WE HAVE NOT SEEN THE PSYCHO DISC AND SO WILL NOT REVIEW IT

Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO and its 3 off shoots are packaged up in a delicious boxset for you dear viewer. I cant review the first film as I haven’t seen it, but I will obviously acknowledge its brilliance and state simply, if you haven’t seen it, please do so.  The first disc we saw was the sequel. Twenty three years in the making, filmmaker Richard Franklin from Australia took on the challenge. With an eager Anthony Perkins in tow, the Bates motel open for reservations and the house in the distance with mother calling… So now I have set the scene, lets begin.

PSYCHO II

Norman Bates (Perkins) is declared sane and released into the community. Returning to his former home and despite complaints, mostly from the sister of Norman’s most famous victim. Norman wants to live quietly and be a normal member of society. That house has other plans and his mothers ghost is sensing things are a bit unsteady. Is he cured, or will he kill again? Well I will leave that to you to decide. What I will say is that this is a step up from the PSYCHO II disc in a way. There is the slow starting, slightly stop start, conversations between film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains for the new audio commentary. It feels often like they are just throwing as much details about, rather than their interpretations but that is what they are there for. There is more. Then you get the 4K restored and upscaled version, which looks a damn sit better from that rather washed out version before. Though I would add it was an improvement on other versions of this release.

PSYCHO III

Anthony Perkins helms this one, which sees a fallen nun Maureen Coyle (Diana Scarwid), flees from a convent after murdering another sister accidently. She stumbles into the car of a sleazy drifter (Jeff Fahey) and then the Bates Motel. Along for the ride is a curious reporter looking for a scoop (Roberta Maxwell ) and of course ‘Mother’. She is less than happy with all this attention. Though his directorial debut, Perkins offers tinges of Alfred Hitchcock, Orson Welles and Ken Russell alongside his own sardonic take on the legend. Now the disc is the most impressive of the set. The new commentary, again from film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains, is more fun and more detailed in a personal sense. I felt it was richer for it seems they love Perkins and the subtext drenched in his film about religion, sexuality and violence. Add to this the brilliant Alexandra Heller Nicholas, visual essay, which is a breathe of fresh air (much of her work so far has been).

PSYCHO IV

We get treated to two takes on this made for TV film that is written by Joseph Stefano (screenwriter of the 1960 original) to show us how it all began. Anthony Perkins’ final appearance as Norman, we sense the overbearing influence of his abusive mother. With a wife that is pregnant, Norman finds himself afraid that the child will inherit his mental illness. With devastating results. Now the TV version (though completely void of anything) is the best version for an in-depth examination of the killer gene. The music essay by Guy Adams was a turn up for the books for me. Maybe not totally great or compelling enough to be VFM but still a nice, alternative take on the work.

Product Features

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all four films
• New 4K restorations of Psycho II, Psycho III and Psycho IV from the original camera negatives
• Original lossless mono and DTS:X audio options for Psycho, stereo and 5.1 options for Psycho II and Psycho III, and stereo audio for Psycho IV
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
• Double-sided posters for each film featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin -9 postcard sized reproduction art cards
• 120-page perfect bound collector’s book featuring new writing by film critics John-Paul Checkett and Johnny Mains plus select archival material.

Disc 1 – PSYCHO

• Audio commentary with Stephen Rebello, author of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho
• The Making of Psycho documentary – In the Master’s Shadow: Hitchcock’s Legacy featurette
• Hitchcock / Truffaut audio interview with scenes from the movie
• Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho featurette
• The Shower Scene: With & Without Music featurette
• The Shower Sequence, storyboards by Saul Bass image gallery
• Psycho Sound featurette
• The Psycho Archives image gallery
• Posters and Psycho Ads image gallery
• Lobby Cards image gallery
• Behind the Scenes Photographs image gallery
• Publicity Shots image gallery
• Theatrical trailer
• Re-release trailers

