Psycho II Guest Podcast

 

I am so excited to visit with Phil of the Making Tarantino Podcast again! True to our previous horror shenanigans, this episode we chatted about the underrated sequel Psycho II!

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Thank you for listening! For 2026 audio/visual guest inquiries, direct messages are open on Blue Sky. Sometimes it's difficult to find an extra one or two days a month to record something but it's also so wonderful to be appreciated in the film critic and podcasting communities! You can find all my past guest appearances via the Podcast tag including:

Making Tarantino House of Dark Shadows

1999 The Podcast The End of the Affair

After Hours L.A. Confidential

The Female Gaze Hateship Loveship

Podcasts and More at InSession Film!

 

We've delved into some Alfred Hitchcock discourse recently at InSession Film, both in writing and on the new Women InSession Podcast with my fellow female critics Zita Short, Amy Thomasson, and Erica Richards! 😱

Hitchcock in the 1930s

Two Great, Two Ho-hum Hitchcock

Episode 7: Hitchcock in the 30s and 40s

Episode 8: Hitchock in the 1950s

Women InSession Ep9: @vampfamwriter, @Zita_Short and @athomasson11 discuss Alfred Hitchcock in the late 1950's and his films of the 1960's!

Listen now! --> https://t.co/gd11SLuDWc#PodNation #PodernFamily pic.twitter.com/Tztglc3irt

— InSession Film (@InSessionFilm) September 23, 2022

You can follow all my of work at InSession Film on my Author Page or listen to previous episodes of Women InSession! 

Stars Do 70s Horror!

Stars Do 70s Horror!

By Kristin Battestella

Often at the cusp of their fame – or sometimes at the end of it – film and television stars could frequently be found in the bowels of seventies saucy, scary, and exploitative horror movie making. Here’s a quick list of before they were famous actors and classic elder statesmen dabbling with the creepy and demonic.

Daughters of Satan – A pre-Magnum P.I. Tom Selleck stars in this 1972 art meets torment tale full off kinky nudity and rituals, sunshiny classic cars, early seventies fashions, creepy antiques, and of course, mustaches. Although the dated, stereotypical action chases and twangy music are a little over the top, the Manila locations are jungle exotic enough for the danger but also fun and unique. Sickly, mousy housewife Barra Grant (Love Hurts) is somewhat annoying to start, but likewise she gets creepier as the plot grows stranger – from dogs coming out of freaky paintings and knife wielding housekeepers to witchy apparitions and ornery widows. The fire and red symbolism matches the crosses, inquisition, whips, evil numbers, and other religious imagery as the disbelieving coven talk and ancestral connections mount. It is tough, however, to see some of the Christian desecration portrayed, and most of the plot points are quite goofy if you think too much. The poor night photography and occasionally off film speed may be amusing as well, but fortunately, there is enough suspense, boobs, sauce, occult  twists, and ironic Magnum similarities to be entertained here.

Dead of Night – This 1977 TV movie anthology from Dark Shadows director Dan Curtis makes for a very atmospheric and eerie trio. Longtime fans will hear pieces of Robert Cobert’s Dark Shadows music motifs, and the opening narration introduces the spooky in over the top but solid fashion. I actually kind of like that there is no frame story attempting to tie these offbeat tales together – even if it means a shorter 75 minute run time.  Despite his touch too heavy-handed inner monologue, Ed Begley Jr. (St. Elsewhere) anchors the first story “Second Chances” along with cool classic cars and bizarre time twists. “No Such Thing as a Vampire” adds some bloody fun thanks to Patrick Macnee (The Avengers), Elisha Cook Jr. (House on Haunted Hill), demented Victorian brooding, and all around period charm. The final tale “Bobby” is a wonderfully warped and scary mix of occult, death, and thunderstorms – with Joan Hackett (Will Penny) and Lee Montgomery (Burnt Offerings) playing out the violence, creepy, and secrets in a sweet looking mod house.  I know I’ve been fairly short but it helps to go into anthologies like this relatively cold. All scripting here is by the late Richard Matheson (The Twilight Zone), too, so fans of similar, chilling tales like Trilogy of Terror will have a good time.

