Cleaning up after his "Mother's" crimes to me is more of Norman trying to protect his "Mother" rather than it being Norman lacking remorse.

"Mommy issues" is quite the understatement here

Anthony Perkins and his portrayal of Norman Bates was/is absolutely fantastic, what an actor

How was Anthony Perkins NOT nominated for an Oscar for this performance? Janet Leigh was nominated for best performance in a supporting role, Hitchcock for Director, but not Anthony Perkins? The play of emotions across his face are amazing!

More tragic than evil for me. Though its a tough one. An incestuous home environment warps a person. So much that I’d consider the trauma a significant mitigating factor.

Great analysis of Norman. I believe his mother was evil and through incest, and/or emotional incest plus physical and emotional abuse, trauma and neglect,she broke Normans mind and heart as a child. Therefore Normans split personality was created. I was wondering maby he cleaned up his mother's crimes as a child and he is re enacting trauma. Evil is so destructive it will destroy a person. I think this story was a fable about what an evil mother can do to a child. Thank you for your work, I have always wondered about Norman

The three most terrifying words in cinema: BATES MOTEL VACANCY.

That scene at the end when Perkins looks up at the camera still gives me the creeps. What great filmmaking.

The f*cking jumpscare where the detective gets stabbed shook me so much when I first watched that film. The build-up is so great and you just don't expect it. I almost got a heart attack at that.

I believe it's possible to have empathy for the tragedy a person has suffered yet still deem then as evil, homemade evil perhaps, but evil non the less.

In the book, it is actually stated that he was into taxidermy and occult books before he killed his mother and that it was the combination of those 2 things that was the "secret" of bringing his mother back, preserving her body and willing her spirit back into it. Near the beginning of Psycho 2, he does also mention that while he taxidermied forest animals, he actually wished he could have live one's as pets around the hotel.

I can now finally say that Anthony Perkins is one the greatest actors in Hollywood. That stuttering and uneasiness, looks so natural and that smile in the end creeps me out.

I think Norman wants to love and be loved. Sadly "mother" controls him n won't let him love anyone else but her

The Hitchcock stare at the end is so iconic.

Having gone through severe childhood abuse and neglect from my mother - which resulted in C-PTSD - I can't say I'm shocked over Norman's behaviour. The most common reaction to abuse after a very long time is rage. Uncontrollable rage. You don't want to be violent, not at all. The best way to put it is that if you're pushed and pushed and pushed too far, taught never to fight back. Never say no, never say stop. Well, at some point, you explode and it's far beyond any sort of mitigating control. The cup runeth over, if you will. When Norman murdered his mother and her lover, I don't believe it was out of some Oedipus complex because he has sexual desires to his mother. It's more like he's addicted to her. Always being told how to act, who to be, always bossed around by his mother. Now here comes a new man and gets all that attention, leaving Norman to fend for himself. I think *that* is the thing that triggers his supressed rage and he kills his mother and her lover. But then again, maybe it's just oedipus complex. I'm not Norman's brain, and I don't think we're given enough information in the movie to make any sort of reliable estimation. Is Norman evil. No. His actions certainly are, but he wasn't given a fighting chance in hell. I don't really believe in multiple personality disorder as it's depicted here, but for the sake of argument, we're sticking to what we see in the movie. Based on that I would hope he was sentenced to spend a lot of time in a mental institution, rather than ending up on death row. But I'm kinda biased, of course.

I must say that the films of Alfred Hitchcock never appealed to me at first, but they really grew on me after I saw The Birds. The Birds was a genuinely tense film and I was surprised at that when I first watched it. The idea of birds attacking humans on a huge scale sounds like the plot to some Syfy channel B-movie (like Sharknado and, fittingly, Birdemic) but when treated with a degree of seriousness and with cinematography that allowed it to be frightening rather than comedic it ended up being very effective. As for Psycho, it's not my favourite but I enjoyed it for the same reasons I loved The Birds. I think Hitchcock did a really great job at taking mundane things like flocks of birds or a motel run by a lonely man and making them frightening.

