ALFRED Hitchcock's original 1960 chiller Psycho took suspense into terrifying new realms, and was to become his most notorious, and most watched film. Everyone knows the basics: Janet Leigh, a pile of hot cash and the Bates Motel . . . 12 rooms, 12 vacancies, 12 showers.
Hitch's classic stayed a film apart for 23 years until the era of the sequel arrived, and Norman Bates - still played by Anthony Perkins - returned. Psycho II proved surprisingly scary and faithful to the first, though Psycho III (which Perkins also directed) was gratuitous in every sense - the blood, the gore, the film itself.
As for tonight's Psycho IV: The Beginning (Pearl 9.30pm, Original Running Time 100 mins) . . . it's time to say 'night, 'night Norman.
Here, Perkins - who might just as well have changed his name by deed poll to N. Bates - recalls his tortured adolesence with sluttish mom (Olivia Hussey) who's clearly several sandwiches short of a picnic.
Interestingly, Joseph Stefano, who wrote the screenplay for Hitchcock's original, also wrote the script for this film. It's just one stay too many at the Bates Motel.
THERE are more murderous goings on in Shocker (World 9.30pm, ORT 110 mins), another gory creation from director Wes Craven, the mind that dreamed up ole pizza face Freddy Krueger of the infamous Elm Street address.
The themes are familiar: something nasty invades the safety of sedate suburbia, nightmare visions and psychic bonding.