Psycho (1998)

REVIEW
Remakes should serve several purposes. Amongst them are updating an entirely dated work for modern audiences, or stamping source material with another auteur's fresh, distinctive ring. Van Sant does neither with his remake of Alfred Hitchcock's classic thriller, a nifty-in-theory experiment which should have been relegated to film school. A miscast Vaughn sullies the character of Norman Bates, now a fey masturbator. Basically, Van Sant's own contributions include some technically sophisticated shots, color, and a few weird edits (Macy sees blurred visions of cows when stabbed!). Heche, Moore and Macy provide good turns, but not enough to balance out Vaughn's asinine freakazoid. This remake is totally uncalled for. Stick with Hitchcock's still-potent original masterpeice.