10 Horror Movie Moments IMPOSSIBLE To Watch Same Way After This Article
6. Alfred Hitchcock Makes A Posthumous "Cameo" - Psycho II
Though Psycho II's mere existence was seen as sacrilegious upon its original 1983 release, esteem for the sequel has grown over time, even as fans accept that it doesn't get close to matching the thrills of Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 original.
It didn't help Psycho II's rep that it released barely three years after Hitchcock's death in 1980, with some seeing it as a disrespectful attempt to cash-in on his legacy.
But Hitchcock's daughter Patricia gave the project her blessing and Hitchcock's student Richard Franklin was picked to direct the film as a tribute to his mentor.
The film as such includes a number of nods, both subtle and overt, to the late filmmaker, including a brilliant one when Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) and Mary Loomis (Meg Tilly) first enter Norman's mother's bedroom.
In the moment before they turn the lights on, keep your eye on the right-hand side of the frame and you'll be able to see a distinctive silhouette of Hitchcock himself, inspired by his silhouetted profile used in the 1950s anthology series Alfred Hitchcock Presents.
Given Hitchcock's iconic tendency to make cameo appearances in his own movies, this was a fun way to put him in the film despite his death, and sly enough that it blends easily into the shadowy environment.
It's pretty funny to think about the crew setting up a Hitchcock cardboard cutout - or finding a similarly proportioned individual - to achieve this effect, though.