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Post by JudgeJuryDredd on Jun 30, 2021 1:22:44 GMT
I saw the original in 1960. The audience reacted in two ways: deathly quiet after the shower scene and screaming themselves hoarse when Mother showed up. Watched the 1998 version on tv, just out of curiosity. A pure vanity project. Did Van Sant actually think he was going to improve on Hitchcock? It was another one of Gus Van Sant's experimental films. He wanted to make a remake that was literally shot for shot, because it hadn't been done before. “Then I had to make the decision whether I really wanted to do it, and I was talking to Danny Elfman who I wanted to do the score, because he was so good at doing Bernard Hermann-style scores. He said, ‘You know they’ll kill you if you make this,’ he knew. And I said, ‘Who will kill me?’ and he said, ‘Everyone. The critics. Everybody that loves Psycho will kill you,’ and I said, ‘Yeah but Danny this is an experiment, this is not about who’s gonna get killed. This is about just doing it.’ And I thought, ‘It doesn’t matter if they kill me,’ and then later when I got killed it hurt.” You have to give him credit, what director decides to do a shot-for-shot remake of a Hitchcock favorite and understands the risk factor on their career, I don't think Van Sant really climbed back into the mainstream in a big way till Milk.
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 30, 2021 1:30:33 GMT
It was another one of Gus Van Sant's experimental films. He wanted to make a remake that was literally shot for shot, because it hadn't been done before. “Then I had to make the decision whether I really wanted to do it, and I was talking to Danny Elfman who I wanted to do the score, because he was so good at doing Bernard Hermann-style scores. He said, ‘You know they’ll kill you if you make this,’ he knew. And I said, ‘Who will kill me?’ and he said, ‘Everyone. The critics. Everybody that loves Psycho will kill you,’ and I said, ‘Yeah but Danny this is an experiment, this is not about who’s gonna get killed. This is about just doing it.’ And I thought, ‘It doesn’t matter if they kill me,’ and then later when I got killed it hurt.” You have to give him credit, what director decides to do a shot-for-shot remake of a Hitchcock favorite and understands the risk factor on their career, I don't think Van Sant really climbed back into the mainstream in a big way till Milk. He was never very mainstream in the first place though and I think he prefers making more Indie movies. He followed Psycho up with Finding Forrester btw, which is mainstream and one of his best movies imo.
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Post by darkreviewer2013 on Jun 30, 2021 8:13:25 GMT
The 1960 version of course. It's 1983 sequel is also excellent, albeit with a very different focus.
The 1998 version is soulless.
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Post by ck100 on Jun 30, 2021 8:40:58 GMT
Tarantino has also said he prefers Psycho II over the original. legacy.aintitcool.com/node/21242"At this point Quentin began to talk about the first film of the marathon, PSYCHO II. “I’ve always been a big fan of PSYCHO II and a huge fan of the director, Richard Franklin who did ROAD GAMES and PATRICK before this. Those films are why Universal brought him over to do PSYCHO 2 which was a very big deal.” “Also, I feel that PSYCHO 2 has the very best performance by Anthony Perkins of all time. I completely care about Norman Bates in this thing and that’s fucked up. I remember at the time with friends saying if they’d just fucking left him alone he’d been ok, Alright? If that fucking Vera Miles bitch had just left him alone, he’d been fine! He was really trying to be good, and they all got what they fucking deserved!” He then went on to talk about Meg Tilly and how this was right before her BIG CHILL blow up, and I’d just like to formally put out there… WHERE THE FUCK ARE YOU MEG TILLY??? We want you back on film again! My God – she’s just so fucking good in this movie, and did I say HOT! She’s just scrumdiddliumptious! Oh wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Quentin told us that Vera Miles is back and she’s a fucking bitch. “A friend of mine pointed out, and I’m not spoiling this, it’s been out forever, but when Vera Miles is stabbed in the mouth, this friend of mine was like, ‘But she’s a Fucking Big Mouth,’” Quentin begins laughing. He then went back to Norman Bates saying that his fall was kinda heartbreaking, cuz Perkins really convincingly shows he’s making the effort. Then he told us to watch Dennis Franz in this. That this was prior to his NYPD BLUE days, back when he was essentially that guy showing up in all the Brian DePalma movies. Quentin, unable to escape the deliciousness of Norman Bates and Anthony Perkins’ performance, tells us that PSYCHO 2 has one of the all time great line readings in history. He couldn’t remember the exact line, it is more around the reading of a word, so he made up a sentence. Perkins and Meg are sitting down for a sandwich and Bates asks if she’d like some “Cutlery”, and he said that that line reading trumps all the Hitchcock shit right there." |
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Post by wmcclain on Jun 30, 2021 11:20:47 GMT
I saw the remake and listened to the DVD commentary track with director and cast; everyone was enthusiastic about the film.
