kinolieber

When this originally aired, I was a big fan and watched all five seasons. At that time I took it on face value as a thriller/backstory/variation on the Norman Bates character and his mother. But recently I started watching it again and around the fifth episode I burst out laughing at the over-the-top behavior of the characters, especially Norma. And since then the show just keeps getting funnier and funnier, especially when Norma is trying to pull off one of her ridiculous schemes. Vera Farmiga is truly a riot in the role. Perfect example: her explosion of frustration when being interrogated "Why do crazy people keep gravitating towards me?". Cut to Norman looking at her with a deadpan bemused look on his face. Priceless!

Admittedly, it's a mix, and some of the suspenseful/horror plotlines still work. And Olivia Cooke consistently shines as his one truly caring friend. It's clear why she has gone on to acting success in myriad other projects.

But one can't help but suspect the writers are in on the jokes. There are just too many of them.

Great history of the first years of his and Garfunkel's lives and careers. Those albums and performances are in the pantheon of 60's musical creations. Way too much footage, though, of him noodling his new album. And isn't the guitar lick he channeled in a dream the same one from Anji 60 years ago?

But the episode ends with a completely unnecessary and cruel remark about his ex partner: After saying his five year friendship with him was his first great friendship with someone who got him, he then says Garfunkel is now someone he never wants to see again. At this point in their lives, was it really necessary to make such a cruel public rejection? I'm sure he had the clout to remove that even if it wasn't his choice to include it.

In fact, it's really only noir-ish since most of the story concerns a troubled marriage in the world of A-list New York theater people. So yes, a bit of IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE, a dash of TWILIGHT ZONE, but also a soupcon of ALL ABOUT EVE.

But to me, what makes the film unmissable is the score by George Antheil, bad boy of early 20th Century modern classical music. When's the last time if ever you heard the kind of propulsive dissonance in the three minute segment that wraps up the denouement? Combined with brilliant editing, this sequence creates a suspense and thrill not really present in the screenplay. It's a musical and visual tour de force that ranks up there with Herrmann's creations for Hitchcock.