The Medusa Touch (1978)
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- PG
- 1h 49min
- Horror, Sci-Fi
- 07 Apr 1978 (UK)
- Movie
Psychological thriller about a telekinetic novelist who causes disasters simply by thinking about them.
Director:
Writers:
Stars:
Award:
- 1 nomination.
- See more »
Photos and Videos
Cast verified as complete
| Richard Burton | ... |
John Morlar
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| Lino Ventura | ... |
Detective-inspector Brunel
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| Lee Remick | ... |
Dr. Zonfeld
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| Harry Andrews | ... |
Assistant Commissioner
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| Alan Badel | ... |
Quinton - Barrister
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| Marie-Christine Barrault | ... |
Patricia Morlar
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| Jeremy Brett | ... |
Edward Parrish
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| Michael Hordern | ... |
Altropos - Fortune Teller
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| Gordon Jackson | ... |
Dr. Johnson
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| Michael Byrne | ... |
Sgt. Duff
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| Derek Jacobi | ... |
Moulton - John's Publisher
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| Robert Lang | ... |
Pennington
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Avril Elgar | ... |
Mrs. Pennington
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| John Normington | ... |
Mr. Copley - John's Schoolmaster
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| Robert Flemyng | ... |
Judge McKinley
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| Philip Stone | ... |
Dean
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| Malcolm Tierney | ... |
Deacon
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| Norman Bird | ... |
Maj. Henry Morlar - John's Father
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| Jennifer Jayne | ... |
Mrs. Morlar - John's Mother
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| James Hazeldine | ... |
Lovelass
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Wendy Gifford | ... |
Receptionist
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Shaw Taylor | ... |
TV Space Reporter
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Gordon Honeycombe | ... |
TV Newscaster
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Mark Jones | ... |
Sgt. Hughes
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Maurice O'Connell | ... |
Sgt. Robbins
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| Frances Tomelty | ... |
Nanny
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Brook Williams | ... |
Male Nurse
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Victor Winding | ... |
Senior Police Officer
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Anthony Blackett | ... |
Mounted Police Officer
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Denyse Alexander | ... |
Hospital Doctor
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John Flanagan | ... |
Police Constable
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| Stanley Lebor | ... |
Police Doctor
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| Ian Marter | ... |
Detective in Street
(as Ian Master)
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| George Innes | ... |
Van Driver
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Cornelius Bowe | ... |
Young Morlar
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Adam Bridges | ... |
10-Year-Old Morlar
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Joseph Clark | ... |
14-Year-Old Morlar
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| Earl Rhodes | ... |
Parsons
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Christopher Burgess | ... |
Pilot
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Matthew Long | ... |
Co-Pilot
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Colin Rix | ... |
Engineer
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| Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Malcolm Brownjohn | ... |
Man in Court Scene (uncredited)
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Jeremy Coote | ... |
Policeman at Cathedral (uncredited)
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Marc Furstenberg | ... |
Policeman (uncredited)
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| Guy Standeven | ... |
Teacher (uncredited)
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Directed by
| Jack Gold | ||
Written by
| John Briley | ... | (screenplay) |
| Peter Van Greenaway | ... | (novel) |
Produced by
| Anne V. Coates | ... | producer |
| Jack Gold | ... | producer |
| Denis Holt | ... | associate producer |
| Arnon Milchan | ... | executive producer |
Music by
| Michael J. Lewis | ||
Cinematography by
| Arthur Ibbetson | ... | (photographed by) |
Film Editing by
| Ian Crafford | ||
Editorial Department
| Anne V. Coates | ... | supervising editor |
| Jeremy Hume | ... | assistant editor |
| John Nuth | ... | assistant editor |
Casting By
| Irene Lamb | ||
Art Direction by
| Peter Mullins | ||
Makeup Department
| Eric Allwright | ... | makeup artist |
| Ron Berkeley | ... | makeup: Mr. Burton's |
| Mike Jones | ... | hairdresser |
| Martin Samuel | ... | hairdresser: Miss Remick's |
Production Management
| Colin M. Brewer | ... | production supervisor (as Colin Brewer) |
Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
| Derek Cracknell | ... | first assistant director |
| Richard Jenkins | ... | second assistant director |
Art Department
| Albert Blackshaw | ... | construction manager |
| Dave Jordan | ... | property master |
| Ron Quelch | ... | production buyer |
| George Richardson | ... | Sketch Artist |
| John Siddall | ... | assistant art director |
| Jack Stephens | ... | set dresser |
| Terry Ackland-Snow | ... | draughtsman (uncredited) |
Sound Department
| Jonathan Bates | ... | sound editor |
| Gordon K. McCallum | ... | dubbing mixer |
| Ivan Sharrock | ... | sound recordist |
| Ken Weston | ... | sound boom operator |
| Nigel Galt | ... | assistant sound editor (uncredited) |