Did Van Sant say that younger people needed color to get into a film? I forget.
I was willing to try to engage the remake on its own merits, but one thing kept pulling me away: the Bernard Herrmann score. More than mentally comparing old and new visual composition (and acting!), hearing exactly the same music irresistably pulled me out of the remake and back to the original. He should have rescored it.
Or done a puppet version.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Jun 30, 2021 21:38:02 GMT
I liked the remake for the experiment it was. It's unfair to compare them as it was never going to top the original and wasn't meant to. It's almost like comparing 24 Hour Psycho to Psycho. Look at it as a "companion piece". |
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 30, 2021 21:39:38 GMT
I liked the remake for the experiment it was. It's unfair to compare them as it was never going to top the original and wasn't meant to. It's almost like comparing 24 Hour Psycho to Psycho. It is never unfair to compare any movie imo.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Jun 30, 2021 21:44:42 GMT
I liked the remake for the experiment it was. It's unfair to compare them as it was never going to top the original and wasn't meant to. It's almost like comparing 24 Hour Psycho to Psycho. It is never unfair to compare any movie imo. Well true. I guess what I meant was, I personally wouldn't compare them the same way I'd compare a more "traditional" remake of a "classic" film to the original. Obviously people can judge it however they like and most casual viewers won't get much from this particular "experiment".
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 30, 2021 21:56:26 GMT
It is never unfair to compare any movie imo. Well true. I guess what I meant was, I personally wouldn't compare them the same way I'd compare a more "traditional" remake of a "classic" film to the original. Obviously people can judge it however they like and most casual viewers won't get much from this particular "experiment". How many people would even know it was an "experiment" unless they read what Gus Van Sant's intention was? It being an experiment still doesn't make it good and it doesn't make it any less a waste of resources and a waste of my time.
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Post by marth on Jun 30, 2021 22:02:24 GMT
1960 9/10 (because, between other things, Anthony Perkins is great as Norman Bates)
1998 3/10 (because Vince Vaughn is a terrible Norman Bates)
Psycho II, a solid 7,50/10
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 30, 2021 22:11:32 GMT
1960 9/10 (because, between other things, Anthony Perkins is great as Norman Bates) 1998 3/10 (because Vince Vaughn is a terrible Norman Bates) Psycho II, a solid 7,50/10 I would be kinder to the remake if it had a more convincing lead performance and this is the problem with replacing such a perfect iconic performance. The remake also has some big WTF was Van Sant thinking moments, such as the masturbation scene and the few cuts to nonsense. Like when Macy falls down the stairs and it randomly cuts to a cow.
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Post by ck100 on Jun 30, 2021 22:14:24 GMT
I would be kinder to the remake if it had a more convincing lead performance and this is the problem with replacing such a perfect iconic performance. The remake also has some big WTF was Van Sant thinking moments, such as the masturbation scene and the few cuts to nonsense. Like when Macy falls down the stairs and it randomly cuts to a goat or something like that. Vince Vaughn is miscast and those random cuts, like during the shower scene, are so ridiculous that I almost want to laugh at them. Not exactly the reaction I should have to such a scene.
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Post by wmcclain on Jun 30, 2021 22:17:13 GMT
I see a new genre... experimental PSYCHO.
