One-Sheet Wonders! – PSYCHO II (1983)

With Alfred Hitchcock’s PSYCHO (1960) being a textbook example of how to make an effective horror film, it was inevitable that a sequel would never really get a fair shake.

Having just come off of the equally impressive Jamie Lee Curtis vehicle, ROAD GAMES (1981), Australian director Richard Franklin was the lucky/unlucky guy drafted for the job of somehow making Norman Bates relevant again after more than two decades. I thought he did a wonderful job given the lofty expectations. To boot, his cast puts in fine efforts all around, supporting the thread of very black humor that runs through Tom Holland’s screenplay.

And now we come to the poster. The first time I saw it is still etched into my brain. I had just come out of a shopping mall and the poster was there among a couple of others sporting unfortunate artwork that simply faded into the light of the bright afternoon sun. Not PSYCHO II. Look at all that black, red, and blue. It’s a wonderful use of color and shadow. Understandably, the image was used extensively in promos, helping the film ultimately gross around $35 million domestically.

The movie is somewhat forgotten these days in the wake of numerous subsequent sequels, along with the well-received BATES MOTEL television series, but there will always be a place in my heart for PSYCHO II’s kooky blend of offbeat terror and toasted-cheese sandwiches.

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