The Clairvoyant (1982)

Two uneasy friends, a police officer and a TV talk show host, each pursue the mysterious "handcuff killer" with the aid of an artist who sees - and draws - the killer's crimes before they're committed.

Director:

Armand Mastroianni

Writers:

Armand Mastroianni (story), B. Jonathan Ringkamp (story)

Stars:

Perry King, Norman Parker, Elizabeth Kemp

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Perry King	...	Paul 'Mac' McCormack
Norman Parker	...	Det. Larry Weeks
Elizabeth Kemp	...	Virna Nightbourne
Kenneth McMillan	...	Detective Cullum
Jon Polito	...	Detective Sporaco
Joe Morton	...	Detective Rich
Barbara Quinn	...	Muriel
Antone Pagan	...	Willie Gonzales
Thomas DeCarlo	...	Teddy Gallagher
Lou Bedford	...	Werner Armstrong
David Ramsey	...	Burt Johnson
Tom Stechschulte	...	Jim Dearden
Louisa Flaningam	...	Leanna
Olivia Negron	...	Betty Mercer
Steve Beauchamp	...	Harvey Dean

Storyline

After the body of murdered woman is found, nude and handcuffed, floating down the Hudson River in New York, a string of murders occur by an unseen serial killer who kills men by handcuffing them before killing them. Mac, a TV talk-show host, and Larry, a police detective, team up to try to find the killer and seek help from Virna, a clairvayant young artist, who draws visions of the murders before they happen. As Mac and Larry try to establish a connection between the victims and the first female victim, who may have been sexually involved all of the male victims, Virna's further visions begin to point to her as the next victim as she unknowingly closes in on the killer's identity.

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Plot Keywords:

artist | handcuffs | serial killer | slasher flick | slasher | 

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Taglines:

Beyond the five senses lies a sixth. To possess it is to see the unseen. If she sees you...you're dead.

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Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

24 October 1982 (France)

Also Known As:

The Killing Hour

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$2,000,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Hour

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Dennis Wolfberg's first filmed acting performance.

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Crazy Credits

Delicious cakes, cookies & brownies: The Well Bread Loaf

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Connections

Referenced in Video Nasties: Moral Panic, Censorship & Videotape (2010)

User Reviews

Little giallo in the Big Apple

"The Killing Hour," alternately titled "The Clairvoyant," follows Norman Parker as a New York City detective attempting to solve the mystery behind the murders of multiple women; an ever-handsome Perry King plays a local talk show host with alternately vested interests in the crimes, but the presence of an art student who appears to be able to draw the murders on paper before they occur brings a whole new dimension to the solving of the mystery.

Armand Mastroianni writes and directs here, two years after the release of his slasher film "He Knows You're Alone"— in my opinion one of the most underrated and charming of the eighties—and the direction is solid. Mastroianni has a knack for photographing the city and milking it for all the atmosphere it offers. With "He Knows You're Alone," the suburban gloom of Staten Island set the backdrop, while Manhattan serves as the primary location here, but the photography and direction are moody and evocative. The script, as some have noted, does slack a bit at times, but the sleek photography and strongly-established atmosphere really overshadow any losses of momentum in the screenplay.

The film is similarly fashioned to a giallo, and at times evokes the work of Mario Bava or Dario Argento, with a psychic splash of Nicholas Roeg's "Don't Look Now," but all that said, these are respectable influences to have. The psychic element is the standout component here, which elevates the proceedings from mere "killer-in-the-city" fodder to something slightly more interesting. Norman Parker and Perry King make competent leading men, while Elizabeth Kemp is also solid as the tormented clairvoyant art student.

Overall, "The Killing Hour" is a solid thriller that wears its influences on its sleeve. As with some of his other films, Mastroianni is great at evoking atmosphere from the camera and the locations. Despite a few pacing issues, the giallo undertones and the grand finale make this worth a watch. 7/10.