#psycho 98

Psycho (1998) Gus Van Sant doesn't consider this film a copy of Alfred Hitchcock's original. He remarked, "If I hold a camera, even if it's in the same place, it will magically take on the character. Our 'Psycho' showed you can't really appropriate. Or you can, but it's not going to be the same thing."

Psycho (1998) Although the original motel exterior from Psycho (1960) had long since been demolished, the exterior motel set seen in this remake was originally constructed for Psycho II (1983). However, the house was a new set constructed directly in front of the old house on the backlot at Universal Studios. On completion of filming, they moved this second house alongside the first for the backlot tour.

Psycho (1998) In Mr. Lowery's office the following exchange is heard: CASSIDY (to Marion): You should take a vacation in Las Vegas, playground of the world! MARION: Thank you, but I think I'll spend this weekend in bed. CASSIDY: Only playground to beat Las Vegas. The last sentence was in the original script used by Alfred Hitchcock for Psycho (1960), but he had to cut it due to the censors. Gus Van Sant put it into Psycho (1998) as Hitchcock originally intended.

Psycho (1998) When Gus Van Sant cameos in the same scene Alfred Hitchcock did in the original, he's talking to a man in a cowboy hat. Apparently it's supposed to be Hitchcock scolding Van Sant.

Psycho (1998) During filming, Gus Van Sant brought along a DVD player and played the original Psycho (1960), and they used it for reference. When he spotted a mistake (a door opening without a key), van Sant decided to put the same mistake into his film.

Psycho (1998) Although this remake was critically panned, it did get a blessing from Alfred Hitchcock's daughter, Patricia Hitchcock O'Connell. She even claimed that remaking a film shot-for-shot is something her father would have done. She seemed to forget that Hitchcock did indeed remake one of his own films, The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934) as The Man Who Knew Too Much (1956), but it was not shot-for-shot.

Psycho (1998) Scriptwriter Joseph Stefano felt that even though Anne Heche is saying the same lines that Janet Leigh said, she played Marion Crane completely differently.

Psycho (1998) When asked why he did a shot-for-shot, full colour remake of Psycho (1960), Gus Van Sant replied "So no one else would have to."