La Zona Muerta

PSYCHO II is a terrible movie.

Okay, perhaps that’s a bit hyperbolic. It’s NOT terrible; it’s a bit incompetent, the reach of the director exceeds his grasp… but it’s not terrible. Tony Perkins isn’t awful in it (Meg Tilly IS awful, but she was also just a kid. I think this was her first big role); if anything, he’s just fine. The premise (Norman Bates is freed from prison having served twenty years after being declared “legally sane,” and is hounded by a busybody related to the initial murders when he moves back to town to take over the Bates Motel) isn’t necessarily awful, either… but man, the execution. There are unsympathetic cops (who turn face at the end), shenanigans at a diner, a ridiculous, comedy-like climax involving people falling on a knife repeatedly and a truly groan-inducing swerve involving Norman’s mother to take you home.

Feh.

Of course, it is probably better than the third PSYCHO, the fourth one (sigh), the couple of attempts at Bates Hotel pilots or that god awful Gus Van Sant / Vince Vaughn remake, but those aren’t exactly high bars to clear.

We watched PSYCHO II the other night (amongst some other also rans) with the aid of RiffTrax, which probably helped a bit, and it’s not like the movie is completely unwatchable… it’s just deeply unnecessary, being a sequel to one of the great suspense films of our time. Like, just a suicide mission, right? If you like this flick for some reason, apologies… but this just ultimately felt like a BIG misfire, a silly way to reset the building blocks. I understand it was produced somewhat as a counterpoint to Robert Bloch’s PSYCHO II novel, which admittedly I have never read, but that is apparently a more broad parody type situation, an indictment of slasher films and not really anything like this film.

A funny thing; this movie does not appear to be loathed or anything, especially looking around at critical reactions at the time. There were some reactions citing SACRILEGE and the like, which are to be expected, of course, but it seems a majority of people found this to be at least okay. Such is life, I guess.

So anyway, the reason I even bring any of this up is largely the brightest spot in the film; the sweaty, disheveled performance of one Dennis Franz as the new Bates Hotel caretaker Warren Toomey, a man who gleefully turns the infamous hotel into an hourly rates no tell motel, a guy who chases the kids making out in the basement out unless they split some booze or dope with him, a guy who screams in the face of the owner when his job is revoked.

What a TREASURE Franz is. I’m stunned he wasn’t forever typecast into this type of role. There’s a reason he depicted Homer Simpson in “Portrait of an Ass Grabber,” after all.

The performance is so despicable, so disgusting, that of course it babyfaces Norman Bates instantly, so much so that you wish Norman would revert to his former ways and introduce Toomey to the shower, Vivian Leigh-style. In the end of the first act, Toomey keeps trying to goad Bates into serial killer action (literally calling Norman a PSYCHO. Yes, that happens in this film… hell, I believe it happens TWICE) and he finally gets killed by someone wearing a dress in the style of Norman’s mother.

Oops.

At any rate, my wife was smitten by the sleazy Toomey and Franz’ performance as same as we howled at Franz’ hammy antics, amplified greatly by Perkins’ mousy, unsupposing Norman. “Think you can draw him for me?” she asked. Not being PSYCHO myself, I took the challenge:

Not sure if I captured the sweaty desperation well enough but he looks pretty sleazy and slovenly, so all’s well.

Take it from me, though, if you NEED to watch an unnecessary sequel ,do it armored with RiffTrax or at least someone who will laugh with you at the really, REALLY dumb bits.