How Awful About Allan – Joan Hackett strikes again alongside Anthony Perkins and the late Julie Harris (The Haunting) in this Aaron Spelling produced  and Curtis Harrington directed (What’s the Matter with Helen?) 1970 television film from writer Henry Farrell (Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?). The suspense gets right to it with a fire, screaming, survivor guilt, resentment, and hysterical blindness. The intriguing, disorienting, blurry film focus and dark camera photography match Perkins’ sightless actions and mannerisms as his eponymous victim becomes obsessed with trying to prove his new, unseen roommate wants to do him harm. Yes, the Victorian house and post-institution, possibly crazy reclusiveness will seem too obviously Psycho to some viewers, but the increasingly angry tape recordings, crazy carness, heavy music, and scary whispers provide plenty of fearful spin. Retro décor and old, wintry styles accent the seemingly sunshiny household, but the nighttime paranoia and scary inability to see intensifies the strange noises and point of view eerie. Why aren’t there more visually impaired horror protagonists? This tiny 73 minutes makes you love your glasses a little more! Though not billed as a horror movie per se and the end loses a touch, this taut thriller has all the suspense, lightning, creepy family implications, and desperation needed. 

Lady Frankenstein – I’m not normally a fan of classic film star Joseph Cotton (Citizen Kane), but his blend of grave robbing, unethical desperation, and father/daughter compassion is perfect for this 1971 Italian twist on the Shelley theme. “Man’s will be done,” Cotton says, but it is Rosalba Neri (99 Women) doing the titular monstrous mayhem, evil deeds, and uniquely saucy spins instead of just being the cliché horror victim or resurrected bride. Ethical debates about money, man, and God accentuate dialogue of radical Victorian science and a woman’s place in the medical profession. The gothic mood, snow, and firelight work wonderfully with the cool mad scientist laboratory – complete with clockworks, bubbling Rube Goldbergs, and perfectly timed thunder and lightning of course. Ugly blood, surgeries, and reanimated monsters smartly contrast the feminine wiles; the progression of the experiments and escalation of the monstrosities are well paced, too. Though the sound is poor and I would have liked more of Mickey Hargitay (Will Success Spoil Rock Hunter?) as the deducing inspector on the crimes, this is a good looking, well done film. Unfortunately, there are various editions in need of a proper restoration – including an edited 85 minute print in the public domain and a longer 90 minute plus Shout Factory release splicing together several foreign versions. Perhaps this isn’t as depraved as we might expect nowadays and a little too quick toward the finale, but this macabre period delight is worth the pursuit.  

 

And for Some Lighthearted Fun!

Young Frankenstein – “It’s Fronkensteen!” This all in good, spooky fun 1974 Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder (Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory) romp has all the subtle quips, dialogue jokes, Glenn Miller winks, accent twists, bad puns, funny asides, and physical comedy gags for which one could ask in homage to the Universal greats. So what if it isn’t all that scary? Dynamite co-stars Madeline Kahn (Clue), Terri Garr (Tootsie), Peter Boyle (Everybody Loves Raymond), Marty Feldman (Yellowbeard), and Gene Hackman (The French Connection) deliver the wit to match the black and white mood, angry village mob, and stormy atmosphere. Cloris Leachman (The Last Picture Show) is the most fun I think, “Ovaltine?” The colorless photography, updated mad scientist labs, vintage equipment, gothic castle designs, and period costumes all invoke this ode to thirties horror perfectly – not bad for a $2 million budget! – and early filmmaking techniques and acting mannerisms are played for both humor and authenticity. I’m not really a Brooks fan beyond Dracula: Dead and Loving It and Robin Hood: Men in Tights, and I wonder if the fine story, well paced scenes, smooth plot progression, and fun finale here isn’t due to his not being onscreen and Wilder’s co-writing. Why aren’t more films made this way, and what would have happened if this had been a straight, full on scary tale? Some comedy audiences may be disappointed by the lack of laugh out loud, riotous moments here, but hysteria isn’t really the point either. Although being familiar with the classic Frankenstein features helps in getting all the jokes, the entire family can get behind this cute, charming, star-studded terror tribute.

