Bates Motel

1987 "There's always room for one more."
3.8| 1h35m| PG| en| More Info
Released: 05 July 1987 Released
Producted By: Universal Television
Country: United States of America
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website:
Info

A mentally disturbed man, who roomed with the late Norman Bates at a psychiatric facility, inherits the infamous Bates Motel after his death and attempts to fix it up as a respectable business.

Genre

Drama, Horror

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Director

Richard Rothstein

Production Companies

Universal Television

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Bates Motel Audience Reviews

Matrixston Wow! Such a good movie.
Jeanskynebu the audience applauded
KnotStronger This is a must-see and one of the best documentaries - and films - of this year.
Tymon Sutton The acting is good, and the firecracker script has some excellent ideas.
Mike Saltzman Hmmm...what would Norman Bates say about 'Bates Motel?' Perhaps, "We all go a little mad sometimes." Except I really don't think it was all that crazy to give the TV audience a taste of Psycho. I have to admit, I've been fascinated with the character since the first time I saw Psycho in the '80s and I loved the crazy sequels that followed. I also liked Jason Bateman as an actor (still do). However, I think this show was somewhat doomed from the start. I think it's hilarious that 25+ years later, I am hooked on the 'Bates Motel' TV series, which is better because I think a prequel is a better way to go. You know what they say about hindsight though. In any event, I'd like to see this again as I only saw this version in 1987. I think in light of the fact that the new show on A&E has done so well, why not show it for giggles? I'm sure Anthony Perkins won't mind...now.
Coventry A psychiatrist, as some sort of mental experiment, introduces a deeply disturbed young boy to the institutionalized Norman Bates. The two become close friends and, 27 years later when Normal dies, Alex inherits the infamous motel under the condition that he reopens it again. He has difficulties raising the funds and finding reliable people to help him, but Alex's commitment and willpower are strong enough. Things get a little old-fashioned mysterious when they dig up the corpse of an old woman and the first customers showing up at the motel have ghostly characteristics. I personally think "Bates Motel" has an interesting enough concept. I love the original "Psycho" just as much as everyone else and consider it to be one of the top 3 most influential and important cinematic milestones ever made, but not to such a pretentious extent that I think it's blasphemy to spoof or re-interpret it. The idea of a spin-off, which obviously refers to the original characters and their notoriety, is both courageous and ambitious. There are some really good plot twists and additional background to the whole Bates legacy by dragging in speculations about Norman's supposedly adulterous and abusive father Jake. Practically all the reviews around here show people exclaiming: "What were the producers thinking?!?". Well, I don't blame them for this tryout. It was worth a shot. The sequences in and around the famous motel and parental house are automatically atmospheric, while Bud Cort's performance is pretty effective with a right balance between geeky and creepy. There are a lot of subtle and honorable homage scenes, like with the name board, the rocking chair and – of course – the shower. The film is still also very 80's as well, with annoying pointless musical interludes showing the progress of the construction works. The extended sub plot during the last main act of the film, involving a romance between a suicidal aerobic teacher and an emotional frat student was a bad idea. Giving a paranormal twist to the Bates legacy wasn't necessary, but it was presumably the first unfolding of a longer-running TV series that never got made.
pauls143 I don't know what a lot of these posters are bitchin' about. What the H E double hockey sticks did they expect from a pilot for a TV series? Did they really to see Norman Bates on social security still running around in drag knocking off people in the shower or something of the like? Wouldn't that get boring after an episode or two? With that being said, I thought the creative way they blended the Bates story with some new mystery and a ghost story set a pretty good stage for some decent TV. Guess it was all that closed mindedness and lack of vision from the pubic that stopped that from happening. It's bad too, we could have had another 80s cult show.
NerdofHorror I remember i looked for this "hidden gem" for almost two years. I was very excited when i sat down to watch it. It was a bit different then i thought, but nor bad at all. Rather good actually, but it's so Unneccesary. The film has some good acting though and especially from Bud Cort. He has a brilliant way of acting in this pilot. Very strange and mystical and also kind of nervous. (Perhaps it is a little Norman in him to).Overall a recomended film for the "Psycho - fanatics", but not a movie you HAVE TO SEE.8/10