Horror 101 - Episode XXXV: Psycho II (1983)

"The Bates Motel Is Back In Business!"

On this 35th episode of Horror 101 we feature one of the best crafted horror sequels that came out of the 80s. Psycho II is a Richard Franklin film, written by Tom Holland. Starring Anthony Perkins, Meg Tilly, Vera Miles and Robert Loggia. 22 years after the events of Hitchcock's original Psycho Norman Bates is deemed mentally rehabilitated and released. Soon after returning to the motel Norman begins to receive notes and phone calls from his dead mother. Either he is being haunted or someone is deliberately pushing him back into insanity. All the while an unknown assailant is murdering people on the property dressed up like the Old Lady. This film is a tragic tale filled with suspense, gore and revenge. The Jerry Goldsmith score is perfectly written. Join us as our Hitchcock aficionado, The World Famous Brian Stewart watches this for the first time and get his take on a film that he has willfully ignored for three decades. We'll talk about the new Bates Motel show currently on A&E and which elements have carried over from the original story. It's another 35 minutes of Horror podcasting done in our Horror 101 style with soundtrack music and audio clips from the scenes we discuss. Don't miss it!!

Show Highlights:

1:00 The Psycho Stalemate...

3:25 Brian's 60 second insight on Psycho (watch the clock)

5:13 Bates Motel on A&E (the contemporary prequel)

8:10 Norman Bates released (and not everyone is happy about it)

10:20 Returning to the house...

12:00 Enter Mary...played by Meg Tilly

16:20 "My mother is dead..."

19:00 "Don't let them take me..."

20:45 Sex and drugs in the Bates House? Time for death...

22:35 The mad woman in the attic (repressing trauma)

23:30 The Doctor drops a bomb...

25:15 The consequences of fucking with a deranged mind...

26:40 NOT spoiling the ending...(the last 20 minutes will rock you)

31:45 Scoring the film and final thoughts...

33:50 Conclusion...