 

More 1970s Horror

70s Horror Classics. Again.

By Kristin Battestella

More and more, I am finding myself watching and enjoying more horror and mayhem produced in that shiny, glittery, and be-bell bottomed decade of the 1970s. Here’s a small sampling of our latest late night seventies viewings, because it was ten years with a lot of onscreen scares, shocks, scandals, and sophistication.

Blood on Satan’s Claw –We Americans would call the shaggy hair, peasant costumes, and poor candlelit interiors of this 1970 British scare fest “Colonial.” Great screams, sound effects, and music accent the off-camera frights and country crazies. There are plenty of spooky locales, too; lonely wooden houses and ruined cathedrals out on foggy, overrun and empty greens. Dark, intimate, and up-close photography smartly keeps the villagers’ fear, not the titular hand, as the focus- and it is scary.  Yes, the dialogue scenes in between the scares might be slow, confusing, or tough to understand for some, and having had a horror proper cast would have been nice, too.  Fortunately, the steady reveal, religion versus demons tug and pull, and nasty sexual overtones up the horror ante.  The rapaciousness is not for the faint audience, but the evil temptations, nudity, and demented 17^th century teens aren’t there for the titillation as in today films. Obviously, witchcraft is painted as the devil worship of the day, and this will be an offensive movie for some. However, fans of the genre will enjoy the instrumental, heavy, intense, and hairy finale- literally!

Dracula vs Frankenstein –  Good blood, scary zooms, carnival crazy, scientist mayhem, and cool laboratory works with flashing gizmos and vintage radical machines accent this 1971 swansong for both Lon Chaney Jr. (The Wolf Man) and J. Carrol Naish (Sahara).  It’s pleasing to see Chaney’s silent, big, and scary henchman. He’s used and sympathetic in contrast to the no less intriguing but vengeful and wheelchair bound Nash as Frankenstein. Forrest J Ackerman (The Howling) has a fun appearance, and the crazy credits are a good time, too.  There’s enough homage and sentiment here to keep the bright seventies setting entertaining, although the bizarre UFO-esque sound effects music is too dated. The Vegas singing montages- perhaps to somehow capitalize on the Hello Dolly trend- are also weird, and the hectic, glossed over attention on hipness doesn’t serve this tale well. Regina Carol (Black Heat) is also kind of bad, but she’s not given much guidance from director/her man Al Adamson (Blood of Dracula’s Castle). I’m also not sure about Zandor Vorkov (Brain of Blood) debuting this strange look to Dracula; a young guy made to look, well, kind of like Vincent Price as Dr. Phibes!  The echoing voice effect too tries too hard, and the zooms punctuating the end of his sentence….err no. The disjointed mix of dumb happy summer of love interferes with the fine old school demented monster plots, and the finale melts down to drinking game viewing. Thankfully, it’s all fun, but Sweet Jesus, is the boyfriend upset because he spent $1 on gas? One Dollar.  Pfft!

House of Shadows – There’s not much information on this 1976 Spanish murder mystery starring Yvonne De Carlo (The Munsters) and John Gavin (Psycho). I mean, no Wikipedia page, gasp, the horror!  The stormy scenery, eerie music and sound effects, spooky décor, colorful period costumes, decrepit haunted house vibes, and past luxuries gone awry are all gothic and moody enough- and most importantly, they help disguise the somewhat bemusing English dubbing.  The dialogue seems more like the tone of an audio book than you know, acting.  De Carlo is lovely as always, but it’s weird that she is also dubbed. Something’s lost when we don’t hear her sultry voice, and this contributes to some of the awkward or confusing and slower scenes. Some of the values here are also just too dark to see. Thankfully, a few unexpected scares and deadly twists accentuate the initial mystery, subsequent murders, amateur investigation, and spectacle séances. Yes, this is hampered by some poor post- production. Is it hokey like a telenovela thanks to the dubbed dialogue? For sure. Is it classic? Maybe not.  Nonetheless, there’s a fine little story here for an audience to enjoy solving, and it’s worth a look.  

