By Melissa Antoinette Garza
Poor Maureen Coyle (Diana Scrarwid) is a wreck. She was a nun, but just escaped the convent. Now, she is dealing with quite a bit of PTSD trauma from the ordeal. She hitches a ride with dirtbag Duane Duke (Jeff Fahey). He waits until it’s pouring outside before pulling over and trying to force himself on her. She gets away, but she is forced to walk in the downpour.
Meanwhile, Norman Bates is running the Bates Motel. He continues his hobby of being a taxidermist and even has used his talents on an old woman named Emma Spool. She was the crazy old lady from PSYCHO II who claimed to be Norman’s real mother. She wasn’t, but he believes that she is. He murdered her and now has her corpse upstairs. He hears her talking to him and tries his best to be a good boy. It’s safe to say Norman has had a slight relapse. If only someone was around to fuck that repression out of him. I love Maureen. I think she’s fantastic. Still, with her baggage and her own repression I don’t think she can fix Norman anymore than he can fix her.
Norman doesn’t want to be unwell. He’s a great guy. He’s sweet and compassionate. He loves animals and nature. He sees the beauty in life, but also sees an eternal allure in death. I love him. I don’t care what he does. I’ve loved Anthony Perkins and his portrayal of Norman Bates since before I can remember. I have no intentions of stopping now.
A lot of the people who are living near Norman has the same sort of fondness for him that I do. Sheriff John Hunt (Hugh Gillin) and diner owner Ralph Statler (Robert Alan Browne) are both on his side. When journalist Tracy Venable (Roberta Maxwell) comes around trying to sniff out a story, they do their best to scare her off. They don’t want her messing with Norman. She’s a thirsty gal though and is hot on a lead. She thinks Norman is murdering again and of course she’s right. He did kill Mrs. Spool. Still, she isn’t honest about her approach. She says that the extent of the article is regarding the release of serial killers. She pretends to want to give a fair representation, but she’s a bitch. She wants to hang him just to make a name for herself.
While speaking with Tracy, Maureen walks in and immediately catches Norman’s eye. Her resemblance to Marion Crane unnerves him. The fact that her initials are the same is just another component that adds to his paranoia.
Making matters worse, Duane shows up looking for a job at the motel. Norman doesn’t know he’s a scumbag and gives him a gig as acting manager. Maureen is so tired that she accepts Duane’s half-assed apology and hands over all the money she has for a room.
Norman watches her enter from a window and has a panic attack. His delusions return and he believes Mother is going to hurt her. Meanwhile, she’s intent on hurting herself. The memories from the convent are too much for her to bear.
When Norman plays voyeur and watches Maureen undress it brings upon his own PTSD trauma and his repression triggers his psychosis. He dresses like Mother and walks in to murder her, only she had already slit her own wrists. The visual temporarily restores his sanity and he brings her to St. Matthew’s Hospital.
Norman when in the right mind is the sweetest guy in the world. He cares for Maureen and sits outside her hospital room. When she finds out he saved her life, she asks to see him. She thanks him and apologizes for being a burden, but he won’t hear it. He’s a lovely man. I could get beyond all that pesky murder stuff. He wants to be good so badly. He tells Maureen that they can help one another and he means it. He’s so genuine. Anthony Perkins has such innocent eyes and he wears the loveliest of smiles. He’s all sorts of adorable and he makes me cheer for Norman. I don’t know if he was just the most marvelous actor in the world or if his demeanor was just too good-natured to hide. I do know that he will always be the ONLY Norman Bates for me.
While Norman and Maureen are starting an old-fashioned and sweet courtship, asshole Duane is being his usual charming self. He sells out Norman to Tracy promising her information when he gets it. He brings home a barfly and throws her out of the room after a worthless fuck that didn’t make her cum. The poor chick ends up getting killed by someone dressed like Mother. I do feel badly for her. She was just looking for a good time. She wanted to have fun and picked the wrong dude.
Duane is that prick in every horror film that you want to see die. He prides himself an alpha-male, but is no competition for Norman in a dress. When will the world learn that fem boys do everything better?!
Maureen goes to therapy regarding the suicide attempt. She tries to figure out why she saw the Virgin Mary before passing out from the blood loss. Unbeknownst to her, it was actually Norman dressed like mother. Every relationship has bumps. Sure, Norman was going to originally kill her, but he’s fighting the urge. Give him credit.
He is also the king of flirtation. He gets Maureen’s dress cleaned and tells her she’d look swell in it. (Swoon. Swoon. Swoon to the moon. I love that man. Jump on him. Tear off his clothes. Kiss him, lick him, bite him. Ride him until dawn. Make him forget that witch of a matriarch ever existed. Sorry – internal thoughts got their hand on the keyboard again.)
Norman tries to explain to his mother that Maureen is a nice girl. He’s just taking her out for dinner. Surely the corpse can’t be mad about that!
On the date, the two get tipsy on barely any alcohol. Norman takes her onto the dance floor and teaches her a box-step. The attraction is too much for them both and Maureen can’t help but lean in close to him. He falls into the embrace too. They want each other.
Back at the motel, Maureen goes to her room after thinking she saw a old lady in the window of the house. Norman follows and asks what’s wrong. She blames it on the alcohol and thanks him for a lovely evening. He takes the drink out of her hand and puts it down. He almost kisses her but then pulls back. He’s about to leave, but she wants him to stay. She takes his fingertips and put them to her lips. That’s enough for him to grab and kiss her hotly. They fall back on the bed and oh how I want them to get there….but alas, pure Norman pulls back. He stops and says they can’t make love. Kudos to Maureen for understanding. She asks if they can just hold each other. He collapses on top of her as she tightens her embrace around them. I want them together. I want them to sex it up in every motel room and on every piece of furniture on the estate. I think those are reasonable expectations.
Later, Norman goes to talk to his mother who disapproves of the romance. He tries to convince her that Maureen is a good girl, but dead mother says that Maureen is a whore. How dare that evil woman cock block Norman, even in death! I hate her.
In the end, there are too many unsolved murders for the Sheriff to ignore and all roads seem to point to Norman. I wish they’d just let him get away with it. Why do they have to be so mean? Most of the people he killed were garbage-humans. Let him go. He probably won’t do it again.
Some have said this is too close to the second one and give it flack for that. I disagree. Though a few of the elements are similar, the flow and pace are completely different. Also, the relationship between Norman and Maureen is extremely different and more developed than that of Norman and Mary from PSYCHO II. I love both films. I actually love all four in the original series.
Currently, this is free on CINEMAX so if you don’t have the DVD watch it there.
Scared Stiff Rating: 8/10
