Psycho: The Story Continues / Psycho III (1986)

Details: By Loron Hays; 30 November 2025

Psycho III (1986)

Anthony Perkins trades in his acting hat for a director’s chair in Psycho III, making his third turn as Norman Bates while trying not to trip over the legacy of Hitchcock’s masterpiece. Spoiler: he mostly succeeds. The film isn’t as sharp or ambitious as Psycho II, but there’s a lean, mean energy here that actually suits the sequel vibe. Perkins ditches the fluff and focuses on a tighter, suspense-driven story—and, surprisingly, he’s not terrible behind the camera. Who knew Norman Bates could direct?

"isn’t as sharp or ambitious as Psycho II, but there’s a lean, mean energy here that actually suits the sequel vibe"

The story picks up a month or two after the chaos of Psycho II, when Norman, once again nudged over the edge by a vengeful Vera Miles, bashed a woman claiming to be his real mother with a shovel. Naturally, he’s now hoarding her corpse and talking to it. Classic Norman. The man can’t hold a normal life if it came gift-wrapped. Once again, it’s the Bates house and motel, and this time he hires a guitar-strumming drifter named Duane Duke (Jeff Fahey) for $5 an hour. Soon after, a slightly off-the-rails convent dropout named Maureen (Diana Scarwid) shows up, and Norman, ignoring Mama’s usual protests from the afterlife, offers her room and board.

Throw in Roberta Maxwell as a nosy journalist sniffing for a story and Hugh Gillin back as Sheriff Hunt, and Perkins cranks the tension just enough to remind you that Norman’s weirdness isn’t going anywhere. Screenwriter Charles Edward Pogue doesn’t aim to reinvent the wheel here, but he honors Hitchcock with suspense, some dark humor, and a few moments that actually feel like they belong in the original Psycho. Psycho III (1986)

Perkins manages to sneak in some clever nods to the Janet Leigh storyline, which adds a touch of continuity. Unfortunately, his own performance as Bates feels a little half-baked—he’s still Norman, sure, but there’s a hollow echo in the execution. It probably didn’t help that he had to juggle directing while Universal demanded more sex, nudity, and blood. The result? Psycho III lands somewhere between a proper thriller and a garden-variety slasher.

There are definite highs—hello, ice freezer scene—and the movie nicely ties all three films into one coherent Norman Bates arc. But too often, the film feels like it’s running on autopilot, with moments of brilliance punctuated by a lot of “meh.” That said, Perkins and Fahey deliver some genuinely fun lines, and the suspense does hit just enough to keep you invested.

The shower scene might be lukewarm, but Psycho III is far from a waste of time. It’s a solid, if flawed, continuation of Norman’s saga—think of it as Bates with training wheels.

5/5 stars

Psycho II (1983)

4k details divider

4K Ultra HD Edition

Home Video Distributor: Arrow Films
Available on Blu-ray - February 26, 2024
Screen Formats: 1.85:1
Subtitles: English
Video: HDR10
Audio: LPCM 2.0; English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
Discs: 4K Ultra HD; Blu-ray Disc; three-disc set
Region Encoding: 4K region-free; blu-ray locked to Region A

The legendary Norman Bates is back, and this time he’s running the Bates Motel—and his own twisted mind—like a man possessed. After a shocking murder, Norman struggles to live a normal life… but Mother has other plans. When a drifter and a troubled young woman arrive at the motel, old instincts—and old horrors—resurface.

Anthony Perkins steps behind the camera for his directorial debut, delivering a tense, darkly humorous thriller that nods to Hitchcock while carving its own chilling path. With suspense, shocking twists, and moments that will make you shiver, Psycho III proves the Bates saga is far from over. Experience it in stunning 4K Ultra HD with remastered visuals and crisp, haunting audio that brings Norman’s world to life like never before.

VIDEO

Arrow Video has done it again, giving the third chapter of the Bates saga a shiny new 4K makeover that’s way overdue. First things first: this isn’t Hitchcock, and it knows it—but in a way, that’s the fun.

The transfer is gorgeous. Every grimy corner of the Bates Motel is crisp and textured, from the peeling wallpaper to the ever-creepy shadows that cling to Norman’s world. You can practically see the dust motes dancing in the freezer scene. The color timing is sharp, the blacks are inky, and the whole thing pops in a way that gives even the most familiar scenes a fresh kind of tension.

AUDIO

The audio is tight too. The original score hits all the right notes, and the remastered track balances dialogue, ambient sound, and Bernard Herrmann-esque suspense cues perfectly. Perkins’ voice still has that soft-spoken menace, and you can hear every offbeat whisper from “Mother.” Fans of horror audio detail will be very happy here—doors creak, shovels scrape, and every gasp lands just as it should.

Supplements:

Commentary:

See Special Features.

Special Features:

The Psycho III 4K UHD release is exactly the redemption arc this film deserves. It’s cleaner, sharper, moodier, and more atmospheric than it’s ever been, and the upgraded clarity really underscores just how smartly shot this sequel is. No, it doesn’t dethrone Hitchcock—frankly, it doesn’t try to—but in this format, you can see just how confidently Richard Franklin crafted something worthy of the Bates legacy.

DISC ONE – PSYCHO II (1983)

Brand-new 4K restoration from the original camera negative
Audio commentary with director Richard Franklin and writer Tom Holland
New interview: The Return to Bates Motel – cast and crew reflect on resurrecting a classic
A Broken Mind: A newly produced analysis of Norman Bates’ psychological arc
Vintage making-of featurette
Anthony Perkins archive interview
Behind-the-scenes stills and promotional gallery
Theatrical trailer & TV spots
Optional English subtitles