Murder on the Orient Express – Yes, yes. This 1974 Agatha Christie adaptation starring Albert Finney, Lauren Bacall, Ingrid Bergman, Anthony Perkins, Jacqueline Basset, Sean Connery, Michael York, Vanessa Redgrave, Richard Widmark, John Gielgud, Everyone, and Your Grandmother isn’t really a horror film as we know it. Nonetheless it is dang suspenseful and entertaining with great thirties Art Deco design, tunes, and cars. There’s European and Asian flair, mixed languages, and lots of visual joys and dangers of trains that perhaps some today can’t appreciate. Likewise, director Sidney Lumet’s (Dog Day Afternoon) hectic in a good way pace won’t be for everyone. Some today may find conversational beats too talkative instead of action, but the unwrapping of the crime is pleasing and intelligent, a step above all those other all-star seventies disaster pictures. The suspenseful flashbacks and sudden edits reveal the case with lovely procedures, clues, suspense, and stunning performances.  The whole family can spend an evening guessing with this one or a sophisticated Halloween party might enjoy the debate. Perhaps it’s all old hat to those familiar with Christie or the story, but this one’s delightful for new viewers looking for something beyond Clue.

Night Gallery – Growing up, I really enjoyed watching this 1970-73 Rod Serling follow up to The Twilight Zone. Unfortunately, there is a lot of distaste and confusion surrounding these unloved episodes- from being butchered initially, and then chopped further in syndication, and recently its difficult road to DVD.  All that aside; some of these episodes are damn decent creepy, with Serling’s sense of morbid, demented inspirations from the likes of H.P. Lovecraft, and solid guest players such as Vincent Price, Joan Crawford, Adam West, Leslie Nielson, and more.  “The Housekeeper,” “The House,” “The Doll,” “Lone Survivor,” “The Boy Who Predicted Earthquakes,”  “A Death in the Family,” “Silent Snow, Secret Snow,” and “The Dark Boy” are but a few examples of the quality here.  Due to the behind the scenes troubles, is Night Gallery a step down from The Twilight Zone? Yes.  Is it nonetheless worth a place in your scary viewing marathon? Absolutely.

Must See Horror

Must See Horror

By Kristin Battestella

In this day and age of drivel and cheap, direct-to-video, sup-par flicks, here’s a list of scary films that should be seen each October. Now this is by no means a definitive list, as I’ve reviewed my fair share of genre films-and then some; but here are a few essentials for the serious horror enthusiast. If you’re tired of the same old un-terrifying flicks, watch these.

Friday The 13^th- Sure most film fans know now who the killer is here, but the mystery aspects and suspenseful deaths are still a mastery of the slasher craft. The voyeuristic camera work, and actually the relative lack of ridiculous modern gore and too much sex, keep this original scary. We don’t always see a victim’s manner of death, we aren’t meant to always be visually impressed. The cast is afraid, preyed upon, and punished for their kinky eighties ways- and it’s a viewer’s delight!

Halloween- Freddy and Jason are great, of course, but they can be watched anytime of year. Michael Myers, however, has October exclusivity. Newer audiences can enjoy Rob Zombie’s updates, and serious fans can take in a night with all the sequels; but the original 1978 Halloween never grows old. John Carpenter’s scary score, the low-budget frights, and Jaime Leigh Curtis’ kick ass babysitter still make for a night of fear and suspense. Sure, there’s nudity, but this one is another lesson in psychological fright, not gore. Nevertheless, Halloween is not for kids or the faint of heart!

The Haunting- It might be fun to make a marathon with the 1999 redo, but for serious chills, stick with this 1963 classic. You don’t see one damn thing in this picture, and that’s what makes it so terrifying. Horror students and film teachers take note of how mere lighting, sound, and visual tricks keep us on the edge of our seats. Psychology, parapsychology, haunted mansions, and a genuinely fearful looking cast. You don’t need anything else, except to continue the sinister vibes with the source novel The Haunting of Hill House by Shirley Jackson.

