He Saw, She Saw

Mon., Dec. 14, 1998

Joel Constable Lewis & Clark T

“Psycho”

Rated: R

The stars: Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche.

The plot: A remake of the 1960 thriller in which a woman seeks refuge at an out-of-the-way motel run by a disturbed proprietor.

HE SAW

Before I digress into my thoughts on the remake of “Psycho,” I must mention that I am not a huge fan of horror movies.

With that disclaimer out of the way, I’ll give you my straight opinion on “Psycho.”

Weird.

Starring Vince Vaughn as Norman Bates, “Pyscho” tells the story of a young woman’s disappearance and the investigation to find out why she has vanished. Although a remake, the background music and setting of “Psycho” seem far too similar to the old Alfred Hitchcock movie and don’t fit the present day theme.

It felt like I was watching an old, dated horror movie, but in color. The only thing I found more strange was the twisted ending that was both abrupt and surprising.

Still, I somewhat enjoyed the film.

Vaughn played a very convincing role as the mysterious Bates and the suspenseful climax left me on the edge of my seat.

If you loved “The Shining” or “Silence of the Lambs,” “Psycho” is probably a good movie for you.

Grade: B-

SHE SAW

Why remake a classic if you’re not going to change it? That was my first concern about the shot-by-shot remake of “Psycho.”

But now it makes sense. Our generation would rather see the familiar Vince Vaughn in color over Anthony Perkins in black-and-white.

The Gus Van Sant film uses the same script as the Hitchcock version but gives it a ‘90s spin, as well as a more realistic view of murder. True to current horror standards, we get more sexual references and more blood. The only thing that bothered me was the acting.

Vaughn doesn’t have the presence Perkins did as the disturbed Norman Bates. Kids might recognize the face, but who cares when you can’t appreciate the performance?

Those who haven’t seen the original are in for a treat. Knowing the Bates secret doesn’t ruin the film, but it’s a mind-puzzling plot if you don’t. I applaud the concept of introducing a masterpiece in film to a new generation, but it’s bothersome when everything is the same except the actors.

My suggestion: see both, get the best of both worlds.

Grade: A-

Theresa Carpine Ferris

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