Psycho IV: The Beginning

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Psycho IV: The Beginning

TV-14

1990

1h 37m

Mystery & Thriller

Horror

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

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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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

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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

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Matt Brunson

Creative Loafing

A feeble addition to the Norman Bates canon.

Rated: 2/4

Sep 17, 2016

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Andreas Samuelson

Slasherpool

People expecting some paranoia horror or gory murders will be hugely disappointed.

Rated: 2/5

Jan 26, 2004

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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

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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

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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

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Mick Garris

Director

Anthony Perkins

Norman Bates

Henry Thomas

Young Norman Bates

Olivia Hussey

Norma Bates

CCH Pounder

Fran Ambrose

Donna Mitchell

Connie Bates

Misery

91%

90%

Misery

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Pet Sematary

56%

60%

Pet Sematary

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TRAILER

for Pet Sematary

Psycho III

59%

34%

Psycho III

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Raising Cain

64%

41%

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Psycho II

66%

62%

Psycho II

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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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