Psycho II

Psycho II (1983)

Plot summary

(4 votes)

Norman Bates (Perkins) has finally been judged mentally sound and released from the mental institution where he has been for 22 years. Once out, he eventually falls in love with Mary (Tilly). But Lila Loomis (Miles), the sister of Marion Crane who was murdered in the shower 22 years before, protests fiercely over his release and wants him put back in the institution for life. Then Norman sees his mother in the window of the Bates house and the murders start happening again. But this time it isn't Norman... or is it?

Revealing mistake: At the end when Norman is being stabbed at by Mary dressed up as Mother, Mary stabs Norman in the hand. You can plainly tell that this hand is a doll, as it is not a natural colour, it is stiff and is stationary, unlike Norman who is moving his hands. (01:35:10)

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Norman Bates: Just, don't let them take me back to the institution.

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Trivia: When Mary and Norman go into Mother's room, before Mary turns on the light look at the shadow on the wall on the right. It is a silhouette of Alfred Hitchcock, the director of the original "Psycho" (1960). (00:24:10)

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Question: Spoiler alert: this question gives away much of the first "Psycho" movie. In the original Alfred Hitchcock "Psycho" we witness Norman Bates murdering Janet Leigh/Marion Crane and Martin Balsam/Milton Arbogast, and very narrowly missing killing Vera Miles/Lila Crane. At the end of the movie we discover that Norman Bates had murdered his mother and her lover ten years previously. We are also told that he had killed two female guests at Bates Motel. Norman Bates is therefore guilty of six murders and one attempted murder. In Psycho II we find out that, after his crimes were discovered, Norman Bates was placed in a secure psychiatric institution for the criminally insane. This does seem plausible. But with such a criminal record, would he ever be released from incarceration?

Rob Halliday

Answer: Norman was found "not guilty" by reason of insanity. Therefore, once he is deemed to be no longer a danger to himself, or to others, and is released from the mental institution, there is no crime he can be sent to jail for (i.e. he has no criminal record for the murders). I haven't done enough research to tell you if a serial killer in recent times has ever been found not guilty by reason of insanity and subsequently been released, but there are numerous accounts of people being released from mental institutions after committing murder that are then considered free.

Bishop73

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