Everyone is familiar with Alfred Hitchcock's Psycho, one of the seminal horror movies that also features one of the most widely cited and ridiculed plot twists ever—the infamous shower scene.
Despite being one of the best horror movies ever, it's surprising that not many people were aware of the sequels. Despite not being helmed by Hitchcock, the 1983 film Psycho II has fallen by the wayside, with only the most ardent fans remaining aware of its existence.
The prevailing sentiment among horror enthusiasts who are remembering the frequently neglected sequel is, "How have more people not seen it?"
Some twenty-three years after the release of the first Psycho, Anthony Perkins returned to reprise his role as Norman Bates. He once again delivered a brilliant performance as the weird guy concealing a deadly secret. Perkins gave one of the best performances in the genre and seemed sincere in the part.
The sequel, which is more sophisticated than you might think from a movie with the title Psycho II, defies many preconceptions just by not being completely awful. A tribute to director Richard Franklin, who built a solid reputation for himself after Hitchcock but has subsequently done very few high-profile productions.
A young Meg Tilly gives a standout performance in the movie just two years before she was nominated for an Oscar for her work on Agnes of God, so Perkins isn't the only one in the movie giving it her all. By the way, Agnes is short for Lamb. God's lamb.
Hollywood's obsession with Psycho didn't end with Psycho II; four more films from the genre were produced, including a terrible shot-for-shot remake from 1998. The television series Bates Motel does a great job of conveying the sensual and peculiar aspects of the series, even though none of the sequels are able to equal the fun of Psycho II.
