Psycho a Go-Go Reviews

Undeniably bad, Psycho a Go Go clearly never intended to be confused with a good movie and as a result has a certain charm due to its "let's throw everything into the mix and see what happens" attitude. Let's see -- it's a crime caper/thriller/go-go/psychedelic/science fiction/disturbed war veteran movie. With a cute kid thrown in, of course. And a lounge singer. Indeed, it's almost like screenwriters Al Adamson, Chris Martino and Joseph Stefano wanted to see how many different elements they could put in one film, without worrying about how they all worked together. The overriding plot works, technically, but it's all so ludicrous that there's no recourse but to sit back in wonder and laugh. The terrible dialogue only adds to the fun, as do the sometimes bizarre characters. Tracey Robbins' warbling is a "must-hear," and Roy Morton's entirely over-the-top performance as the vet with the mind control chip inserted in his brain is absolutely incredible, in at least one meaning of the word. All of the performances are, shall we say, interesting, and it's not a movie that leaves one bored. And Psycho does have one genuinely worthwhile element in, John L. Russell and Vilmos Zsigmond's cinematography. It's far from excellent, but it demonstrates skill and imagination. That's not what Psycho is about, though -- and why bad movie fans will relish it.