From 15:38 - 16:15 that final scene of Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins R.I.P.) when he finally breaks the fourth wall to look directly at us to this day still sends a chill through me.

There was an oatmeal ad in the 80s where Anthony Perkins is re-enacting Norman Bates, and saying “Yes mom, I’m eating my oatmeal!” That used to crack me up!

I think back to the scene where Norman is sinking Marion's car in the swamp behind the motel. The scene ends with Norman casually smoking a cigarette and smiling as the car disappears. Norman is satisfied that he's removed all traces, and he's pleased with himself at how clever he is. We're left with the impression that he's done this before, and now he's gotten pretty good at it, and he knows it. That shows a degree of evil, if you ask me.

Gosh, Norman looks like he might have an Oedipus Complex.

You should do videos on Hannibal Lecter, Buffalo Bill and Francis Dolarhyde.

The video ends with Norman smiling as the narrator says, “I’ll be seeing you…soon.” Nice.

Planning to do one on hannibal lecter.

Profile suggestion: John Doe from SE7EN.

I think Norman should be labeled as a victim. I’ve watched all the other films and taking them into account, Norman has been emotional abused from a very young age with his mother giving very little exposure to the outside world. Then adding the fact that her boyfriend was a jerk to Norman, seems like enough to tip Norman over the edge. This makes me believe Norman’s poisoning of his mother and her boyfriend were more of an act of pushing back against the mother who pushed him into a corner rather than an act of violence simply because of jealousy. This would also explain why he cleans up after his mother’s kills because the last time Norman fought back, he ended up killing 2 people. Now his response of poisoning his mother instead of getting actual help is still questionable but he was a teenager and likely didn’t know the best way to respond because he’s never known outside help. With all this into account and the fact the jury found him innocent on the plea of insanity makes me believe he’s a victim much more than he is a perpetrator. Btw I’d love to see you do the bates motel tv show

I feel he's a tragic villain, someone whose actions made him worse. I suppose there were others who stayed at the motel, who perhaps were not attacked by Norman, but I suppose that it all depends on his victims. The aforementioned missing girls were girls he felt an attraction too, but his plays into his upbringing where his mother prevented him from maturing sexually; in a sense Norman's mother is just as much a villain as he is. Whatever happened to him growing up stunted his sexuality making him hostile to the opposite sex. I wouldn't be surprised if his mother persona dictated who lived or died who came to the motel.

I want to see Pamela Vorhees. She's definitely got a lot going on

10:01 By pulling the dress and wig off while "Mother" was in control Sam probably drove Norman to complete insanity since the triggers to the alternate personality were taken away. Lila and Sam finally exposing his secret life was the last push over the edge.

I have heard that it isn't unheard of for overbearing or controlling single mothers (with other issues themselves) to treat their sons as a sort of emotional husband. this combined with the more recent discovery that DID is usually connected to childhood sexual abuse makes me think your theory about the jealousy he felt of his mother getting a new lover a really solid one

Most definitely wish to see a video about Norman in the TV show

8:28 In the kitchen he probably rapidly switched personalities with Norma finally taking control, Norman putting on the dress and wig, going to cabin 1 and stabbing Marion to death in the shower.

Seeing this footage it really seems like Freddie Highmore was spot on for Norman in Bates Motel.

I have watched a lot of horror movies etc but this character scared and frighten me. The way he is trapped by his own mind gave me shivers

Norman is hands down one of the most fascinating characters to have crossed the silver screen. The presenter does a great job of noting the variables that led to Norman as an adult. As a society, we abhor context because it can muddy up our demand for a neat, tidy, absolute decision. I don't begrudge judges and juries when it comes to rendering verdicts. Life is a messy thing.

The acts are surely evil. He is tragic but at the same time he protects himself from detection so that part could be considered evil.

Perkins got robbed in the Oscars. I think Norman was pretty much a result of a twisted upbringing, rather than anything else.

