PALEY CENTER FOR MEDIA, THE: INSIDE BATES MOTEL: REIMAGINING A CINEMA ICON {LONG VERSION}
Summary
One in a series of evenings and special screenings presented at The Paley Center for Media in Los Angeles. This evening honors "Bates Motel," the drama/mystery series about the troubled Bates family and their motel in White Pine Bay, Oregon, a modern-day prequel to the novel "Psycho" by Robert Bloch and its 1960 Alfred Hitchcock film adaptation. Host Rene Reyes (director of public programs and festivals, The Paley Center for Media) offers opening remarks and introduces moderator Shawn Ryan (executive producer and creator, "The Shield"). Ryan brings writers and executive producers Carlton Cuse and Kerry Ehrin to the stage, and they provide brief background commentary and introduce the first season's penultimate episode, "Underwater," which is screened in its entirety. (For synopsis and credits, see ACCNUM 111059.)
After the screening, Ryan moderates the following panelists: Cuse; Ehrin; and cast members Nestor Carbonell (Sheriff Alex Romero), Nicola Peltz (Bradley Martin), Max Thieriot (Dylan Massett), Freddie Highmore (Norman Bates), and Vera Farmiga (Norma Bates).
The panelists touch on such topics as: the show's Pacific Northwest setting as a place of "dark secrets"; inspiration from the short-lived but memorable "Twin Peaks," set in a fictional Washington town; Cuse and Ehrin's professional "love at first sight" when approached by Universal to create the series; the "slightly dodgy" mother/son relationship at the heart of the show; the "iconic" characters of Norman and Mrs. Bates, and Farmiga's desire to play Norma as both "twisted and nurturing"; her skepticism as a "purist" fan of the film and later interest upon reading the strong script; Highmore's confidence that his character, at least, will survive the series; inspiration for Norma and Norman's "timeless" dynamic from 1940s movie couples; the cast's strong "alchemy" and the producers' joy at acquiring all of their desired actors; Romero's ambiguous morals, with comparisons to Carbonell's infamously mysterious character Richard Alpert on "Lost"; Bradley's kindness and grief over her father's death, which led to an ill-advised sexual encounter with Norman; Dylan's development from unlikable to sympathetic; Farmiga's sense that Norma is "determined in her love" for the unstable Norman and her attempts to cure him through bonding; the show's reflection of Hitchcock's suggestive, suspenseful style; Highmore and Farmiga's praise for each other's respective talents; the symbolism behind Emma's (Olivia Cooke) struggle with cystic fibrosis and the importance of her closeness with Norman; the "exhausting" experience of writing such passionate, eccentric characters; the show's cinematic appearance and the need for beautiful imagery and occasional levity to balance out the heavier themes; whether Cuse intends to emulate Hitchcock's notorious cameos; Carbonell's enjoyment of his scenes with Farmiga; Peltz's opinions of the "relatable" high school scenes and her non-stereotypical character; and Thieriot's close bond with on-screen brother Highmore, unlike their characters' tense relationship.
Questions from the audience then lead to a discussion of the following topics among others: the producers' uncertainty about the show's eventual length; Highmore's decision not to directly "mimic" Anthony Perkins' performance in the film; the strange character of Miss Watson (played by Keegan Connor Tracy) and her questionable draw towards Norman; Norman's hobby of taxidermy as something of a "red flag"; the talents of actor Jere Burns, who plays the villainous Jake Abernathy; and whether the show will elaborate upon Norma's own backstory and childhood.
Details
- NETWORK: N/A
- DATE: May 10, 2013 7:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:37:14
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: 110825
- GENRE: Seminars
- SUBJECT HEADING: N/A
- SERIES RUN: N/A
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Rene Reyes … Host
- Shawn Ryan … Moderator
- Carlton Cuse … Panelist
- Kerry Ehrin … Panelist
- Nestor Carbonell … Panelist
- Nicola Peltz … Panelist
- Max Thieriot … Panelist
- Freddie Highmore … Panelist
- Vera Farmiga … Panelist
- Jere Burns
- Olivia Cooke
- Alfred Hitchcock
- Anthony Perkins
- Keegan Connor Tracy