Psycho III

Set just a few months later, Psycho 3 (1986) picks up with Norman now a full-tilt loony once again. His fascination with a Marion Crane look-alike (Diana Scarwid) prompts an ill-fated romance that Mother disapproves of…and we all know what happens with women Mother doesn’t like.

This time around, Perkin’s himself gets in the director’s chair and does a surprisingly good job. The kill sequences are a bit more modern and not afraid to show some gore. If anything works against him, it’s Perkins’ tendency to include references to the original film. That sort of wink-wink nudge-nudge stuff is exactly what you would have expected out of the first sequel and isn’t really necessary. The script by Charles Edward Pogue (who would reboot The Fly just a year later) works in enough humor and interesting characters all on its own, including a scene-stealing Jeff Fahey as a rock n’ roll drifter.

Perkins seems to be aiming for the cheap seats in an attempt to boost Norman’s stature amongst new-age slashers like Jason and Michael Myers. He takes the character in a few interesting directions (Norman actually gets to act on those erotic impulses this time around) but winds up just milking a cow that is quickly running dry.