This is why I love bates motel soooo much. It shows us what his real mother was like. And why she was the way she was as well. Great content. I'd love to see one about bates motel too

The crazy thing is on the bate motel show Norman mother was so possessive because she knew he was a killer and she tried to keep him close so it gives you a better perspective about her that show makes me look at the movie different

Norman cleaning after his mother is like post nut clarity

Norman is eager to please and to be liked. Is this the same as being a nice guy? He knows how to mimic a nice person, but his anger at people is just bubbling beneath the surface.

One of my favorite moments in The Simpsons is when Principal Skinner claims he owes everything he has to his mother’s watchful eye and swift hand and opens the curtains and starts talking madness

I love the idea in Psycho 2 where Tom Holland's script made Norman sane while the rest are insane and it worked. It's pretty sad at the same time thanks to Jerry Goldsmith's score. The other 2 sequels are worth a watch, not amazing but they have their moments. Rob Ager did an analysis on the first 2 psycho films including the trailer of the original. They are interesting.

Matin Freeman reminds me of him in the Fargo series. He was a very different character, a very different kind of evil: a weak and cowardly man who would do absolutely anthing to get out of a problem. But his facial expressions, though comical, are very close to Norman Bates' final scene. I love your serial. Please do Tony Soprano!

Norman was mentally unstable way before killing his mother and her lover. Their murders actually threw him over the edge, deep into the hallway of his mind where he couldn't escape.

The newer TV series from 2012 takes place in present day and we see Norman's mother alive and interacting with him. She has extreme powers of manipulation and emotional control over him as a 17 year old high school student.

Norman Bates shouldn't count as "evil" since the character suffered from a severe mental disorder he had no control over ..he was a psychotic not a psychopath

Perfect content for a lazy Sunday

The original Psycho is one of my most cherished childhood movies. It scared the shit out of my 6 or 7 years old self, but it also fascinated me. i figured that a fear of taking showers was an even trade for enjoying a VERY good horror movie. Seriously, i only took baths until i was 15 .

Whether or not he is evil, is not important as to what the consequences need to be for him as well as treatment. Many people over the years have had complex relationships with loved ones (mothers in this case), fueled by Mental Health challenges but (like you said), have not led tomurder or a furthering of their Psychosis. Norman is very unique but also shares in many other sufferers like him. His life and illness are tragic. We would do best to empathize with the man while learning from his actions.

I would definitely love to see something about Bates Motel!

When norman killed his mother it was a mix of alot of emotions that maybe were in norman without him knowing growing up like that effects you

8:11 - interesting. I just saw the movie again recently, and when I saw the setup for that shot, I thought Hitchcock was insinuating that Norman almost went upstairs as a way of "taking the high road," but instead opted to stay below, in his own personal hell. It slipped my mind that his mother's corpse was upstairs, so your take makes more sense.

Loving the channel. Maybe do Norman from the perspective of the TV show Bates Motel which give a ton of backstory and ends before this movie begins. The actors did a superb job

The one moment I never really got in Psycho was that part at the end, when he gets stopped from attacking the woman in the basement and starts cramping up like that, it just seemed like a weird choice to me... But if it's the paralysing shock of suddenly being brought out of scizophrenic psycosis I do feel like it makes much more sense now. Can't wait to watch it again sometime.

I wouldn't call him evil, he was jealous of his mother's relationship and acted in the moment. He loved his mother more than anything so he wouldn't tell on her.

So, of course the closing scene with the fly is iconic, but something I recently learned that flies attracting to a person is also a sign of demonic possession. Interested to know if that was also part of the decision process in including it.

Amazing video. I do agree with your analysis that Norman killing his mother was an evil act, and the rest of the murders he committed were a result of his mental illness, and that leads to my opinion that evil acts could trigger some form of mental psychosis since most people refuse the possibility that they are even capable of committing evil acts. Like the psychiatrist said at the end of Psycho, Norman had to erase the crime that he committed from his own mind, which lead to him developing an alternate personality for his mother. This same form of insanity driven by guilt is displayed in Crime and Punishment. I'll subscribe to this channel and can't wait for your next video!