Interview with the Vampire­- Not everyone will enjoy this lavish, indulgent tale of sexy vampires run amok; but when one talks about the decadence and debauchery of the spooky lifestyle, this is what they mean. Fans of the cast of course will delight, as leading men Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt give surprisingly creepy and enjoyable performances. I recommend mainstream audiences and teeny Twilight fans give this picture a chance. Interview is much more mature, and converts can enjoy the original Vampire Chronicles books by Anne Rice. Do, however, skip the mish-mashed sequel Queen of the Damned.

Night of the Living Dead (s) - For horror enthusiasts, the z word brings one thing to mind-Night of the Living Dead. The original 1968 zombie classic by George Romero set the bar for scares, silent styled filmmaking, and social statements in horror. You can’t be a fan of the genre without having seen this picture. And yet, the 1990 remake, rewritten by Romero and starring Tony Todd (Candyman), isn’t half bad. Maybe not a classic, but this modern analysis of society and zombies is a perfect introduction for closeted horror fans. For more, continue with Romero’s 1978 Dawn of the Dead.

Poltergeist- Maybe in our rapidly changing television technologies, this one will loose some of its luster someday. For old school folks like me, however, who remember big old console sets full of static, Poltergeist never gets old. The warnings of technology being conduits for angry spirits, beasts in the closet, and demonic toys combined with adorable child victims and sassy little psychics remind us to respect the dead and appreciate the line between life and death. Naturally, there are sub par sequels, but behind the scenes documentaries detailing the tragedies surround this film are far more interesting. And the blu-ray is smashing!

Psycho II - Yes, this 1983 follow up isn’t as stellar as the original Hitchcock classic. Nevertheless, it is a fine sequel, continuing the story of Norman and his dearly not-departed mother in the spirit of the original. Fans who are for some reason not interested in the black and white original can appreciate Anthony Perkins here with more spice and Technicolor. Psycho III and Psycho IV: The Beginning make a fine marathon for completists, but the franchise is best left here. Enjoy!

I know what you’re thinking. My Halloween movie marathons run through November, too!

Psycho

Modern Fans Under Appreciate Psycho
By Kristin Battestella

Everybody’s heard of Psycho-and like The Sixth Sense, even if you haven’t see it, most people nowadays know Psycho’s twist ending. Today’s visually desensitized young adults cannot fully appreciate Alfred Hitchcock’s 1960 masterpiece even though it has become the grand daddy of slasher films. Oft emulated but never equaled, Psycho needs to be re watched with vigor anew.

Anthony Perkins stars in the Hitchcock thriller as Norman Bates, a quiet and lonely young man who befriends Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) while she spends the night at the Bates Motel. Wishing for a respectable life with her boyfriend Sam Loomis (John Gavin), Marion steals $40,000 from her boss and sets out for California. Following Marion’s trail is her sister Lila (Vera Miles) and Detective Milton Arbogast (Martin Balsam). All come to suspect Norman, the Bates Motel, and Norman’s mother- the innocent Mrs. Bates.

Under Hitchcock’s direction Anthony Perkins plays Norman Bates to the T. Forever typecast by Hollywood and fans alike-we still can’t separate Perkins from Bates. The actor himself was conflicted and confused sexually, and Perkins gives this genuine emotional conflict to Norman. The way he cleans up after his mother, stays on in an empty motel-we feel bad for Norman the moment we meet him. Likewise Janet Leigh plays the good girl gone bad. Even though Marion’s at odds with the law, we open the film in the middle of her situation. We see her plan and prepare, yet we want her to get away with it.