| Graham V. Hartstone | ... | re-recording mixer (uncredited) |
| John Ireland | ... | foley supervisor (uncredited) |
| Nicolas Le Messurier | ... | re-recording mixer (uncredited) |
| John Scarlett-Davis | ... | sound assistant (uncredited) |
Special Effects by
| Brian Johnson | ... | special effects supervisor |
| Nick Allder | ... | special effects supervisor (uncredited) |
Visual Effects by
| Doug Ferris | ... | optical effects |
| Martin Bower | ... | model maker (uncredited) |
| Bill Pearson | ... | model maker (uncredited) |
Stunts
| Eddie Stacey | ... | stunt arranger |
Camera and Electrical Department
| Steve Claydon | ... | camera focus operator |
| Freddie Cooper | ... | camera operator (as Freddy Cooper) |
| John May | ... | electrical supervisor |
Costume and Wardrobe Department
| Elvira Angelinetta | ... | wardrobe mistress |
| Elsa Fennell | ... | wardrobe supervisor |
| Mike Jarvis | ... | wardrobe master |
| Jane Robinson | ... | costumes: Lee Remick's |
Location Management
| Chris Kenny | ... | location manager |
Music Department
| Michael J. Lewis | ... | conductor |
| John Dankworth | ... | composer: additional music (uncredited) |
Script and Continuity Department
| Penny Daniels | ... | continuity |
Additional Crew
| Richard Fell | ... | medical adviser (as Dr. Richard Fell) |
| Lew Grade | ... | presenter (as Sir Lew Grade) |
| Elliott Kastner | ... | in association with |
| Arnon Milchan | ... | in association with |
| Iris Rose | ... | production assistant |
| Jeremy Coote | ... | production assistant (uncredited) |
| Robin Demetriou | ... | cast and crew chef (uncredited) |
| Tina Simmons | ... | lee remick: stand-in (uncredited) |
Production Companies
- Coatesgold (A British/French Co-Production)
- ITC Entertainment (A British/French Co-Production) (from)
- Bulldog
- Citeca Productions
Distributors
- ITC (1978) (United Kingdom) (theatrical)
- Europa Film (1978) (Norway) (theatrical)
- Tuschinski Film Distribution (1978) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
- Warner Bros. (1978) (United States) (theatrical)
- Elan Film (1979) (Belgium) (theatrical)
- Filmways Australasian Distributors (1979) (Australia) (theatrical)
- Norma-Vigo (1979) (Argentina) (theatrical)
- Sergel (1980) (Sweden) (theatrical)
- Fantasia Film (1981) (West Germany) (theatrical)
- CBS (1981) (United States) (tv)
- Filmes Castello Lopes (1978) (Portugal) (theatrical)
- Jupiter-Film (1979) (Austria) (theatrical)
- Arccades Vidéo (France) (DVD) (as Arcades Vidéo)
- CBS/Fox (video)
- Carlton Video (2000) (United Kingdom) (DVD)
- Channel 5 Video Distribution (1986) (United Kingdom) (VHS)
- Concorde Home Entertainment (2006) (Germany) (DVD)
- Elephant Films (2004) (France)
- Kinokuniya (2004) (Japan) (DVD)
- Koch Films (2020) (Germany) (Blu-ray)
- Magnetic Video (United States) (VHS)
- Modern Times (2006) (Greece) (DVD)
- Network Distributing (2006) (United Kingdom) (DVD) (special edition)
- Network Distributing (2014) (United Kingdom) (Blu-ray) (DVD)
- Precision Video (1981) (United Kingdom) (VHS) (PAL)
- Rai Movie (2016) (Italy) (tv)
- Rautakirja / Showtime (1980) (Finland) (VHS)
- Select Video (West Germany) (VHS)
- Société Nouvelle de Cinématographie (SNC)
- The Cinema (2007) (Japan) (tv)
- Top Tape (Brazil) (video)
- Topanga Canyon Films (2018) (Spain)
- VCL Communications (West Germany) (VHS)
- Video Club of Greece (1983) (Greece) (VHS)
Special Effects
Other Companies
- Halas and Batchelor Cartoon Films (cartoon by kind permission of)
- Panavision Equipment (filmed with)
- Dubbing Bros. (post sync recording and mixing)
- Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) (approved) (no. 25026)
- Technicolor (color)
- Visual Icon (exclusive clip and still licensing)
Storyline
| Plot Summary |
John Morlar (Richard Burton) is watching a British television broadcast when an anchorman states that American astronauts are trapped in orbit around the moon. Suddenly someone in Morlar's room picks up a figurine and strikes him on the head repeatedly. His blood splatters the television screen. French Detective-Inspector Brunel (Lino Ventura) arrives at Morlar's apartment to begin an investigation. At first he thinks Morlar is dead, but soon he hears him breathe. At the hospital, Morlar is hooked up to life support systems, one machine in particular monitors the activity of his battered brain. Brunel discovers that Morlar has been in psychological analysis because of his history of being witness to many disasters, other people's disasters. Dr. Zonfeld (Lee Remick), Morlar's analyst, explains that Morlar's delusions had begun when he was a child. He believed that he had caused a hated nanny's death. Morlar's childhood delusions were reinforced at a resort when he overheard his parents discussing him with disapproval. When his parents strolled on top of a cliff, Morlar watched as the family car suddenly pushed them off the cliff to their deaths. One evening, Brunel pores over the mysteries of Morlar's diary and through his scrapbook of disastrous events. Gradually, Brunel begins to develop an opinion of what Morlar was like and begins to wonder if he is chasing a murderer or a victim. Written by alfiehitchie |
| Plot Keywords | |
| Taglines | Richard Burton is the man with the medusa touch ... he has the power to create catastrophe. See more » |
| Genres | |
| Parents Guide | View content advisory » |
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Additional Details
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Did You Know?
| Trivia | Producer and Director Jack Gold did not want Richard Burton and instead suggested Nicol Williamson for the lead role. The producers told him it would be easier to get funding with Burton, who had just made his "comeback" movie Equus (1977). See more » |
| Goofs | As Inspector Brunel watches the TV news a close-up of the screen reveals that the caption saying "Minster Cathedral" is actually stuck on to the TV screen rather than forming part of the TV picture. The letters cast shadows on to the glass. See more » |
| Movie Connections | Featured in Special Edition: Grease, Jaws 2, Animal House, Heaven Can Wait & The Best and Worst of 1978 (1979). See more » |
| Quotes |
John Morlar:
I will bring the whole edifice down on their unworthy heads See more » |