
David Katz	....	video assist operator
Jim Kwiatkowski	....	executive grip
Josh Levy	....	video assist operator
Brian Lukas	....	rigging gaffer
Mathew Marden	....	rigging grip
Steve Owen	....	best boy rigging grip (as Steve C. Owen)
Larry J. Richardson	....	best boy electric
Suzanne Tenner	....	still photographer
Suzanne Trucks	....	second assistant camera (as Suzanne M. Trucks)
Joseph D. Urbanczyk	....	camera operator: re-shoots
Rick Uva	....	rigging grip (as Richard Uva)
Daniel Windels	....	electrician
Michael-Ryan Fletchall	....	crane technician (uncredited)

Casting Department
Meredith Tucker	....	casting associate
Dixie Webster	....	extras casting

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Frank Helmer	....	set costumer (as Frank C. Helmer)
Cookie Lopez	....	key costumer
Vanessa Vogel	....	costume supervisor

Editorial Department
Phillip J. Bartell	....	assistant editor
Gary Burritt	....	negative cutter
Helen Hand	....	assistant editor
Bill Lilje III	....	apprentice editor
Bob McMillian	....	color timer

Music Department
Steve Bartek	....	conductor
Steve Bartek	....	music producer
Steve Bartek	....	orchestrator
Julian Bratolyubov	....	music preparation
Brent Brooks	....	music editor
Debbi Datz-Pyle	....	music contractor
Danny Elfman	....	music adaptor
Danny Elfman	....	music producer
Danny Elfman	....	music supervisor
Kenneth Karman	....	supervising music editor
Marc Mann	....	score preparation: MIDI
Shawn Murphy	....	music recordist
Shawn Murphy	....	score mixer
John Rodd	....	orchestral scoring recordist
Patti Zimmitti	....	music contractor

Transportation Department
Victor Anderson	....	transportation coordinator
Paul Jones	....	driver

Other crew
Guy Adan	....	unit publicist
Sherif Ahmed	....	stand-in
Ben Alexander	....	assistant to director
Cathy Andrade	....	construction accountant
Saul Bass	....	title designer
Aloura Melissa Charles	....	production office assistant (as Aloura Charles)
Kristin Claiborne	....	assistant production coordinator
Paul Conkling	....	stand-in
Jeff Crandell	....	location manager
Tara Ann Culp	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Gregory Dunigan	....	assistant production office coordinator: re-shoots
Timothy Falconer	....	assistant location manager (as Tim Falconer)
Pablo Ferro	....	title designer (final cut)
Michael Flynn	....	rear projectionist
Russ Gething	....	stand-in
Jane Goldsmith	....	script supervisor
Noelle Green	....	production coordinator (as Noelle Chapin)
Rick Halpern	....	production office assistant
Jay Hernandez	....	assistant: Dany Wolf
Jon Joseph	....	assistant: Mr. Wolf
Vince Lamarche	....	fly wrangler (as Vince LaMarche)
Rose Marie	....	adr voice
Peter McKernan	....	helicopter pilot (as Peter McKernan Jr.)
Peter McKernan Sr.	....	safety pilot
Karen P. Morris	....	first assistant production accountant
Jenni Muro	....	production office assistant
Jennifer Muro	....	production office assistant
Julius 'Butch' Naveira	....	payroll accountant
Glenn Nicol	....	production accountant
Andrea Nunn	....	stand-in
John Polyhar	....	production office assistant
Burton Sharp	....	adr group coordinator
Talley Singer	....	production secretary (as Taylor Singer)
Hallie Singleton	....	stand-in
Lindsay Sloane	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Phil Smith	....	bird wrangler
Dan Sullivan	....	assistant: Mr. Grazer
Jules Sylvester	....	spider wrangler
George L. Tarrant Jr.	....	production assistant
Mark H. Weingartner	....	rear projection supervisor
Mark Chambers	....	production safety (uncredited)
Tommaso Rossellini	....	presenter (uncredited)

Thanks
Patricia Hitchcock	....	special thanks (as Pat Hitchcock)
John Woo	....	special thanks

Production Companies

• Universal Pictures (presents)
• Imagine Entertainment

Distributors

• Universal Pictures (1998) (USA) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1998-1999) (non-USA) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1999) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Germany) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Spain) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Finland) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (France) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (UK) (theatrical)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Japan) (theatrical) (Far East)
• United International Pictures (UIP) (1999) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Argentina Video Home (2009) (Argentina) (DVD)
• Argentina Video Home (????) (Argentina) (VHS)
• CIC-Taft Home Video (????) (Australia) (VHS)
• Egmont Entertainment (2000) (Finland) (DVD)
• Finnkino (1999) (Finland) (VHS)
• Nelonen (2002) (2003) (Finland) (TV)
• Universal Pictures Benelux (2002) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Universal Pictures Finland Oy (2002) (2005) (Finland) (DVD)

Special Effects

• Hammerhead Productions (visual effects) (uncredited)
• Illusion Arts (special visual effects)

