Review of Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990) by Shaun B — 07 Dec 2007

If you thought that the psychiatrist's explanation of Norman's mental problems at the end of 'Psycho' was a little on the short side, then you should enjoy this: it's the whole tale, padded out with a framing story in which Norman (Anthony Perkins, reprising his famous role for the last time), worried that he's about to kill again, calls a radio station and proceeds to explain exactly how he became the man he is today.

This TV movie wisely ignores the events of the crummy 'Bates Motel' but, despite the input of 'Psycho' screenwriter Joseph Stefano, inspiration has long since departed and this soon turns into a dull hack-em-up, with none of the artistry of Hitchcock's film or even the previous sequels.

The plot veers into dumb horror territory by the end, and there's no escaping the atmosphere of utter redundancy that hangs over the entire thing. Henry 'E.T.' Thomas is effective, though, as the young Norman, and Olivia Hussey isn't bad as his pre-corpse mother.