by Spencer Hawken

Created on: November 08, 2008

It's not very often that a movie sequel succeeds; it's even rarer that a movie sequel succeeds when there have been several years between them. Realistically movies with more than five years gap between the predecessor and it are usually destined to fail, but imagine a movie that has a sequel crop up so many years later, that to some the original is a forgotten product. While many hail Psycho as a true classic, it's very much a case of true fact that its high acclaim is owed to its sequels, without these the power of Psycho would be lost. Psycho II is a true classic movie, for not only is it a true success story in the occasional world of sequels, it's one of the only movies to have such a long gap between chapters, in this case 23 years. It was only after the release of Psycho II, that the original reached the eyes of a new generation.

For those of you deprived of seeing the original Psycho, the story follows Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) a naive and sheltered young man by cowering in fear from his possessive mother. But this was far from a normal mother and son relationship, especially when his mother has been dead for some time. After years of abuse and bullying, Norman had become mentally ill and at the end of the original movie Norman was sent to an asylum having been found guilty (my means of insanity) of murdering seven people.

It's now 1983, and after 22 years in prison (although 23 years between movies) Dr Bill Raymond (Robert Loggia) has proposed that Norman be released having served good time for his crimes. Lila Loomis (Vera Miles reprising her role from the original) sees things a little differently, her sister Marion was murdered by Norman, and she thinks the idea of releasing Norman is terrible. Norman has learned from his crimes, and so desperately wants to get on with his life managing the motel he used to run with his mother; but nobody is keen to allow this none more so than Lila. Luckily for Norman, he strikes up a friendship with Mary but is this all it appears to be on the surface. After an argument with his motel manager, and a savage murder in the basement it seems Norman's mother is coming back, but is all as it seems?

Psycho II takes a very clear nod from the 1964 Joan Crawford movie Straight Jacket, but allowing its similar story the decency of a fair conclusion and without the addition of Crawford's abysmal acting. But there is a magic far beyond Psycho's thriller exterior, here you have Norman Bates bought to life deliciously by Anthony

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