I tend not to agree with other critics when it comes to remakes, but Gus Van Sant is
definitely not Alfred Hitchcock. He claims to have reshot the movie in exactly the same way (with a few minor changes). Unfortunately, the changes he did make took all the fun and viability out of the film (what a waste of talent, by the way: William H. Macy, Julianne Moore, Vince Vaughn, etc.). For instance, in one of the shots from the original 1960 version, Norman Bates stares at Marion Crane through a peep-hole as she's undressing, the focus remaining more or less on Norman's eye and his stare, the lust fully implicit, yet fully understood. In the new version, we still get the eye, but you also see and hear Norman jerking off to the sight of Marion--very unsubtle. The dialogue, appropriate for a late-50s time period seems awkward and stilted in a late-90s scene. If it does anything, the remake of
Psycho reminds us sociologically how far we've come in terms of (at least outward) respect for those of another gender, class, or sociological group. Oh, and Vince Vaughn is not terribly convincing as the shy momma's boy. This movie is simply a curiosity piece. Again, what a waste of talent...
--A.Y.