Rating summary

Movie		3.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.5
Overall		3.0

Psycho IV: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman October 24, 2023

Note: This version of this film is available as part of Arrow's The Psycho Collection.

Psycho would hardly seem on its face(s) to be a property that would be easily "franchise-able", which may be why it took so long for the first sequel to Alfred Hitchcock's memorable original to come out. One way or the other, though, the four Psycho films aggregated in this handsomely packaged new(ish) set from Arrow have what I personally consider to be some remarkably facile "updates" to a story that is by now so well known that even those who haven't seen the 1960 classic (and I found out after I posted my review of Universal's first Blu-ray release of that film that there were an inordinately huge amount of folks who hadn't) know the "big secret". However, knowledge of that "big secret" arguably partially informs the at least intermittently rather smart attempts at revisiting the inimitable character of Norman Bates in Psycho II and Psycho III, if admittedly that same intelligence may not extend to the made for television Psycho IV.

Psycho IV: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

Psycho IV: The Beginning is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Arrow Video with AVC encoded transfers in 1.78 and 1:33 . Arrow has included the same booklet for its 4K UHD and 1080 sets, and that booklet includes the following information on the restoration:

Psycho IV; The Beginning is presented in both 1.78:1 and 1.33:1 aspect ratios with stereo 2.0 audio. The original 35mm camera negative was scaneed in 4K resolution by Fotokem. The film was restored in 4K and graded in SDR and HDR10 by Heavenly Movie Corp.

The 1.78:1 framing is rather similar to the Shout! release, albeit with arguably better suffusion, especially in some of the outdoor material (this is a rather peculiarly "sunny" Psycho film at times), though detail levels struck me as more or less the same as on the older Shout! release. As with the Shout! release, there are some moments with extremely thick, almost pixellated looking, grain, especially in some of the CCH Pounder radio call in scenes. While it's interesting to have both of the framings available, each offer some frankly kind of "off" looking moments where either parts of faces are obscured (in the 1.78:1 version) or there's an almost absurd amount of headroom (in the 1.33:1 version). I've offered a few examples from similar frames in both aspect ratios so that those interested can contrast and compare. Otherwise, though, the two sport absolutely identical palettes and detail levels in my opinion.

Psycho IV: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

Psycho IV: The Beginning features an LPCM 2.0 track which struck me as being interchangeable with the DTS-HD Master Audio 2.0 track on the old Shout! 1080 release. The track provides considerable force for the utilization of Bernard Herrmann's iconic string score, as well as Graeme Revell's new music, while also providing capable support for this pretty talky film. Aside from a couple of murder scenes and a final conflagration, a lot of the soundtrack actually doesn't provide much more than dialogue, and this track offers excellent fidelity and decent dynamic range. Optional English subtitles are available.

Psycho IV: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

Disc One (Theatrical Aspect Ratio)

• Archival Audio Commentary with director Mick Garris and stars Henry Thomas and Olivia Hussey


• Death by Strings (HD; 18:06) is a well done visual essay by Guy Adams focusing on the scores for the Psycho films.


• The Making of Mother (HD; 27:41) is an archival interview with makeup effects artist Tony Gardner.


• Behind the Scenes (HD; 13:14)


• The Scoring of Psycho IV (HD; 6:11) has some fun candid footage of the scoring session(s). This was seemingly sourced from some pretty shoddy looking videotape.


• Trailers

  Psycho (HD; 6:33)

  
  

  Psycho II (HD; 2:11)

  
  

  Psycho III (HD; 1:23)

  
  

  Bates Motel (HD; 1:03)

  
  

  Psycho IV: The Beginning (HD; 2:14)

  
  

  Psycho (1998) (HD; 1:42)

Disc Two (TV Aspect Ratio)

• Archival Audio Commentary with director Mick Garris and stars Henry Thomas and Olivia Hussey

Psycho IV: The Beginning Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

Psycho IV: The Beginning probably wasn't strictly necessary, so to speak, and it certainly never rises to the heights of the first film in particular, but probably not even to the diminishing returns of the second and third. Completists may still want to check it out, and Arrow provides a release with generally solid technical merits and some appealing supplements. With caveats noted, Recommended.