Other Companies

• 20th Century Fox Studios  score recorded at (as 20th Century Fox)
• Cinema Research  titles and opticals (as Cinema Research Corporation)
• DeLuxe Laboratories  color
• Geffen Records  soundtrack
• Panavision  cameras and lenses
• Phoenix Film Office  special thanks
• The Estate of Alfred Hitchcock  special thanks
• Universal Studios Sound Facilities  sound re-recorded at (as Universal Studios Sound Facility)

Also Known As:

Psicosis (Argentina) (Spain) [es]
Psicose (Brazil) [pt]
Psycho (Italy) [it]
Psycho (Germany) [de]
Psycho (France) [fr]
Psychose (Canada: French title) [fr]
Psyho (Greece) [el]
Psyko 1999 (Finland) (TV title) [fi]
Sapik (Turkey: Turkish title) [tr]

MPAA:

Rated R for violence and sexuality/nudity.

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital | DTS | SDDS

Certification:

Singapore:NC-16 (uncut) | Iceland:16 | Philippines:PG-13 | Brazil:14 | Netherlands:12 | Netherlands:16 (DVD rating) | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Canada:14A | Finland:K-14 | France:-12 | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:VM14 | Norway:15 | Portugal:M/12 | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R | Singapore:PG (censored version)

Filming Locations:

Gorman, California, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

Director Cameo: [Gus Van Sant]talking to someone looking just like Alfred Hitchcock, in the beginning of the movie when Marion Crane enters the office after her lunch break. In the original version of Psycho (1960), Hitchcock had a cameo in the same scene.

Goofs:

Continuity: As Marion collapses and slides down against the shower wall after being stabbed, she leaves a streak of blood from a wound on her back. When Norman returns to the bathroom with the mop and bucket, there is no blood on the wall to wipe away because it was added by computer after filming.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Samuel 'Sam' Loomis: You never did eat your lunch, did you?
Marion Crane: I better get back to the office. These extended lunch hours give my boss excess acid.
Samuel 'Sam' Loomis: Why don't you call your boss and tell him you're taking the rest of the afternoon off? Its Friday, anyway - and hot.
Marion Crane: What do I do with my free afternoon? Walk you to the airport?

Movie Connections:

Referenced in The Back Lot Murders (2002) (V)

Soundtrack:

Put It On

Quite Possibly the Worst Film Ever

I know that the original Psycho was a classic and remaking it was a mistake, ESPECIALLY a shot-by-shot remake. I think that that has been more or less proven by the rest of the comments here. But there's far more wrong with this movie than just that.

The first problem is the color. The original film was shot in black and white but, what few people realize is, the original was shot AFTER color film had been invented. The choice of black and white film was partially a budget concern, but it was also a stylistic choice of Hitchcock's. Now, this is not to say that the remake should have been redone in black and white, but the colors of this movie are all too wrong. The most predominant colors in the film are orange and green, particularly on Marion who is not supposed to be a flashy character. The bright colors make it look like a happy movie and, when horrific events take place in these color schemes, it looks like a cartoon more than anything and the audience is inclined to laugh rather than scream.

The second problem is the lighting. This is a dark dark tale which should be highlighted by dim lighting, but this remake seemed not only to fail in this but seemed to go in the OPPOSITE direction. Most of the scenes are very brightly lit, even at times when it is illogical to do so because it's at NIGHT!

Another obvious problem is Vince Vaughn's performance. Yes, he does pull off Norman Bate's awkwardness and madness quite well, I don't deny him that. But there is one element to the character that he failed to show: the softness. There should be a certain deceptive friendliness to the character, at least at first, which then fades away once we realize the truth about him. Beyond being a character trait of Norman Bates, this is a recognized character trait of ALL PSYCHOPATHS!!!!

There are a few good aspects of this film. Some of the performances are great. As I said, Vince Vaughn came very close to pulling off a decent portrayal of Norman Bates. Viggo Mortensen and Juliane Moore were great together and their chemistry was very different from the characters in the original, which was a welcome change. Anne Heche may have been atrocious but, unlike Janet Leigh who was untruthfully advertised as one of the biggest stars of the film, Anne Heche was given last billing in the opening credits.

I read on the cover of a copy of the Psycho novel that Gus Van Sant claimed this was not a remake of the Hitchcock film but rather a new adaptation of the original novel. I now wish that I had bought that book and saved the comment because, after seeing this film, that comment is quite possibly the funniest thing I have ever seen. There was no attempt in this film to disguise the fact that it was a rip off of the original, and it would be far more believable if Van Sant had tried to tell us that he was really a three ton ape from the planet Zafroomulax. So many shots were copied exactly without any actual thought as to why Hitchcock had composed the original shot in that way. Such as the scene in which Sam and Lila are talking while their faces are entirely covered in shadow. Hitchcock covered these actors' faces in shadow because he thought they were bad actors and wanted to hide their faces so nobody could see their awful performances, not because of any artistic or stylistic purpose.

In other words, my review is about as pointless as the movie itself in that it replicates something that's already been said. Like everyone else here, I reccommend you don't waste your time on this film and get the original.