I Know What You Did Last Summer, by Lois Duncan

(pb; 1973, 1978, 2010: YA horror novel)


From the back cover:

"They didn't mean it. They didn't mean to hit the boy. There was a party, and it was an accident. . . but they had futures to protect. So Barry, Julie, Helen, and Ray swore one another to secrecy. But now, a year later, someone knows. Julie receives a haunting, anonymous threat: 'I know what you did last summer.'

"The dark lie is unearthed, and before the four friends know it, they need to outsmart a killer. . . or they will be the next to die."


Review:

Above-average, suspenseful-for-young-adults read that, while it sports a few uses of (situation suitable) profanity ("sh*t") and casual references to smoking pot, resonates in a real-world and teen-friendly way.

Worth owning, this.

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The more violent, loosely-based-on-the-book film was released stateside on October 17, 1997.

Jennifer Love Hewitt played Julie James. Sarah Michelle Gellar played Helen Shivers. Ryan Phillipe played Barry William Cox. Freddie Prinze Jr. played Ray Bronson.

Bridgette Wilson-Sampras played Elsa Shivers. Anne Heche played Melissa "Missy" Egan. Johnny Galecki played Max Neurick. Muse Watson played Benjamin Willis. Stuart Greer played Officer David Caporizo. Deborah Hobart played Mrs. James. Mary McMillan played Mrs. Cox. An uncredited Patti D'Arbanville played Mrs. Shivers.

Jim Gillespie directed the film, from a script by Kevin Williamson.

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Two sequels, neither of them based on books, followed:

I Still Know What You Did Last Summer (1998), which featured actors from the original film - Jennifer Love Hewitt, Freddie Prinze Jr. and Muse Watson - as well as new-to-the-franchise actors like Jeffrey Combs;

and

the direct-to-video I'll Always Know What You Did Last Summer (2006), which didn't feature any of the original actors.

Psycho by Robert Bloch

(pb; 1959: first book in the original Psycho trilogy)

From the back cover

"When the Bates Motel loomed up out of the storm, Mary Craine thought it was her salvation. The rooms were musty but clean, and the manager, Norman Bates, seemed like a nice enough fellow, if a little strange. . .

"Then Mary met Norman's mother. And the butcher knife.

"The nightmare had just begun. . ."


Review

Pulp-style writing, crisp prose, succinct characterizations, macabre puns and shocking violence form this familiar landmark work. This, easily, is one of the best pulp novels I've ever read.

Own it!

Followed by Psycho II.

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Psycho resulted in two film versions.

The first version was released stateside on August 25, 1960. Helmed and produced by Alfred Hitchcock and scripted by Joseph Stefano, it starred Anthony Perkins in his career-defining role of Norman Bates.

Janet Leigh played Marion Crane (cinematic stand-in for Mary Craine). Vera Miles played Lila Craine. John Gavin played Sam Loomis. Martin Balsam played Milton Arbogast. Simon Oakland played Dr. Fred Richmond. Patricia "Pat" Hitchcock (daughter of Alfred Hitchcock and Alma Reville) played Caroline.

An uncredited Virginia Gregg played the voice-role of Norma Bates, Norman's mother.

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The second version, directed and produced by Gus Van Sant, was released stateside on December 4, 1998. Joseph Stefano's screenplay for the original version was used for this almost shot-for-shot remake.

Vince Vaughn played Norman Bates. Anne Heche played Marion Crane. Julianne Moore played Lila Crane. Viggo Mortensen played Samuel "Sam" Loomis. William H. Macy played Milton Arbogast. Robert Forster played Dr. Fred Richmond. Phillip Baker Hall played Sheriff Al Chambers. James Remar played "Patrolman". Rita Wilson played Caroline. James LeGros played "Charlie the Car Dealer".