The Psychic (1977)

A clairvoyant woman discovers a skeleton in a wall in her husband's house, and seeks to find the truth about what happened to the victim.

Director:

Lucio Fulci

Writers:

Lucio Fulci (story & screenplay), Roberto Gianviti (story & screenplay)

Stars:

Jennifer O'Neill, Gabriele Ferzetti, Marc Porel

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jennifer O'Neill	...	Virginia Ducci
Gabriele Ferzetti	...	Emilio Rospini
Marc Porel	...	Luca Fattori
Gianni Garko	...	Francesco Ducci
Evelyn Stewart	...	Gloria Ducci
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

Storyline

A clairvoyant woman, inspired by a vision, smashes open a section of wall in her husband's home and finds a skeleton behind it. Along with her psychiatrist, she seeks to find the truth about who the person was and who put her there. Soon enough, she starts to realize the possibility that she may share the victim's fate...

---

Plot Keywords:

giallo | psychic | premonition | female protagonist | husband wife relationship | 

---

Taglines:

Suddenly she could see into the future...and saw her own murder...

---

Genres:

Mystery | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

23 March 1979 (USA)

Also Known As:

The Psychic

Filming Locations:

Arezzo Airport, Tuscany, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Rizzoli Film, Cinecompany

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Telecolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The titular seven-note theme song is used in Kill Bill vol.1. More specifically the dramatic polyphonic version of the music which plays near the climax of this film, is also played in Kill Bill as the Bride waits on the floor of her hospital room for Buck to re-enter.

---

Goofs

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.

---

Quotes

Gloria Ducci: I've had fifty-six lovers and haven't killed even one of them.

---

Connections

Referenced in Fulci Talks: The Man (2007)

---

Soundtracks

Sette Note in Nero
Recorded on EMI Records by Norberto Gil Ventura

User Reviews

Nice one Lucio

It's nice when the main character of the giallo you're watching receives all their clues in one huge psychic download five minutes into the film.

Psychic lady, who has already remotely viewed her mother's suicide when she was a child (the only truly gory bit of the film), gets her vision when driving away from the airport after dropping off her new hubby (the always great and glary Gianni Garko of I Am Sartana, I will Kick Your Arse fame).

From then on out it's up to psychic lady to figure out all the clues. Who has she witnessed being murdered and walled up? Why doesn't her vision add up to police evidence? Who done it? It's difficult to review gialli without ruining them so I'll stop there.

I've seen this reviewed as Fulci's best film and his best Giallo, but personally I'd rate Lizard In A Woman's Skin higher (it's more surreal for starters). I would put in on a par with Don't Torture A Duckling though - I was glued to the screen. This man had talent at this point in his career.

Next up: Ghosts of Sodom. I'm thinking the next review won't be so glowing.