Help shape these rankings by voting on this list of The 21 Best Norman Bates Quotes From The 'Psycho' Franchise
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Vote up the best Norman Bates quotes from the ‘Psycho’ franchise.
Introduced to the world in Alfred Hitchcock's 1960 masterpiece, Psycho, Norman Bates has solidified himself as one of the most important and pivotal characters in the history of horror thanks to a stark raving mad backstory, a sensational performance from legendary actor Anthony Perkins, and some of the greatest lines in cinematic history. The best Norman Bates quotes will send shivers up and down the spines of unsuspecting audience members as each quote dives further and further into madness until we are firmly in the crazed and psychotic mind of Norman Bates.
With four films under his belt, a remake, and a television show, Norman Bates has had plenty of opportunities to chill, thrill, and kill audiences with his innocent, charming, boyish attitude that covers up a sinister monster in his mother. With two drastically different sides to the character, the innocent and the titular psycho, the best Norman Bates quotes perfectly toe the line of sinister, uneasy, and innocent, forcing audiences to be on edge every second they are alone with him. Completely and utterly unhinged, Norman is a character that horror fans just can't help but love, and throughout his 60-plus-year run in the genre, his legend only continues to grow with each passing moment.
"Well, A Boy's Best Friend Is His Mother" - Psycho
Photo: Psycho / Universal Pictures
Marion Crane: Do you go out with friends?
Norman Bates: Well, a boy's best friend is his mother.
2
7 votes
"We Scratch And We Claw, But Only At The Air, Only At Each Other, And For All Of It, We Never Budge An Inch." - Psycho
Photo: Psycho / Universal Pictures
Norman Bates: What are you running away from?
Marion Crane: Why do you ask that?
Norman Bates: People never really run away from anything. The rain didn't last long, did it? You know what I think? I think that we're all in our private traps, clamped in them, and none of us can ever get out. We scratch and we claw, but only at the air, only at each other, and for all of it, we never budge an inch.
Marion Crane: Sometimes we deliberately step into those traps.
Norman Bates: I was born in mine. I don't mind it anymore.
Marion Crane: Oh, but you should. You should mind it.
Norman Bates: Oh, I do...
3
6 votes
"I Don't Kill People Anymore" - Psycho II
Photo: Psycho II / Universal Pictures
Norman Bates: I don't kill people anymore.
4
14 votes
"We All Go A Little Mad Sometimes" - Psycho
Photo: Psycho / Universal Pictures
Norman Bates: She needs *me*. It's not as if is she were a maniac, a raving thing. She just goes - a little mad sometimes. We all go a little mad sometimes. Haven't you?
Marion Crane: Yes. Sometimes just one time can be enough.
5
13 votes
"They'll Say 'Why She Wouldn't Even Hurt A Fly'" - Psycho
Photo: Psycho / Universal Pictures
Norma Bates: It's sad when a mother has to speak the words that condemn her own son. But I couldn't allow them to believe that I would commit murder. They'll put him away now, as I should have years ago. He was always bad, and in the end, he intended to tell them I killed those girls and that man... as if I could do anything but just sit and stare, like one of his stuffed birds. They know I can't move a finger, and I won't. I'll just sit here and be quiet, just in case they do... suspect me. They're probably watching me. Well, let them. Let them see what kind of a person I am. I'm not even going to swat that fly. I hope they are watching... they'll see. They'll see and they'll know, and they'll say, "Why, she wouldn't even harm a fly..."
6
14 votes
"We Have 12 Vacancies. 12 Cabins, 12 Vacancies" - Psycho
Photo: Psycho / Universal Pictures
Marion Crane: Do you have any vacancies?
Norman Bates: Oh, we have 12 vacancies. 12 cabins, 12 vacancies.
