Home :: DVD :: Mystery & Suspense  

Blackmail, Murder & Mayhem
British Mystery Theater
Classics
Crime
Detectives
Film Noir
General
Mystery
Mystery & Suspense Masters
Neo-Noir
Series & Sequels
Suspense
Thrillers
Psycho

Psycho

List Price: $12.98
Your Price: $11.68
Product Info Reviews

<< 1 .. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 .. 24 >>

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: An experiment, but for what?
Review: This movie is not bad, but just a shot-by-shot remake of the classic, in color, with a few shots more (in the shower scene).
It is 99% sure that anyone wants to make a psycho-clone will fail as PSYCHO itself is a true classic. So what's the point? To get money, to make a experiment, what is the director goint to achieve?
One thing for sure - Anthony Perkins is more creepier, Janet Leigh is more sexier. But Julianne Moore may be more adorable.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Yet Another Complaint...
Review: There are so many astonishing reasons to loathe this movie (whether you call it a "remake" or not), that I surprised myself at remembering something nobody has mentioned...

The computer effects were *terrible* (!):

1) Watch for the water drops falling from the roof after the rainstorm stops. They didn't even bother to use real water!!! Obviously computerized droplets. Very fake looking and stupid.

2) During the shower scene, watch for the computer-generated wounds on Heche's back. They don't move when she moves. Horrible.

2) During the attack scene on the staircase, watch for the computer-generated slash on the detective's face (if you can concentrate after seeing the goofy "subliminal" inserts, that is). Also very obvious, and ridiculously fake.

--And as for non-computer-related DisHonorable Mentions:

3) Watch Vaughn go through the motions of BOTH masturbating (how nice) and then sort-of vomiting (after which he *swallows*, to be extra nauseating).

4) Subliminal thunderclouds? A cow? Some woman in a goofy getup? Were these totally random images supposed to be frightening, or just frighteningly stupid?

5) You also get one bare Heche boob, and a bare Heche butt to go with it (can anybody say "pander"? I'm surprised there wasn't a lesbian scene!).

6) Was Julian Moore supposed to look "hip"? Is that what we were supposed to think?

Van Sant and his crew should be congratulated on making the perfect representation of a thoroughly "modern" movie...cheap, tasteless, crude, sensationalistic, trendy, and artless.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Fascinating experiment - that failed.
Review: At first I thought "are they crazy?" Then I thought, "Hmmm, I'd actually like to see that." Then I saw it. <YAWN> What would have been REALLY interesting would have been if Gus Van Sant made good on a rumor that he would change the ending based on something the original screenwriter, Joe Stefano himself, revised for the remake. Imagine this: The weakest thing about Hitchcock's masterpiece (which, don't get me wrong, I love, but it had this one flaw) is the ending, wherein the shrink has one, long, boring speech about what he learned from interviewing Norman Bates, ostencibly to explain his psychology to us, the audience. Stefano reportedly SCRAPPED that scene and REPLACED it with re-enacting the actual interview between Norman and the shrink, as it might have happened. Then the shrink leaves the room to explain it to everyone, but we stay with Norman for his/mother's famous lastr words.
Unfortunately, that scene did not occur, and is arguably the only thing Van Sant might have done to improve on Hitchcock's narrative. Instead, he inserted weird nonsequitors into the shower murder and other extraneous self-indulgences. <YAWN>
I wouldn't buy this DVD, but it is worth renting for the curiosity of it all.

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: Interesting...I guess...
Review: There is nothing better than Hitchcock's glorious 'Psycho,' a thriller of amazing originality and psychological terror. His fantastic cast, including Perkins and Leigh, only enhanced the already brilliant cinematography, not to mention his incredible attention to every detail including costumes, set and music. And, well...there still isn't anything better. Van Sant needed to somehow get a hold of his intentions. Was this lame attempt trying to be Hitchcock? Was it trying to expound upon the modernity of the story and of the film subject? Who knows. It had potential--Vaughn is excellent and Heche, even though I've seen better from her, had it in her. But the film only made me want to run out and buy a special edition version of Hitch's original masterpiece. The one good point is that after watching this film I have a deeper understanding of Hitchcock's art. And...that's it. Don't bother with it otherwise.

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: It's better than you would think!
Review: This film is well worth a watch even if you don't see the point in remaking classic films. Van Sant stated that his intention was to make a colour version of the film for modern day audiences who might not be familiar with the original, and also to see whether remaking a film shot for shot would give the same result. The planning is meticulous, and the attention to detail in all departments exemplary. Danny Elfman's revision of the original's Bernard Hermann score is particularly impressive. Anne Heche and Vince Vaughan lack something that Janet Leigh and Anthony Perkins had, but Van Sant works wonders within the tight constraints he has set himself. The end result is a pretty good film, which I suspect, if the Hitchcock version had never been made, would have been much better received. The DVD commentary from the director and his two lead actors is interesting, but Heche has little of interest to add after she has left the screen. The other extras make this a worthwhile purchase.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: PSYCHO
Review: DIRECTOR GUS VAN SANT IS STUPID THERE IS NO NEED FOR A REMAKE WHEN THE ORIGINAL TERRIFING MASTERPIECE THAT ALFRED HITCHCOCK DIRECTED IS STILL THE BEST EVERYONE KNOWS AS WALL AS I DO THAT THIS MOVIE THIS PICE OF CRAP REMAKE NEED'S TO GO TO ONLY ONE PLACE AND THAT IS THE TRASH

Rating: 2 stars
Summary: FAILED ATTEMPT
Review: I'm another HUGE hitchcock fan with the whole collection owned and anticipated to see a movie retold that has and will always ramin a personal favorite. But I was dissapointed coming out of the theater... The scipt, I'm sure was identical and I am fond of Vince Vuahgn. Unfortunatly he simply cannot compare to the great Anthony Perkins. Gus Van Sant is a great director and I can see the passion that he has for such a masterpiece. But why bother even attempting to reamake a classic masterpiece. YOU CAN'T REMAKE PERFECTION.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: so dissapointing to the great classic!!!!!!!!!!
Review: how could they had made such a stupid movie.it [isn't good].if you want a 5 star psycho get the alfred hitchcock version.

Rating: 1 stars
Summary: Criminal
Review: I have a big problem with remakes to begin with, but a (for all intents and purposes) SHOT-FOR-SHOT recreation of a HITCHCOCK film? Are you kidding me? Where did they get the nerve? Please. This was a waste of everyone's time and money.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Not a bad effort to remake a classic!
Review: This DVD is loaded with bonus material. There's an interesting 3-way commentary by Sant, Heche, and Vaughn, and a short behind-the-scenes documentary, trailer, production notes, cast & crew bios, web links, screensaver, etc. Quite a lot for the money. And the movie's not bad, either, despite all the criticism it's gotten. Director Sant wanted to do a faithful recreation and he did, with only a few minor changes. Recommended for all Anne Heche fans in particular, and all Psycho fans in general.


<< 1 .. 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 .. 24 >>

© 2004, ReviewFocus or its affiliates