Psycho (1998)

[MifuneFan]

I think we found Gus Van Sant guys

[GeoffOliver]

Originally Posted by MifuneFan

I think we found Gus Van Sant guys

To be fair, Tarantino also prefers this film over the original for some reason.

[Vulture Lives]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

To be fair, Tarantino also prefers this film over the original for some reason.

Does he? I've heard him say that he prefers Psycho 2 over the original. Could you be getting it mixed up?

[GeoffOliver]

Originally Posted by Vulture Lives

Does he? I've heard him say that he prefers Psycho 2 over the original. Could you be getting it mixed up?

He prefers both according to this ancient article from Ain't It Cool news. He apparently thinks this film is "more real" than the original. To each his own.

[BluCollector13]

Originally Posted by Babu93

Everyone is perfectly entitled to prefer what version they like, but the acting in the remake is horrendous. And far "cheesier" than the original. And the special effects have dated terribly - the CGI blood and wounds in the shower scene and Arbogast's death look really bad.

The only thing I do like about the remake is the long opening helicopter shot through the city and into the hotel window. Hitchcock wanted a shot like this for the original, but the technology wasn't there.

I'd give props to Julianne Moore, at least. No offense to Vera Miles but there isn't anything really interesting about Lila Crane as a character until "Psycho II" when you see how far she'll go to keep Norman institutionalized. With Moore, despite the Walkman (which is a good go to joke between friends), there's little subtle nuances she brings to Lila that makes her a more interesting presence. And yes, saying "Julianne Moore is the best" is a cliche, but this is an instance where the cliche has merit to it.

[GaragePoet]

you know who else thinks all you haters are wrong?

[Show spoiler]

[Killer Meteor]

Originally Posted by BluCollector13

I'd give props to Julianne Moore, at least. No offense to Vera Miles but there isn't anything really interesting about Lila Crane as a character until "Psycho II" when you see how far she'll go to keep Norman institutionalized. With Moore, despite the Walkman (which is a good go to joke between friends), there's little subtle nuances she brings to Lila that makes her a more interesting presence. And yes, saying "Julianne Moore is the best" is a cliche, but this is an instance where the cliche has merit to it.

I wonder if Miles was supposed to be an elder spinster sister (unlike the book where she is the kid sister). Didn't Hitch have it in for her when she got pregnant instead of making Vertigo?

[BluCollector13]

Originally Posted by Killer Meteor

I wonder if Miles was supposed to be an elder spinster sister (unlike the book where she is the kid sister). Didn't Hitch have it in for her when she got pregnant instead of making Vertigo?

Very much so, something that Stephen Rebello goes into great analysis and explanation about in his "Making of 'Psycho'" text. Although I think she was supposed to be the kid sister in the Hitchcock version, too, as the way John Gavin refers to her in the opening is how you'd describe a younger sibling.

[KMR]

Originally Posted by Doctor Jack

Anne Heche is ridiculously talented? Argument is null and void with this statement.

Maybe "ridiculously talented" here means "Talent? Ridiculous!"

But seriously, although I don't remember much about her performance in this film, I generally do consider her to be a good actress.

But Vince Vaughn was totally miscast in this film. Whatever talent he may otherwise have, he was unable to compensate for that fact.

[Killer Meteor]

It's a shame Van Sant didn't make a fresh adaptation of the novel, with its own identity. There is still potential there.

[cannon1]

Originally Posted by Killer Meteor

It's a shame Van Sant didn't make a fresh adaptation of the novel, with its own identity. There is still potential there.

True, Van Sant is a marvelous director in his own right. Hitchcock's style isn't so easy to duplicate...there's more to it than meets the eye. Many have 'tried'...

[JackForrester]

Originally Posted by BluCollector13

With Moore, despite the Walkman

What was up with that walkman? It's like the prop department was going out of its way to show "this is Psycho in modern times", or maybe because the character was supposed to work in a music store? The only thing more cringeworthy was Norman's turtle neck
Also, what private detective living in 1998 would use a hat?

[BluCollector13]

Originally Posted by JackForrester

What was up with that walkman? It's like the prop department was going out of its way to show "this is Psycho in modern times", or maybe because the character was supposed to work in a music store? The only thing more cringeworthy was Norman's turtle neck
Also, what private detective living in 1998 would use a hat?

The Lila character worked at a record store in both the Hitchcock and Van Sant version. Guess Van Sant thought her grabbing her jacket was too old fashioned for Julianne Moore to say, but bring a Walkman to meet with the town sheriff to discuss missing people and potential murder suspects?

[cannon1]

Anthony Perkins' casting was to capitalize on his 'boy next door' quality at the time, which he had. Vince Vaughn seems crazy below the surface, not a 'boy next door'. Martin Balsam totally different than William H. Macy, who has an 'out there' quality that Balsam has none of. So major chemistry alterations by the re-casting.

[GeoffOliver]

Originally Posted by Killer Meteor

It's a shame Van Sant didn't make a fresh adaptation of the novel, with its own identity. There is still potential there.

Meh. I read the novel a few years ago, and was surprised at how faithful the Hitchcock film was. About the only major changes that I can remember were the setting (Texas in the novel), story order (a necessary change to preserve the twist), character names (like Marion being Mary), Marion’s death (she’s decapitated in the novel), Norman’s age and appearance (he’s a balding, overweight man in his 40s in the novel), and Lila being a younger sister. That’s literally all I remember.

[Killer Meteor]

Originally Posted by GeoffOliver

Meh. I read the novel a few years ago, and was surprised at how faithful the Hitchcock film was. About the only major changes that I can remember were the setting (Texas in the novel), story order (a necessary change to preserve the twist), character names (like Marion being Mary), Marion’s death (she’s decapitated in the novel), Norman’s age and appearance (he’s a balding, overweight man in his 40s in the novel), and Lila being a younger sister. That’s literally all I remember.

Yes, but a different music score at least!

[cannon1]

Originally Posted by Killer Meteor

Yes, but a different music score at least!

Interesting that Hitchcock had planned for the original to be 'scoreless', until Hermann persuaded him to watch it with the score he'd prepared

[Markgway]

Originally Posted by cannon1

Anthony Perkins' casting was to capitalize on his 'boy next door' quality at the time, which he had. Vince Vaughn seems crazy below the surface, not a 'boy next door'. Martin Balsam totally different than William H. Macy, who has an 'out there' quality that Balsam has none of. So major chemistry alterations by the re-casting.

Macy gave the one performance in the remake I liked.

[GaragePoet]

Originally Posted by Markgway

Macy gave the one performance in the remake I liked.

[Show spoiler]

[GeoffOliver]

Originally Posted by cannon1

Interesting that Hitchcock had planned for the original to be 'scoreless', until Hermann persuaded him to watch it with the score he'd prepared

I think that was just for the shower scene, which was originally planned to have no music until Hermann played Hitchcock his planned score for it.