Not just one! But all the original Psycho movies, starring Anthony Perkins. I always get a bit mad when people call a DVD with more than one disc a box set. Yes it's in a box but hardly a box set! This set has nothing out of the ordinary or exceptional about its inner contents, so to call it a box set is an insult. Right that's my moan out of the way, lets get on with the show.

Psycho
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Marion Crane has been having an affair with shop worker Sam Loomis for quite some time. Marion's life is rather dull; she likes excitement and longs to push her life into a new direction. However financial complications make this not possible.

One very hot afternoon temptation gets the better of Marion. When placed in a situation of trust regarding a large amount of money, Marion runs away to begin her new life. Ever aware that the police will be after her, Marion makes sure that she cannot be traced by changing her car. When she books into the Bates Motel however the last thing that she is expecting is that she will be murdered by a serial killer.

Filmed in 1960 and shot in black and white Psycho is one of the best known horror movies, and it launched the term "Slasher" when referring to a movie of this type. During the film you are constantly told that it's very hot, 1960 was not a hot year in America. However for the movies Director Alfred Hitchcock (A Brit) it was, all his films prior to Psycho had been filmed in the winter. 1960 actually goes on record as being one of the coolest summers of the 60's in America.

The film is very well thought out; when Marion first takes to the road in her head she plays out a series of events as they may occur. The killer also plays out similar scenarios in his head as he tries to dispose of the collection of bodies. A big problem with the movie however which I cannot escape from is the continued quick glances of either actual filming equipment or the shadows they cause.

Psycho is probably best known for the shower scene in which Marion is killed. Nowadays it's somewhat of a badly acted joke but 46 years ago it was very groundbreaking stuff.

Principal Cast:

Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates
Janet Leigh - Marion Crane
Vera Miles - Lila Crane
John Gavin - Sam Loomis
Martin Balsam - Detective Milton Arbogas

In respect of Special features the first DVD containing Psycho also features a 90 minute documentary which features a large variety of unusual trivia and stories about the making of the film, and the Psycho legacy. There is also Newsreel footage, a variety of trailers and the infamous shower scene. Some versions of this box set feature storyboards and production notes, but not all! Why is a bit unknown, so don't expect them to be there. The first disc is the only disc of the four to have any additional features. The rest of the DVD's just feature English Subtitles, and German, English and French subtitles as this DVD does.

Psycho 2
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23 years later Norman Bates is declared sane by a board of governors. Norman is free to return to his Motel on the following conditions: Warren Toomey runs the Motel, and that he finds himself employment to integrate himself with society. As well as this he must attend regular visits with his court appointed Officer Bill Raymond. Norman is given a job working at a local diner and at first everything seems fine, it almost seems as if Norman's passed crimes are forgotten about.

When a fellow employee at the Diner called Mary runs into a spot of bother, Norman offers her a room in his hotel. Upon arriving at the Motel however he discovers that Warren has turned his hotel into a Brothel. Norman dismisses Warren and decides that with Mary's help he can return the Bates Motel to its former glory. But when Warren disappears and a variety of strange occurrences begin it seems that Norman has returned to his old ways.

Personally Psycho 2 for me is the best of all the Psycho movies, it was the first Psycho movie that I had seen but I don't think this is the reason. I think the reason the film for me is so good is down to the fact that like in real life some people are not prepared to let you get away from your past. Norman is not shown as a vicious serial killer, but as a child in a man's body. It's made blatantly apparent that Norman never had a normal upbringing, and that his actions were caused by mental cruelty inflicted upon him by his mother. Norman is harshly shown that mental cruelty can be inflicted on you by people other than your family.

At the heart of Psycho 2 is an innocent story, of a man's first experiences with love. Norman truly loves Mary, and in return Mary comes to love Norman. But these sort of films have no happy endings.

Psycho 2 is a superior movie to its predecessor and at the time was the most Longley awaited sequels ever made. Although the film proved to be a flop, now a group of critics are beginning to hail the film. And I think it's only a matter of time before Psycho 2 is seen as a true classic.

