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...

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Plot Keywords:

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

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Taglines:

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

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Genres:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

In the early 2000's, Quentin Tarantino announced that he would be directing a remake with Bridget Fonda starring. It failed to materialise.

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Goofs

When woman jumps from the edge of the cliff, her position doesn't match the ones shown when she collides with rocks.

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Quotes

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

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Connections

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

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Soundtracks

With You
Written by Ernest - Franco Bixio (as Bixio) - Fabio Frizzi (as Frizzi) - Vince Tempera (as Tempera)
Recorded on Cinevox Record by Linda Lee

User Reviews

Clever,slow but increasingly gripping supernatural thriller from one of Italy's most underrated filmmakers

Lucio Fulci is best known for his surreal and graphically gory horror movies of the early 80s {i.e.Zombie,The Beyond} but some of his most interesting work was made before. This film,which deserves to be far better known,is a case in point. It's an extremely suspenseful thriller with borderline horror elements,a bit reminiscent of Don't Look Now and quite possibly an influence on several films since such as The Vanishing. Fans of Kill Bill will recognise one of the pieces of music used.

Opening with a graphic but very unconvincing scene of a suicide off a cliff,the head bashing on the rocks,the film does not continue that way,but becomes a slow but intriguing supernatural mystery,with the suspense gradually building and Fulci showing himself quite capable of handling a relatively complex plot. Camera work,music and Jennifer O'Neill's stunning performance are all so good that the relative lack of actual action does not matter too much. Nevertheless, Fulci really proves himself with a really exciting and suspenseful scene near the end where O'Neill is pursued by the killer,and there is clever and evocative use of props throughout.

Interestingly,where most Italian films like this are dubbed by different actors,this one looks like it was dubbed by most of the actual cast,and unfortunately a couple of major plot revelations are hard to make out! However,this is a solid little thriller that ,while not quite on the level of,say Fulci's A Lizard In A Woman's Skin,really deserves to be seen if you think Fulci can only do gore.

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