2. Gus Van Sant - Psycho
It's really no surprise that on a list about failed Hitchcock imitators Gus Van Sant's Psycho remake would be discussed. Consider the elements: it's a near shot-for-shot remake of Hitch's most popular film containing all of the dark irony and sexuality. So why is it so reviled? To put it simply, it's a completely different experience. In 1960, when audiences sat down in theaters , ready to see another crime caper/thriller from The Master of Suspense, not a single person knew what to expect. Even weeks into the film's theatrical run know one knew the masterful twist 40 minutes into the film. In 1996, everyone knew the story, knew the culture. There was nothing special about Marion Crane's death in 1996. Even modern viewers who know the story still find more pleasure in the 1960 version, due in part, to its haunting subtlety. Everyone knows Norman Bates is a sexual deviant with mother issues, but it's handled so deftly in the original. When Norman peeps on Marion in the bathroom, audiences can only imagine what he would do with that kind of visual. In Van Sant's film, it's very clear what Norman is doing while spying, and while that's more to Van Sant's style, it almost completely ruins the scene. Think of how unprecedented the original was. It killed off the main character near halfway through the film and was the first film to prominently feature a toilet as a main plot device. Vince Vaughn as Norman in the remake is also very distracting. Anthony Perkins is suave, good looking and the kind of unassuming guy you root for. Vaughn is just goofy and weird.