Lego Psycho
claymation Psycho
supermarionette Psycho
Harryhausen Dynamation Psycho
found footage Psycho (from the new security cams at the Bates Motel)
shakey-cam Psycho
gender flipping Psycho (clerk Marion stabs Norman in the shower)
mashup Psycho (with...)
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 30, 2021 22:17:19 GMT
I would be kinder to the remake if it had a more convincing lead performance and this is the problem with replacing such a perfect iconic performance. The remake also has some big WTF was Van Sant thinking moments, such as the masturbation scene and the few cuts to nonsense. Like when Macy falls down the stairs and it randomly cuts to a goat or something like that. Vince Vaughn is miscast and those random cuts, like during the shower scene, are so ridiculous that I almost want to laugh at them. Not exactly the reaction I should have to such a scene. I think Van Sant was trying to make it feel like random death thoughts, but instead it is just laughable and completely unnecessary, kind of like the movie itself.
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mgmarshall
Junior Member
@mgmarshall
Posts: 2,174
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Post by mgmarshall on Jun 30, 2021 22:21:30 GMT
1960 9/10 (because, between other things, Anthony Perkins is great as Norman Bates) 1998 3/10 (because Vince Vaughn is a terrible Norman Bates) Psycho II, a solid 7,50/10 The remake sucks, but I will give this to Vince Vaughn- he does nail that final stare...
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Post by ck100 on Jun 30, 2021 22:23:55 GMT
I think Van Sant was trying to make it feel like random death thoughts, but instead it is just laughable and completely unnecessary, kind of like the movie itself. Yeah, I think most people would feel that if you were being brutally stabbed to death you wouldn't be thinking of cows or goats standing in a road just before you die.
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Post by jcush on Jun 30, 2021 22:24:33 GMT
1960 9/10 (because, between other things, Anthony Perkins is great as Norman Bates) 1998 3/10 (because Vince Vaughn is a terrible Norman Bates) Psycho II, a solid 7,50/10 I would be kinder to the remake if it had a more convincing lead performance and this is the problem with replacing such a perfect iconic performance. The remake also has some big WTF was Van Sant thinking moments, such as the masturbation scene and the few cuts to nonsense. Like when Macy falls down the stairs and it randomly cuts to a goat or something like that. Did you read the comments on that video? Somebody said "So Arbogast was fantasizing about a Nine Inch Nails music video and the movie Twister as he died?" 
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 30, 2021 22:25:11 GMT
I would be kinder to the remake if it had a more convincing lead performance and this is the problem with replacing such a perfect iconic performance. The remake sucks, but I will give this to Vince Vaughn- he does nail that final stare... Yeah, I don't have an issue with his acting during that scene. The problem is more than his acting though, it is his presence. He looks like a creep. At the end of the original there is still this innocence to him where we feel pity and part of that is because Perkins is so harmless looking.
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Post by moviemouth on Jun 30, 2021 22:27:26 GMT
I would be kinder to the remake if it had a more convincing lead performance and this is the problem with replacing such a perfect iconic performance. The remake also has some big WTF was Van Sant thinking moments, such as the masturbation scene and the few cuts to nonsense. Like when Macy falls down the stairs and it randomly cuts to a goat or something like that. Did you read the comments on that video? Somebody said "So Arbogast was fantasizing about a Nine Inch Nails music video and the movie Twister as he died?" You made my day with the Youtube comments. I didn't read them, but that is so on point. The first image looks like it was ripped from an alternative rock music video. I would have went with Marilyn Manson though. The Twister one is funny too.
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Post by Fox in the Snow on Jun 30, 2021 22:46:58 GMT
Well true. I guess what I meant was, I personally wouldn't compare them the same way I'd compare a more "traditional" remake of a "classic" film to the original. Obviously people can judge it however they like and most casual viewers won't get much from this particular "experiment". How many people would even know it was an "experiment" unless they read what Gus Van Sant's intention was? It being an experiment still doesn't make it good and it doesn't make it any less a waste of resources and a waste of my time. Admittedly not many, I sort of implied that. Like yourself or anyone else, I can only judge it based on what I got out out of it.
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