|
Celebrating and examining 50 years of chilling cinematic history, Robert V. Galluzzo's documentary THE PSYCHO LEGACY collects cast and crew interviews, rare behind-the-scenes footage and stills from Alfred Hitchcock's original 1960 shocker and its three sequels in this 2-Disc Special Edition DVD, available on October 19th from Shout! Factory. The original 87-minute feature documentary is backed up with over three hours of bonus materials featuring a convention Q&A session with series actor Anthony Perkins, a tour of the Bates Motel at Universal Studios Hollywood and more. Despite some rough edges in production quality given the rarity of some video materials, THE PSYCHO LEGACY is a very comprehensive and devoted documentary created to honor and preserve the thrilling horror film legacy of Norman Bates as original envisioned by Hitchcock and explored by actors and storytellers in the years since Mother first terrified audiences. Based on Robert Bloch's novel, Alfred Hitchcock experimented making a low-budget, black-and-white thriller, relying on a simple but stunning tale of one man's deadly secret and the unfortunate souls who uncover his crimes. With excellent casting of talented actors perfect for their roles and liberal doses of efficient, visionary cinematography and taut pacing, PSYCHO stunned audiences in 1960 and it still sends cultural and cinematic shockwaves today. Three sequels followed with varying degrees of artistic and commercial success, expanding upon the legacy of the original masterpiece which together cast a five-decade-long shadow of terrifying moments across the movie landscape. THE PSYCHO LEGACY writer/director Galluzzo and producer Anthony Masi take audiences on that fateful storytelling trip from the Bates Motel and up the stairs to the ominous Psycho House on the hill through Hitchcock's 1960 original, theatrical sequels PSYCHO II (1983) and PSYCHO III (1986), and the Showtime cable sequel feature PSYCHO IV: THE BEGINNING (1990). Tracking and comparing the twists and turns of PSYCHO mythology through the lenses of directors Richard Franklin, Anthony Perkins and Mick Garris, the documentary balances retrospective analysis and fan appreciation in a 40/60 split of attention and philosophy. Accordingly you'll see and hear less staunch criticism of the films where it's merited, and perhaps a bit more adoration for the sequels than average viewers might bestow. Still, there is no disputing PSYCHO's influence and endurance in cinema history and pop culture, and this DVD explores all aspects of this phenomenon thoroughly. Interview and appearance footage of franchise stars and crew members abound across both discs, including: actors Anthony Perkins, Robert Loggia, Olivia Hussey, Henry Thomas, Diana Scarwid, PSYCHO II writer Tom Holland, PSYCHO assistant director Hilton Greene, PSYCHO IV director Mick Garris and PSYCHO II director Richard Franklin among many others. For fans of the series and cinephiles in general, these cast and crew interviews could well be worth the purchase price alone for their rarity and combined proximity in this one documentary project. The second disc of THE PSYCHO LEGACY Bonus Features offers over three hours of additional PSYCHO investigation and entertainment, including:
Viewers may have minor quibbles with some of the video quality in a couple of these bonus features — such as the Anthony Perkins Q&A which sounds great but looks rather washed out as shot on someone's SD camcorder from nearby in the audience — but the value of these rare, often one-time-only apperances and events far outweigh some of the technical limitations on the otherwise solid material. Not a knock against Galluzzo and team at all, just fair warning to fans to expect some minor varations in video formatting and quality in the era of hi-def widescreen home theater systems. Fear not, the goods here stand out despite the few rough edges. For perhaps the most comprehensive and star-studded retrospectives of the entire half-century film phenomenon, THE PSYCHO LEGACY presents a feature-length and feature packed 2-disc DVD that pays worthy, well-conceived homage to the enduring mystery of Norman Bates, the cinematic genius of Alfred Hitchcock's landmark thriller and the terrors extending across decades since. Be sure to add it to your Halloween viewing schedule this season — after all, you don't want to make Mother angry!
|