Norman is honestly my second favorite villain of all time wit first being anton chigurh

“Norman is a nice guy” Nice guy or “Nice guy”?

I recently watched this film. Hitchcock had me screaming at the screen due to the level of suspense and casting. Absolutely incredible. Bates was so attached and unbalanced. And CUNNING

I'd love to hear your analysis on the show Bates Motel, I feel like Norman is more of a tragic character as the show makes it pretty clear that the murder of his mother was caused by his long pre existing mental illness, and most of the time Norman tries to do the right thing (Eventually turning himself in after attempting to kill his brother)

Anthony Perkins was always a babe and such a good actor

While watching the Bates Motel tv series, I was surprised to see that the Bateses weren't even the most insane people in that town. I couldn't help but think "Is there something in the water?"

Great video and I thought your analysis for Norman/ Norma was great considering the movie is all you had to go from. I'd be fascinated to see your results from the Bate's motel characters as they're both really well fleshed out in this series,

The house and background sky gets my attention.

Norman Bates is one of my favorite characters in fiction, and I'd love a analysis of the sequels and Bates Motel, especially Bates Motel as it has a lot more to analyze and also it kinda changes certain things.

Hopefully you can pull these up. Childs play, casino with nikky , king of new york, frank white, menace to society, Odog.

I would love to see the Bates motel Norman be analyzed. Because we see his actual decline into madness. He starts off as a normal boy with an overbearing mother, then the mother gets more normal and Norman completely goes mad.

Ooh. Difficult! But I think the whole "is he responsible?" thing is a red herring. The answer is "of course!" Why? Because the mother side of his personality IS him. So is the non-mother side. They are BOTH him. Saying he is not aware of the crimes he has committed is simply untrue. At best, one part of his mind is not aware. The other part certainly is. It's all him. Does he belong in an institution rather than prison? I think so. But this is a different matter from saying he is not responsible for his actions. He is guilty AND mentally ill. One does not preclude the other. Love your analyses, BTW. Glad you got the copyright thing straightened out, as this video is almost the definition of fair use.

Hitchcock actually wrote Simon Oakland(shrink)to thank him for ''saving" his film w/ his summation at the end.

I watched this movie when I was a kid and I had a huge crush on Tony Perkins (even though he was decades older than me). I am so glad you decided to focus on Norman Bates (Psycho 1) for this episode. My personal interpretation was that his situation was tragic. Although he committed the murders of his Mother and her bf, the question of his malevolence depends on the extent of the abuse from his Mother. Psychologically she was abusive and her treatment of her son when her bf was around may have had some influence on his final decision to kill them both. There is no mention of this, but I wouldn't be surprised if he was physically abused and humiliated as well (this would explain the low-self esteem). He may have justified his loyalty toward his mother and her getting a bf that changed everything as the ultimate insult therefore he had to take measures to adjust to this new situation. If it appeared that his Mother held her bf at a higher regard than her son, he likely felt jealousy which was a combination of lust and a need to ensure that he would be taken care of in her estate. Perhaps he wanted to ensure that the bf would never get any of his Mother's money and property especially since he probably took care of her until her bf showed up. If the humiliation was demonstrated in front of her bf, then his feelings would only exacerbate in this abusive environment. Since his Mother was his world, and the motel was their only source of financial stability (including their house), he may have felt like he had no choice, but to kill them both. The low self-esteem and awkwardness likely made him feel like he would never make it out in the real world on his own. You may be able to tell that I have contemplated this for quite some time.