When Lila and Sam come calling for Marion-we root for them as well. We care for each, fear for them or of them-the audience relates to each character, regardless of their standpoint in the spectrum. No one is filler or miscast. Even though Vera Miles has played the tough cookie in films like The Searchers and other early television westerns, and Janet Leigh the sweet tart in Bye Bye Birdie- the women are perfect as sisters. Even though Sam is Marion’s lover, we see him more with Lila. The underlying chemistry between Miles and Loomis hints at something more. As simple as Psycho can look on screen, everything from the actors to the props is multitasking.

Oscar winner and suspense king Hitchcock intentionally made the film black and white-a cringe worthy concept to today’s effects happy filmmakers. Using the film crew from his television series Alfred Hitchcock Presents and good old fashioned film making ingenuity like chocolate syrup for blood, Hitch stuck to Psycho’s $1 million budget. There are no effects to speak off, just swift camera angles and perfected lighting techniques. Multiple actors were used to keep up the illusion of Mrs. Bates, and the attention to detail regarding costumes, props, and sets is top notch. Psycho perfectly captures the early sixties in every detail. The bullet bras, poofy dresses, even Norman’s taxidermy isn’t taken for granted. Those stuffed birds, of course, allude to something else.

Based on the book Psycho by Robert Bloch, Psycho benefits greatly from sound source material and screenplay work by Joseph Stefano. It’s intelligent, yet light at parts. Innocent yet dark, modern imitators don’t have the psychological complexities of Hitchcock’s work. Today, some may find the story slow, but the first hour sets up the unraveling yet totally explained and satisfying ending. After Psycho premiered in theaters, Hitchcock demanded no one be seated after the start of the film in order to preserve the suspense. Every word is timed perfectly onscreen, every shot, every scene says something-not a frame is wasted in Psycho.

Several scenes in Psycho are so iconic and oft imitated or parodied that audiences forget the original. Gus Van Sant’s 1998 inferior and useless homage remake of Psycho stars Vince Vaughn and Anne Heche. The color recreation is almost a frame for frame imitation of Hitch’s original. Can you name another film that has that kind of backward flattery? Psycho’s infamous shower scene is genius in its editing, illusions, and it did for the bathroom what Jaws did for ocean swimmers.

Psycho and its score by Bernard Herrmann are the best music marriage since Gone With The Wind. Composer of other Hitchcock scores as well as Citizen Cane and The Day The Earth Stood Still, Herrmann’s haunting strings aren’t a hum-able tune, yet everyone knows the theme when he or she hears it. Herrmann’s score fits Hitchcock’s layered suspense and sixties mood. Long after you’ve watched Psycho you hear those strings in the shower and in your sleep.

Psycho’s undoing is its audience’s inability to forget and be surprised again. Today’s information hounds have been spoiled by sub par sequels like Psycho II (1983), Psycho III (1986) , and a prequel Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990). Unlike most low budget or obscure old flicks waiting to be rediscovered, the stalwart Psycho has never quite left the public eye. Despite previous acting prowess in Friendly Persuasion and Fear Strikes Out, Anthony Perkins will be forever associated with this role-Perkins played the alter ego Norman Bates nearly up until his death in 1992.

My VHS copy contains a short making of featurette. The set was fun, but Janet Leigh actually spent very little of the shoot with Perkins. Deeper documentaries on Hitchcock, Perkins, and the film are available and filled with trivia and antic dotes. Collectors should definitely upgrade to DVD for restored picture, sound, and additional documentaries and insights.

Deemed too gory, shocking, and risqué at the time, Psycho will not loose its iconic status-despite the popularity of gory, gimmicky, and quick fix films. Detailed, intelligent suspense thrillers will always have an audience. Psycho’s bonus is its duality-quiet, simplistic onscreen, yet complex and full of optical illusions. I fear not only a lack of appreciation for fine horror films like Psycho, but also I wonder if modern teeny boppers and fans of bloody horror understand the nuances presented? While Psycho is gore free, the spooks might still scare kinds under 10. Truthfully anyone with a heart condition should avoid Psycho. If you’re new to classic films, old movies, or Alfred Hitchcock, Psycho is a must see. Study it and appreciate it thoroughly.


This Review was posted previously at Flames Rising and Helium