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Psycho IV: The Beginning

Play trailer Poster for Psycho IV: The Beginning TV-14 1990 1h 37m Mystery & Thriller Horror Play Trailer Watchlist
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20% Tomatometer 5 Reviews 33% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Released from a mental institution once again, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) calls in to tell his life story to a radio host (CCH Pounder). Norman recalls his days as a young boy living with his schizophrenic mother (Olivia Hussey), and the jealous rage that inspired her murder. In the present, Norman lives with his pregnant wife, Connie (Donna Mitchell), fearing that his child will inherit his split personality disorder, and "Mother" will return to kill again.
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Psycho IV: The Beginning

Critics Reviews

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Anton Bitel Little White Lies Even as it goes back to Norman’s traumatic adolescence, this is also a putative ending, as Norman seeks to ensure that the ‘bad seed’ he has inherited is never passed on. It is a gothic melodrama of twisted redemption, and (perhaps) also a new beginning. Feb 19, 2024 Full Review Nick Rogers Midwest Film Journal The contemporary conflict of nature versus nurture is rushed. It’s like trying to shoehorn several seasons of "Dexter" into a single film. Ultimately, it’s just some dedicated window-dressing and a milquetoast conclusion to the saga. Rated: 2/5 Oct 13, 2023 Full Review Tim Brayton Alternate Ending This should be complete garbage; instead, it is not a very good movie. But it's still sort of interesting and mostly worth watching. Rated: 2.5/5 Sep 22, 2022 Full Review Matt Brunson Creative Loafing A feeble addition to the Norman Bates canon. Rated: 2/4 Sep 17, 2016 Full Review Andreas Samuelson Slasherpool People expecting some paranoia horror or gory murders will be hugely disappointed. Rated: 2/5 Jan 26, 2004 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

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Stephen C Failure in 1 hour and 37 minutes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars 06/14/25 Full Review Nick O I really love how this flick works as a prequel as well as a sequel with a not quite rehabilitated Norman Bates recounting his disturbing childhood for a radio shrink while he plans his next psychotic decent. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 06/02/25 Full Review Julian S The real draw is in how it deepens and continues the original story—even more compellingly than part II and III—but ultimately, it exists as a reverent echo of Hitchcock’s masterpiece, and not much more. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 04/04/25 Full Review James B Probably one of my favourite ones psycho IV explores norman bate's origins whilst also having a decent plot in the present but I do wish they would've killed him off. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/31/25 Full Review Audience Member Ridiculous! Wonder why Perkins agreed to play in it! Rated 1 out of 5 stars 06/04/24 Full Review Jules N Une façon originale de faire un prequel qui est cependant inutile à la saga Rated 1.5 out of 5 stars 05/25/24 Full Review Read all reviews
Psycho IV: The Beginning

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Movie Info

Synopsis Released from a mental institution once again, Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) calls in to tell his life story to a radio host (CCH Pounder). Norman recalls his days as a young boy living with his schizophrenic mother (Olivia Hussey), and the jealous rage that inspired her murder. In the present, Norman lives with his pregnant wife, Connie (Donna Mitchell), fearing that his child will inherit his split personality disorder, and "Mother" will return to kill again.
Director
Mick Garris
Producer
Les Mayfield, George Zaloom
Screenwriter
Joseph Stefano
Production Co
Universal Television, Smart Money Productions
Rating
TV-14 (V|S|D), R
Genre
Mystery & Thriller, Horror
Original Language
English
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 15, 2019
Runtime
1h 37m
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