A piece of dialogue from this film is actually used in a Bastille cover of the song no scrubs

You do such a great job 💜

I saw this film in two of my film classes in high school and college and Alfred Hitchcock was truly a master of his craft and Norman Bates was his near perfect villain in this film. Also you are correct VE. along with Leatherface, Norman Bates was inspired by serial killer Ed Gein.

i just went on a binge and watched a bunch of your videos, you earned sub! very entertaining and made me want to go back and rewatch these classics. Keep up the good work!

SAM: But .. why was he....DRESSED LIKE THAT??!! lmfaooo

I'm so glad i found this channel, so fascinating!

all of your video are super incredible and I absolutely love the content you are making!! :)

Excellent analysis man. This case is "tricky" as there are 2 personalities here between Norman and his "mother." When I was young, I thought this case was of "split personality" but no it's a psychopath case. Now when we see Norman cleaning up the bloody murder of Crane, normally a District Attorney would conclude Norman knew right from wrong and tried to cover up the murder but in Norman's mind, he thought he was simply just covering up for his mother who killed his victims, not the latter. Norman is sick no doubt and terrifying from his victim's point of view. He's clearly not guilty of first degree homicide.

Fun Fact: In the book version of Psycho™, the original Norman Bates back in '59 looked like Al McWhiggin from Toy Story™ 2, another villainous character that made his debut during Psycho's 40th anniversary. Oddly, Norman costumes as his mom, while Al costumes as a giant chicken, both characters live steps away next to their name-owned work places.

I found you from your One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest video, and I've been watching a ton of your videos yesterday and today. These breakdowns are fantastic. I haven't got a chance to watch him on film yet, but one character that I think would be really fun to see you dissect would be Hannibal Lecter. He seems like a very complex character with tons of layers to search through. Keep up the great work man, these videos rule!

Your voice sounds like a 1950's movie announcer! It gave me warm vibes!

The Vile Eye. One of my favorite episodes.

I love your videos! Such excellent integrity with each episode. So many good villains out there. Keep up the great work 👍

Would love to see you cover Bates Motel. That show was amazing

I’d love to see analysis on the whole series and the tv show. Normal’s character is very complex. If more people ask then I’ll look forward to more content! 😁

Psycho 4: The Beginning is UNDERRATED and i can’t say that enough. as much as i love Freddie Highmore in Bates Motel, i do think Henry Thomas made for a great young Norman in Psycho 4. i wish people talked about that one more!

This series is fantastic. I just discovered this channel and I’ve binged through three videos so far. I’m excited to keep going

Yo. A bates motel examination would be dope!

You know who you should analyze next, tony soprano.

Simply beautiful. I think Norman is troubled. I think there is a part of him that knows he kills and the part that doesn't know he kills. I also think his "evil" is soothing, helping him work through the chaos in his mind. Killing brings a definiteness. But what does he do when there isn't a target? That's when the question of evil might not be applicable. I just love your work.

Oooooo I’d love an analyzing evil episode on Norma Bates based on the Bates Motel TV series

Amazing video, keep up the good work

Let's just say Norman Bates is just a mama's boy.

I´ve watched a few of your videos, and this is the very first time you actually pose the morality question: Whether he´s evil, or tragic, or can be held responsible, etc. I´ve missed that with characters like the Joker.

Your channels is one of the few that I keep checking to make sure I didn't miss a video. Great content! I know you will hit a million subscribers soon.

Great video as always! Maybe one about Vilanelle from Killing Eve? :)

"Mother, mother, blood, it's blood mother!!!!" Yes, Norman's cross dressing isn't neccessary sexual at all it's, more like his mother's personality taking him over. This movie gave genuine birth to what we all know now as the "slasher genre" right here. Hitch single handedly created this by himself. Norman is definitely menatlly ill, however, he knows right from wrong. He can also be evil as well. There would be no Halloween or Friday the 13th without Psycho IMO. Excellent anaiysis from the narrator...

As methodical and comprehensive as your videos are, I like how this and your Michael Myers analyses have been inconclusive. There really is so much room for interpretation with those two; it's likely why both are such compelling characters.

Yay, a new upload! Always great to see one from this channel.