The following interview took place during the summer of 2005. Richard Franklin was the Australian filmmaker who helmed Psycho II in 1983. It was his American directorial debut. Franklin was a huge supporter of this web site. He was planning to record an unofficial audio commentary track to the film after Universal refused to take part. Franklin passed away of prostate cancer at age 58 on July 11th, 2007. He will be missed.
I once read some where that you were an Alfred Hitchcock scholar / protégée. What did you actually do for this legend and how was it working with him?
I was an observer on the movie Topaz - by invitation, after organizing a retrospective at USC in '67 (the first he ever attended). I also visited the set of Family Plot, and we corresponded for some years. I never actually worked with him, but his sets were very ordered, with him in complete control.
When and how were you approached to direct Psycho II?
Executive Producer Bernard Schwartz phoned me in 1981. I was in Los Angeles scouting projects in early 1982 and he brought me in for meetings with producer Hilton A. Green and others, with a view to developing an original screenplay, as opposed to the Robert Bloch novel Psycho II which was the impetus for the whole project.
The film boasts some marvelous actors. How was the casting process?
Casting Director Jackie Burch was in charge. Kathleen Turner, Carrie Fisher and unknowns at the time like Meg Ryan and Linda Hamilton all auditioned for the part of Mary Loomis. Anthony Perkins was instrumental in going with Meg Tilly (Jennifer's older sister). Simon Oakland came in for the psychiatrist part, but had aged badly (and died soon after). John McIntire was supposed to be the sheriff, but there was a casting screw up and I ended up using him for the movie Cloak and Dagger. Dennis Franz was a great discovery.
How was it working with actor Anthony Perkins?
He was a joy and very generous to me since he'd wanted to direct (he asked me to co-direct Psycho III). A real intellectual. I needed a Thesaurus to find the right words to trigger his performance.
There have been several rumors that Tony Perkins and Meg Tilly did not get along on the set of the film. In fact, this is even mentioned in the Anthony Perkins Biography book entitled Split Image. Could you shed some light on this?
As stated, he was instrumental in helping me make the decision to cast her. However, at one point during the shoot, she got up his nose saying things like "how come everyone treats Tony as the star". I believe she'd never seen the original film which was of course perfect for her character.
How on Earth did you and your crew re-construct the Bates Motel & Psycho House sets both exterior and interior? Watching the movie, it is almost impossible to tell that the sets weren't the same from the original film.
Production Designer John W. Corso had to work from the original film and trailer, counting numbers of steps and things like that. Set dresser Jennifer Pollito did an even more remarkable job. Midway through the shoot the original Art Director turned up (he'd been in Florida) and said the sets were very accurate. The original house was used in the film but the motel had been torn down years earlier. The house had to be relocated to a more deserted part of the back lot. We only built the office and one cabin. The rest of the Motel was an Albert Whitlock matte painting. They built the whole motel for Psycho III.
Many Psycho fans have been trying effortlessly to locate the Statler Cafe / Diner from the movie. Could you tell us if this was a set or a real diner?
The exterior of the diner was actually a matte painting. The interiors were shot on a sound stage at Universal Studios. It was only one day's shooting, but I wish we'd had better backings outside the windows.
How long did the shoot take?
About a total of 32 days on the Universal Studios Hollywood backlot. Sound stage 24, which was actually Hitchcock's favorite stage, was used for the interiors of the house and motel. Falls lake was used as the swamp and the town square known as Courthouse Square was used for the town of Fairvale. Trivia: The street is the same one that serves as Hill Valley in the Back to the Future films. City Hall at the end is actually the base of the clock tower! The Universal Studios trams took priority over shooting. I recall one going by incorrectly pointing out Anthony Hopkins in Psycho II - to Tony's annoyance.
When shooting the scenes when Norman sees Mother in the window, since the house is a facade, how was this accomplished?
It's more than a facade. There is a platform up near the window.Any funny stories you have to tell?
Not really, except, well, Dennis Franz and I had a lot of laughs. We used to joke about Toomey being an undercover agent outing psychos. How he'd emerge from the car when they dragged the swamp and explain the whole thing.
What was your final verdict on Psycho II when you saw the film?
I am very proud of it. The most exciting screening I attended was a 10/11pm on the opening day in Times Square. The audience got every nuance.
Do you keep in touch with anyone from the film?
Andrew London, the film's editor, and Tom Holland, the film's screenwriter.
What did you think of Psycho III and Psycho IV?
I liked Tony's first cut of Psycho III before Universal beefed up the ending. I thought Psycho IV was quite ordinary. Then again I was offside because of Stefano's comments about II.
Do you have any future projects lined up?
Life after George, from the play by Hannie Rayson, who wrote Hotel Sorrento.
Thank you Mr. Franklin for your time!
A pleasure!
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