Patrick (1978)

User Rating:

5.6/10   

Director:

Richard Franklin

Writer:

Everett De Roche (written by)

Release Date:

7 September 1979 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

He's in a coma... Yet, he can kill...

Plot:

A comatose hospital patient harasses and kills though his powers of telekinesis to claim his private nurse as his own.

Plot Keywords:

Hospital | Psychic Power | Telekinesis | Extrasensory Perception | Male Nudity

Awards:

2 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Susan Penhaligon	...	Kathy Jacquard
Robert Helpmann	...	Dr. Roget
Rod Mullinar	...	Ed Jacquard
Bruce Barry	...	Dr. Brian Wright
Julia Blake	...	Matron Cassidy
Helen Hemingway	...	Sister Williams
María Mercedes	...	Nurse Panicale
Robert Thompson	...	Patrick
Walter Pym	...	Capt. Fraser
Frank Wilson	...	Det. Sgt. Grant
Carole-Ann Aylett	...	Patrick's Mother
Paul Young	...	Lover
Marilyn Rodgers	...	Day Desk nurse
Peggy Nichols	...	Night Desk Nurse
John Murphy	...	Barman

Runtime:

112 min | USA:96 min | 140 min (original cut)

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Italy:VM14 | Australia:M (original rating) | Australia:PG (DVD rating) | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Norway:18 | UK:18 | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Filming Locations:

Alfred Hospital, Prahran, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Company:

Filmways Australasian

Trivia:

The film has several subtle references to Hitchcock's Psycho. Ironically it would be this film that was screened for Universal Studios when they decided to hire Richard Franklin to direct Psycho II (1983).

Quotes:

[to Kathy Jacquard who is applying for a job as a nurse]
Matron Cassidy: Why did you choose the Roget Clinic, Mrs. Jacquard? We tend to attract certain types - lesbians, nymphomaniacs, enema specialists...”

Movie Connections:

Featured in Not Quite Hollywood: The Wild, Untold Story of Ozploitation! (2008)

A blast from the past; Franklin's fun homage to Hitchcock

FINALLY! The complete Australian language version of Richard Franklin's gem from 1978!

An enigmatic young man kills his mother, then somehow winds up in a coma in a private hospital. Enter the pretty young nurse who discovers Patrick has capabilities no one seems to know about, or want to admit they know about. For those that are thrill seekers, this film is not a fast-paced, action-packed story. BUT, for those of us that appreciate characters over wild thrills and enjoy careful buildups to a final reveal, this one is nicely done. There IS a reason it was an initial success and has gained a big cult following; people understood Franklin's intentions.

Sure, Patrick is not grand "cinema," but it's a nice mystery/love story with great performances, a keen sense of humour ("self-referential humour" as it has been described), and some rather strong adult content & nudity for what was supposed to be a PG-rated film, even in the altered version for American audiences back in 1978. I first saw it theatrically and was surprised by its content, but appreciated the homages to Hitchcock (which Franklin carefully points out in many scenes on the DVD's commentary track), and Brian May's score has a nice hermann-esque feel (I'm a proud owner of this score on vinyl). I was only disappointed that it was dubbed with American actors, which dummies down a film -- just take a peek at the dubbed version of Anatomy (aka Anatomie). Finally seeing this film in the original Australian language version on DVD made me like this film a lot more 25 years later.

While this film is not extremely original, it still provides enough intrigue for those who look deeper into films that the general public would brush off. Patrick could be considered an acquired taste, so those who are familiar with it and liked it will find the Elite DVD a very satisfying purchase and a nice surprise to see it in its original form. Others be warned, you might stick with more familiar "blockbuster hits." But realize, when films are pushed as "the hottest releases," you know something might be lacking and that it's processed for mass-friendly consumption. At least the Australian audiences did accept this film back then, and it won recognition. I'd like to think I was one of the Americans that understood why they found this film to be so great!