Disc 2 – PSYCHO II

• New audio commentary by film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains
• Archival audio commentary by screenwriter Tom Holland
• Behind the Curtain: The Masters of Horror on Psycho, panel discussion with screenwriter Tom Holland and Psycho IV director Mick Garris moderated by Robert V. Galluzzo
• Giving Bloch His Due, interview with Chet Williams, author of Psycho: Sanitarium on the legacy of Norman Bates’ creator, author Robert Bloch
• Anthony Perkins TV interview
• Anthony Perkins audio interview
• Richard Franklin audio interview
• Richard Franklin On Set featurette
• Richard Franklin scene commentary
• A sequel to a Classic featurette
• The House on the Hill featurette
• Personality Profile: Anthony Perkins featurette
• Personality Profile: Richard Franklin featurette
• Still Crazy After all these Years
• Behind the scenes featurette
• Anthony Perkins interview
• Vera Miles interview
• Janet Leigh interview
• Jerry Goldsmith demo
• Trailers & TV spots
• Image gallery
• Audio press kit/promotional record
• Record gallery

Disc 3 – PSYCHO III

• New Commentary by film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains
• Archival audio commentary by screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue
• Carnival of the Heart, a new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller Nicholas
• Scream of Love, a new interview with composer Carter Burwell
• Watch the Guitar, archival interview with actor Jeff Fahey
• Patsy’s Last Night, archival interview with actor Katt Shea
• Mother’s Maker, archival interview with special make-up effects artist Michael Westmore
• Body Double, archival interview with actress Brinke Stevens
• Original electronic press kit
• Alternate opening
• Theatrical trailer
• TV spot
• Image gallery

Disc 4 – PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film in director’s preferred 1.78:1 aspect ratio
• Archival audio commentary with director Mick Garris, actor Henry Thomas, and actress Olivia Hussey
• Death by Strings, new visual essay by author and critic Guy Adams on music across the franchise
• The Making of Mother, an archival interview with make-up effects artist Tony Gardner
• Behind-the-scenes footage
• A Look at the Scoring of Psycho IV, archival featurette
• Trailer

DISC 5 – PSYCHO IV TV Aspect Ratio (LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE)

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film in 1.33:1 TV aspect ratio

WE ALL GO A LITTLE MAD SOMETIMES… Shattering expectations and shocking audiences around the world, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho changed the face of cinema in 1960. It remains one of the most iconic and influential movies ever made.

Twenty three years later, Australian filmmaker Richard Franklin (Patrick, Road Games) boldly followed in the master’s footsteps and directed Psycho II, a sequel that not only delivered on the promise of his earlier films, but also lived up to Hitchcock’s original. Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) is declared sane and released from the facility in which he was being held, despite the complaints of Lila Loomis (née Crane, Vera Miles) sister of Norman’s most famous victim. All Norman wants to do is live quietly and productively as a normal member of society. But is returning to the house he once shared with his mother, and running the motel that was the site of so many murders, really a good idea? Is he cured, or will he kill again?

Psycho III would see Anthony Perkins himself take the franchise’s reins for his directorial debut, bringing a stylish flair that suggested his time working with not only Alfred Hitchcock, but Orson Welles and Ken Russell had been well spent. A fallen nun (Diana Scarwid as Maureen Coyle), a sleazy drifter (Jeff Fahey as Duane Duke), and a curious reporter looking for a scoop (Roberta Maxwell as Tracy Venables) all arrive at the Bates Motel and ‘Mother’ is less than happy, especially when Norman begins to fall in love. Meanwhile, Psycho IV: The Beginning, written by Joseph Stefano (screenwriter of the 1960 original) and directed by master of horror Mick Garris, returns to the primal scene to show us how it all began in Anthony Perkins’ final franchise appearance. Rehabilitated and happily married, Norman Bates has finally escaped from the overbearing influence of his abusive mother. But his wife is pregnant, and Norman finds himself afraid that the child will inherit his mental illness. When he hears talk radio host Fran Ambrose (CCH Pounder) discussing the topic of matricide, Norman calls in under a false name, to tell his story. Starring Henry Thomas (E.T.) as young Norman and Olivia Hussey (Black Christmas) as his mother, Norma.

