Mary: You really wanna know what Norman's like?
Warren Toomey: Yeah.
Mary: Better than you'll ever be, fat boy.
Norman Bates: Just, don't let them take me back to the institution.
Norman Bates: I don't kill people anymore.
Directed by: Richard Franklin
Starring: Robert Loggia, Anthony Perkins, Vera Miles, Meg Tilly
Mary: You really wanna know what Norman's like?
Warren Toomey: Yeah.
Mary: Better than you'll ever be, fat boy.
Norman Bates: Just, don't let them take me back to the institution.
Norman Bates: I don't kill people anymore.
Visible crew/equipment: When Dr. Raymond leaves with Mary in his car after talking to Norman, when he drives off the entire crew and equipment can be seen reflected in the side of his car. (00:41:50)
Trivia: For the last murder scene, when Norman brains his mother with a shovel in the kitchen (the only murder Norman actually commits in the entire film), his mother turns into a life-size dummy just before the fatal blow. You notice that she inexplicably leans far forward and bows her head (to hide her face for the dummy transition) just before Norman hammers her. This scene took several days to shoot, to get the transition just perfect, and it is the best practical special effect in the movie.
Chosen answer: The murderer is Emma Spool, Norman's biological mother. She was killing people because she didn't want anybody harming Norman.
Emma was not Norman's biological mother. She was the sister of Norma (and Norman's aunt) and jealous that Mr. Bates chose Norma over her and thought Norman should have been the son she and Mr. Bates were suppose to have. Later, while still mentally ill, she believed Norman was her son and told Norman this.
Bishop73
Emma Spool was, in fact, Norman's biological mother. It was revealed at the end of the movie that she is his real mother and Norma Bates is her sister who adopted Norman and raised him While Emma was institutionalized.
ctown28 ★
Again, that was just Emma being delusional and/or lying. Tracy Venable tells Norman the truth in Psycho III. Emma was never his mother.
Bishop73
I never knew Emma Spool was Norman's biological mother. In fact, I never heard of Emma Spool. Thanks.