Principal Cast:

Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates
Vera Miles - Lila Loomis
Meg Tilly - Mary Loomis
Robert Loggia - Dr. Bill Raymond
Dennis Franz - Warren Toomey
Hugh Gillin - Sheriff John Hunt
Claudia Bryar .- Emma Spool

Psycho 3
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Having been found not guilty of any offences from the previous chapter, Norman lives a quiet peaceful life. Set three years on he spends his day's running the Motel and stuffing dead birds. The first few minutes of the movie show Norman to be perfectly normal, but when you find that the dead birds have actually been poisoned by Norman you are quickly reminded of what Norman is capable of.

Maureen Coyle is a Nun who lives in a nearby convent. After committing an act against God (in the eyes of the convent), Maureen leaves and hits the open road. A chance encounter with the sleazy Duane Duke, and the pair arrive at The Bates Motel. Duane lands himself a job running the Motel while Maurine checks in to give herself chance to think. A mysterious figure, knife in hand enters Maureen's room to end her life, but is apparently beaten to it. Maureen is laying in a bath filled with blood; she has tried to take her own life. What Maureen sees as she loses consciousness

is the virgin Mary before her with a crucifix in her hand, not a killer with a knife.

As Norman again finds the opportunity of love, Duane attempts to bring the Motel down to the standards that Warren had it three years prior. And when a reporter turns up to investigate the miracle that has occurred at the Bates Motel, she focuses more on the past than the present. With all these changes going on, it's not long before it appears Norman has returned to his old ways again.

Psycho 3 is not a bad addition to this genre, but with movies such as Halloween, Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street on everybody's lips the third instalment tries to be a little more like those movies, to catch the passing trend. The cast is filled with nobody/somebody's; you have seen them before but are not important enough for you to care too much. Psycho 3 is flawed to a variety of reasons and it's sad that with the promise of Psycho 2 this third episode looks like any hack and slash horror movie.

Principal Cast:

Anthony Perkins .- Norman Bates
Diana Scarwid - Maureen Coyle
Jeff Fahey - Duane Duke

Psycho 4
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In the final instalment of The Psycho series and one of Perkins final roles we are given the prequel / sequel touch. Perkins for several years had been adamant that he would end the series at the beginning by telling the story of how Norman became who he was. However the big Hollywood producers denied this opportunity. Perkins found an opportunity to please everyone at a low cost and guarantee the ultimate exposure. He would set the story in both the present and the past; he gathered a stellar cast but took the film from the big screen to the small screen, Psycho 4 was a TV movie.

The story is quite straightforward, in the present Norman is on the verge of a major commitment. He has finally walked away from the Bates Motel, and has found true love. But days before his wedding, an incident with a knife takes Norman down memory lane. He remembers the hurtful ways he was treated as a child. What sort of man would past events make him as a husband, or even a father?

The story, for its television barriers works well, and it was the first time that a made for television Horror movie worked, a dozen other movies were given the transition from big screen to small screen in the hope of replicating the success of Psycho 4. Although the story works well, and is beautifully shot, it's blatantly apparent that the film is designed for home viewing. This ultimately makes Psycho 4 the weakest of the series.

Principal Cast:

Anthony Perkins - Norman Bates
Henry Thomas - Young Norman Bates
Olivia Hussey - Norma Bates
CCH Pounder - Fran Ambrose
Warren Frost - Dr. Leo Richmond
John Landis - Mike

The key thing about all the psycho movies is that they fit together perfectly; although the style may change you never feel that you have missed something between each chapter.

As a whole the Psycho Collection is a good buy if you are a fan of any of the movies. The picture quality is exceptional, far better than the VHS prints. The psycho collection varies strongly in price, from £16.00 on Amazon to £32.00 from HMV. It's worth a look on Ebay as the price fluctuates there too. Happy Viewing!