Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #16760 in DVD
• Released on: 1999-06-08
• Rating: R (Restricted)
• Aspect ratio: 1.85:1
• Formats: Anamorphic, Closed-captioned, Collector's Edition, Color, Dolby, DVD-Video, Widescreen, NTSC
• Original language: English, French
• Subtitled in: English
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 104 minutes

Amazon.com
Numerous critics had already sharpened their knives even before Gus Van Sant's shot-for-shot color "re-creation" of the 1960 black-and-white Hitchcock classic was released, chiding the Good Will Hunting director for defiling hallowed ground. This intriguing cinematic curiosity, though, is hardly as sacrilegious as critics would lead you to believe. If anything, Van Sant doesn't take enough liberties with his almost slavish devotion to the material, now updated with modern references. At times, you wish Van Sant would cut loose with a little spontaneity, a little energy, a little something. Unfortunately, when he does venture outside Hitchcock's parameters, with inserted shots of storm clouds during the murder sequences, it's to little effect. Granted, he liberally splashes color throughout the film (especially in the case of the infamous shower scene), and this is a great-looking movie, but in his obsession with adding a new physical dimension to the film, there's little insight into these characters that Hitchcock hadn't already provided. Vince Vaughn, a robotic and giggly Norman, doesn't crawl under your skin the way boy-next-door Anthony Perkins did, and Anne Heche is admirable if not very sympathetic in the Janet Leigh role. Van Sant does score a minor coup, though, in his casting of the supporting roles: Julianne Moore provides a welcome shot of energy as Heche's irritable and curious sister, William H. Macy is a perfect small-time detective, Viggo Mortensen is studly enough to make you understand why Heche would want to run away with him, and James LeGros walks away with his one brief scene as a used car salesman. And Danny Elfman's gorgeous rerecording of Bernard Herrmann's score is a potent supporting character unto itself. Students and fans of the original film will get a kick out of the modern revisions, but don't expect anything of Hitchcockian caliber; watch it for the sum of its intriguing parts, but not the whole. --Mark Englehart

From The New Yorker
If the original did not exist, would this picture be worth seeing? Sure, but it's doubtful that Gus Van Sant's scrupulous color reproduction would inspire much of a buzz. The famous murder sequences (the shower and the staircase) still work, but the triumphs belong more to the original storyboarding-and the moviegoer's memory of dread-than to Van Sant's small, lurid contributions. Anne Heche and Vince Vaughn try a bit too hard to bring fresh nuances to their iconic characters, but Julianne Moore, Viggo Mortensen, and especially William H. Macy allow the audience it set aside its comparisons and enjoy the clever narrative. -Ken Marks
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Customer Reviews

Not terrible, but not the same either.
I'm not sure why anyone would pick this one up and pop it in the DVD player when they can just pop the original one in instead. The original is a great classic that will forever sit on top ten lists everywhere as the most chilling work of art ever created for the silver screen. This one is only tepid in comparison, and that's where the interest lies if anything, and that's too watch an update scene for scene, shot for shot movie, minus the suspense and minus the dread. This one is just "blah". Julianne Moore and William Macy manage to spice it up a bit when they finally show up about half way through, but Vince Vaughan and Anne Heche can barely claw their way out of this one trying to match the incredible performances from the original. They're better than acceptable actors, but these aren't performances that can be repeated and that was the big mistake in trying to create an exact remake of the original. They manage to get away with it in this one, but it leaves you with a bad taste in your mouth.

WHY ON EARTH? WHAT ON EARTH....?
Patricia Hitchcock said her director dad Alfred insisted that "Psycho" be filmed inexpensivly and in Black and White (because in color it would be too "gory.) Well, Gus Van Sant did a shot for shot, line for line "color" remake. In Color, it is not gory, it is--MUCH WORSE-- absolutely pointless. Hitchcock's B&W "Psycho" is an engrossing, twisted, deeply disturbing masterpiece. Van Sant's remake is disturbing for entirely different reasons. You'll wonder (if you watch the entire film), "Why on earth would anybody remake this (and in color)? What on earth made ANYBODY involved want to do this? This "Psycho" is a HUGE MISTAKE that Vince Vaughn has been forgiven for. Van Sant shouldn't never be "let off" so easily and generously. NO DEFENSE FOR THIS!!!!! I only gave this One Star because you have to give a product AT LEAST one star on Amazon. This travesty deserves ZERO STARS. NO STARS!!! NO DEFENSE FOR THIS MOVIE!!!!!!

One of the worst ideas of all time...
It must have sounded like a good idea; right? One of the most beloved horror movies of all time, directed by one of the most beloved directors of all time; redirected by one of the most controversial directors of our time and staring a slew of rising stars. It must have sounded like a really good idea; right?

I have a question.

HOW DOES THAT SOUND LIKE A GOOD IDEA?

This is really the equivalent of Baz Luhrmann waltzing up to Nicole Kidman and Hugh Jackman and proposing they remake `Gone with the Wind' (ouch, I think he already did that). Seriously though, you can't possibly tell me that this sounds like a good idea, especially in the eternally shaky hands of Gus Van Sant, a director whose controversial style has only resulted in brief flares of genius. Couple that with the fact that his cast is far less than brilliant, and the fact that his decision to shoot the film frame for frame, word for word only proved to disable his own unique style and you have a film that falls far short of the brilliance that was Hitchcock's original.

I'm not even going to bother with a film synopsis, for if you don't know what this movie is about then really, I mean, seriously...

The acting is decent in parts, horrid in others. Anne Heche is actually the best part of this movie, and she gets killed off before the half way mark (duh). She actually captured a little bit of what Janet Leigh brought to the table. Vince Vaughn may be the films biggest downfall (well, that honor belongs to Gus Van Sant) for he merely phones his way through what may possibly be one of the most chilling creations of all time. Anthony Perkins was Oscar worthy as Norman Bates; Vince Vaughn should have been nominated for a Razzie. He tries way too hard to be `creepy' instead of playing the normal guy who is unwittingly creepy. The rest of the performances are decent enough, Moore stealing the show in my opinion, but not really doing enough to write home about.

The film has really no redeeming factor. The biggest mistake (aside from remaking it in the first place) was remaking it in color. The rich black and white tones Hitchcock used only added to the eeriness of the film as a whole. Making the film a color production took so much away from this mood. I remember the scene in the original, where Bates is having Marion over to dinner. The scene was just so spine chilling. Here, in the light, with color splashed everywhere, the scene is merely annoying.

I'd stay away from this film, especially if you are a fan of the original. If you have yet to see either, take my word for it (please) and skip this mess for Hitchcock's gem. If you are not a fan of Hitchcock's masterpiece then quite frankly; why are you interested in seeing this slop; and lastly, if you hated Hitchcock's but loved this mess then, well, seriously...