6. Psycho III (1986)
Anthony Perkins helmed the third installment of the Psycho franchise, picking up where II left off. With mummy back in the window, Norman Bates resumes operating the motel. When a young woman named Maureen Coyle (Diana Scarwid) checks in, she reminds Norman of Marion Crane, and things began to start up again. Mother questions Normans intentions with the new arrival, and Bates is once again driven to madness, all the while being dogged by a pushy reporter who wants to get his story. Psycho III took several cues from the original: voyeurism, a shower scene, a car being dumped into the swamp, the duality of Bates and his mother. While the story worked, the script was but satisfactory. There were several cringe-worthy lines of dialogue, while at the same time the film had some inspired moments, particularly as Bates romanced Maureen. Like Psycho II, the film left open the possibility that it was another character committing the murders and not Bates. The film concludes with Bates in handcuffs. When the sheriff tells Norman he is going away for a long, long time, Bates responds, At least Ill be free. It's a terrific ending, a satisfying ending, an ending which underscores the sympathetic character that Perkins played so well. Then theres the tag. While in the back seat of the police car, Bates removes from his jacket the mummified hand of his mother and begins stroking it, a change that was filmed in post-production, a change that the studio had insisted on. It was a shock value change that in my mind lessened the character of Bates and ultimately cheapened the movie. Psycho III was fairly well-received by critics. Roger Ebert was surprised at what a good job Perkins did as a first time director. But audiences were ambivalent; Psycho III was the least profitable of the franchise, and the Bates Motel would not be seen in theaters again for twelve years.