The Hypnotic Eye (1960)

Director:

George Blair

Writers:

Gitta Woodfield (writer)
William Read Woodfield (writer)

Release Date:

27 February 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Horror

Tagline:

NEW AUDIENCE-PARTICIPATION THRILL HYPNOMAGIC - It makes YOU part of the show (original print ad - mostly caps)

Plot:

The city is stricken by a wave of self-mutilations performed by beautiful women who seem to be in a hypnotic trance...

Plot Keywords:

Hypnosis | Disfigurement | Beautiful Woman | Independent Film

Cast

Jacques Bergerac	...	Desmond
Allison Hayes	...	Justine
Marcia Henderson	...	Marcia Blaine
Merry Anders	...	Dodie Wilson
Joe Patridge	...	Det. Steve Kennedy
Guy Prescott	...	Dr. Philip Hecht
Fred Demara	...	Hospital Doctor
Jimmy Lydon	...	Emergency Doctor
Lawrence Lipton	...	King of the Beatniks
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Phyllis Cole	...	Mrs. McNear
Mary Foran	...	June Mayes
Holly Harris	...	Mrs. Stevens
Eric Nord	...	Bongo Drummer (as Eric 'Big Daddy' Nord)
Carol Thurston	...	Doris Scott

Also Known As:

The Screaming Sleep (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

79 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono | Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Finland:(Banned) (1961) | USA:Approved (certificate #19485)

Company:

Allied Artists Pictures

Trivia:

In a small role as a "hospital doctor" is Fred Demara, otherwise known as Ferdinand W. Demara, whose own life story was being depicted that same year in The Great Impostor (1961) starring Tony Curtis.

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Fly Papers: The Buzz on Hollywood's Scariest Insect (2000) (TV)

I could put hypnotism to a better use

The film opens up with a women washing her hair over a lit gas stove.Naturally her hair catches fire and she has the hairdo from Hell.This isn't the first case of self mutilation in the big city.Many women have been doing this for weeks.Some have washed their face with sulfuric acid, stuck their faces into fans etc.Is there a connection?

Well if you're the police department with a collective IQ of minus six it is tough to figure out.This force couldn't find a donut shop with a road map.Yes there is a connection. All of the women have been to see a show by Desmond a well known hypnotist.

Desmond hypnotizes woman picked by his va va voom assistant(Allison Hayes). He also whispers something to them just before he breaks their trance.Hmm, wonder what that could be?Then he hypnotizes the crowd and makes them do foolish things which is a giggle.Everybody goes home happy.

Sensing a connection before her idiot police detective boy friend does a young woman allows herself to be put under Desmond's spell.When she goes home that night Desmond's assistant tells her to take a shower in scalding water.Luckily old slow on the uptake shows up before she does.

There is a bit of twist ending to this movie.The disfigurements are done "tastefully"(no gore after all this is 1960).Much is left to the imagination. The acting is par for this genre.

The police are portrayed as such morons you wonder how any crime gets solved in this city.The movie is padded with lingering scenes of the audience under hypnotic commands.Even so it is above average.

You will look deep into the Hypnotic Eye.You will open your wallet/purse and send me your money.Told you I had a better use for hypnotism!