The Psychic (1977) Sette note in nero (original title)

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Lucio Fulci (screenplay) &
Roberto Gianviti (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

March 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

A clairvoyant woman, inspired by a vision, smashes open a section of wall in her husband's home and finds a skeleton behind it...

Plot Keywords:

Skeleton | Vision | Wall | White Coat | Policeman

Cast

Jennifer O'Neill	...	Virginia Ducci
Gabriele Ferzetti	...	Emilio Rospini
Marc Porel	...	Luca Fattori
Gianni Garko	...	Francesco Ducci
Ida Galli	...	Gloria Ducci (as Evelyn Stewart)
Jenny Tamburi	...	Bruna
Fabrizio Jovine	...	Commissioner D'Elia
Riccardo Parisio Perrotti	...	Melli
Loredana Savelli	...	Giovanna Rospini
Salvatore Puntillo	...	Second Cab Driver
Bruno Corazzari	...	Canevari
Vito Passeri	...	Caretaker
Franco Angrisano	...	First Cab Driver
Veronica Michielini	...	Giuliana Casati
Paolo Pacino	...	Inspector Russi
Fausta Avelli	...	Virginia as a Girl
Elizabeth Turner	...	Virginia's Mother
Ugo D'Alessio	...	Art Gallery Owner
Luigi Diberti	...	Judge
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Linda Lee	...	The Balladeer (voice) (uncredited)

Directed by
Lucio Fulci

Writing credits
Lucio Fulci		(screenplay) &
Roberto Gianviti		(screenplay) &
Dardano Sacchetti		(screenplay)

Produced by
Franco Cuccu	....	producer (uncredited)

Original Music by
Franco Bixio		(as Bixio)
Fabio Frizzi		(as Frizzi)
Vince Tempera		(as Tempera)

Cinematography by
Sergio Salvati		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Ornella Micheli

Art Direction by
Luciano Spadoni

Costume Design by
Massimo Lentini

Makeup Department
Maurizio Giustini	....	makeup artist
Antonio Maltempo	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Carlo Cucchi	....	production supervisor
Franco Cuccu	....	production manager
Roberto Cocco	....	production manager (uncredited)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Roberto Giandalia	....	assistant director

Art Department
Goffredo Massetti	....	props
Roberta Tomassetti	....	assistant set designer

Sound Department
Gianni D'Amico	....	sound mixer
Leslie Daniels	....	dubbing editor: English version (as Tony La Penna)
Renato Marinelli	....	sound effects
Alfonso Montesanti	....	boom operator
Raul Montesanti	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Luciano Adiutori	....	still photographer
Franco Bruni	....	camera operator
Claudio Farinelli	....	assistant camera
Alfredo Fedeli	....	chief electrician
Maurizio Lucchini	....	assistant camera
Luciano Micheli	....	key grip

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Carmen Pericolo	....	seamstress

Editorial Department
Mario D'Ambrosio	....	assistant editor
Bruno Micheli	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Franco Bixio	....	composer: "With You" (as Bixio)
Fabio Frizzi	....	composer: "With You" (as Frizzi)
Linda Lee	....	singer: "With You"
Vince Tempera	....	composer: "With You" (as Tempera)
Vince Tempera	....	conductor
Norberto Gil Ventura	....	composer: theme music (as Gil Ventura)

Other crew
Rita Agostini	....	script supervisor
Marco Giannoni	....	production secretary
Roberto Penna	....	administrator
Roberto Penna	....	production accountant

Production Companies

• Rizzoli Film (presents)
• Cinecompany (as Cinecompany s.r.l.)

Distributors

• Group 1 International Distribution Organization Ltd. (1979) (USA) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Fotomat (Drive-Thru Movies) Video (1979) (USA) (VHS) (as "The Psychic")
• Frontier Amusements (1980) (Canada) (theatrical) (dubbed)
• Variéty 7 (1981) (France) (theatrical)
• Columbia Broadcasting System (CBS) (1981) (USA) (TV) (broadcast premiere)
• Lightning Video (1986) (USA) (VHS)
• DMEG (2004) (Sweden) (video)
• Severin Films (2007) (USA) (DVD)
• Catalina Video (198?) (USA) (VHS)
• Poletel (1986) (Brazil) (VHS) (rumored)
• Video Treasures (1990) (USA) (VHS)

Other Companies

• Bulgari  jewelry: Mrs. O'Neill
• Fendi  furs
• Bixio C.E.M.S.A  music publisher
• Rizzoli Film  music publisher
• Venturi  hats
• Raphael Salato  shoes (as Salato)
• Telecolor  color
• Cinefonico Palatino Studies  sound recording (as Cinefonico - Palatino)
• Digitmovies Alternative Entertainment  soundtrack

Also Known As:

"Sette note in nero" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

95 min | USA:90 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Telecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

France:-12 | USA:R | Italy:VM14

Filming Locations:

Arezzo Airport, Tuscany, Italy

Company:

Rizzoli Film

Goofs:

Factual errors: The opening sequence set in Dover England, and Florence Italy at the exact same time show the time set as 11:45. Continental Europe is one hour ahead of the British Isles time zone in which the time in Florence should read 12:45.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Do You Remember Lucio Fulci? (2006) (V)

Soundtrack:

With You

Great Fulci movie...

"The Psychic" is probably one of Fulci's most plot-based movies. It also is fairly restrained; it is surprising that this was not issued a PG-13 rating. The only real gore was in the beginning of the movie when a woman falls off a cliff. Her face is shown hitting the side of the cliff repeatedly. Don't let the lack of gore stop you from renting this, though, because this movie is well worth it.

The story is as follows: A clairvoyant of sorts has a vision of a murder taking place in the house in which she lives. She then digs a skeleton out of the wall of the house. She calls the police, who in turn arrest her husband, the longtime owner of the house. In attempts to get her husband out of jail, she tries piecing together what happened based on her vision. It should be noted that the major plot twists are given away on the back of the box, so avoid reading it if surprise is wanted.

"The Psychic" is one of Fulci's few technically competent movies, containing few plot holes and a great storyline. Unfortunately, the same can not be said about the dialogue, which is subpar, and the quality, which takes away from the movie's viewing experience. Also, the first half of the movie drags, but luckily things pick up for the second half. Be sure to listen for the tune in the watch; it starts out like the theme song to "Zombie!"

This is an enjoyable movie for all audiences. My rating: 7 out of 10.