Featuring all new restorations of Psycho II, III and IV from the original camera negatives, Arrow Video invites you back inside the Bates Motel and wishes you a very pleasant stay.

Product Features

LIMITED EDITION CONTENTS

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentations of all four films
• New 4K restorations of Psycho II, Psycho III and Psycho IV from the original camera negatives
• Original lossless mono and DTS:X audio options for Psycho, stereo and 5.1 options for Psycho II and Psycho III, and stereo audio for Psycho IV
• Optional English subtitles for the deaf and hard of hearing
• Reversible sleeves featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin
• Double-sided posters for each film featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Matt Griffin -9 postcard sized reproduction art cards
• 120-page perfect bound collector’s book featuring new writing by film critics John-Paul Checkett and Johnny Mains plus select archival material.

Disc 1 – PSYCHO

• Audio commentary with Stephen Rebello, author of Alfred Hitchcock and the Making of Psycho
• The Making of Psycho documentary – In the Master’s Shadow: Hitchcock’s Legacy featurette
• Hitchcock / Truffaut audio interview with scenes from the movie
• Newsreel Footage: The Release of Psycho featurette
• The Shower Scene: With & Without Music featurette
• The Shower Sequence, storyboards by Saul Bass image gallery
• Psycho Sound featurette
• The Psycho Archives image gallery
• Posters and Psycho Ads image gallery
• Lobby Cards image gallery
• Behind the Scenes Photographs image gallery
• Publicity Shots image gallery
• Theatrical trailer
• Re-release trailers

Disc 2 – PSYCHO II

• New audio commentary by film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains
• Archival audio commentary by screenwriter Tom Holland
• Behind the Curtain: The Masters of Horror on Psycho, panel discussion with screenwriter Tom Holland and Psycho IV director Mick Garris moderated by Robert V. Galluzzo
• Giving Bloch His Due, interview with Chet Williams, author of Psycho: Sanitarium on the legacy of Norman Bates’ creator, author Robert Bloch
• Anthony Perkins TV interview
• Anthony Perkins audio interview
• Richard Franklin audio interview
• Richard Franklin On Set featurette
• Richard Franklin scene commentary
• A sequel to a Classic featurette
• The House on the Hill featurette
• Personality Profile: Anthony Perkins featurette
• Personality Profile: Richard Franklin featurette
• Still Crazy After all these Years
• Behind the scenes featurette
• Anthony Perkins interview
• Vera Miles interview
• Janet Leigh interview
• Jerry Goldsmith demo
• Trailers & TV spots
• Image gallery
• Audio press kit/promotional record
• Record gallery

Disc 3 – PSYCHO III

• New Commentary by film critics Michael Brooke and Johnny Mains
• Archival audio commentary by screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue
• Carnival of the Heart, a new visual essay by film scholar Alexandra Heller Nicholas
• Scream of Love, a new interview with composer Carter Burwell
• Watch the Guitar, archival interview with actor Jeff Fahey
• Patsy’s Last Night, archival interview with actor Katt Shea
• Mother’s Maker, archival interview with special make-up effects artist Michael Westmore
• Body Double, archival interview with actress Brinke Stevens
• Original electronic press kit
• Alternate opening
• Theatrical trailer
• TV spot
• Image gallery

Disc 4 – PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film in director’s preferred 1.78:1 aspect ratio
• Archival audio commentary with director Mick Garris, actor Henry Thomas, and actress Olivia Hussey
• Death by Strings, new visual essay by author and critic Guy Adams on music across the franchise
• The Making of Mother, an archival interview with make-up effects artist Tony Gardner
• Behind-the-scenes footage
• A Look at the Scoring of Psycho IV, archival featurette
• Trailer

DISC 5 – PSYCHO IV TV Aspect Ratio (LIMITED EDITION EXCLUSIVE)

• High Definition Blu-ray (1080p) presentation of the film in 1.33:1 TV aspect ratio