Cast overview, first billed only: | |||
Rosanna Arquette | ... | Martha Travis | |
Jason Robards | ... | Walter Travis | |
Tom Hulce | ... | Gary Wallace | |
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Mark Joy | ... | Lloyd Harley |
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Ron Rosenthal | ... | Lieutenant Irving Weinberg |
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John Bennes | ... | Ted Silas |
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Linda Pierce | ... | Mary Kuron |
Olek Krupa | ... | Tom Kuron | |
Marty Terry | ... | Mrs. Adams | |
Ed Grady | ... | Editor, Geoff McBain (as Ed L. Grady) | |
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Jon Thompson | ... | Jack Callow |
Helen Baldwin | ... | Eva Callow | |
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Darla N. Warner | ... | Shirley Harley |
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Christopher L. Gray | ... | Choirmaster |
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Lucy Williams | ... | Choirlady |
Martha Travis is a medium who makes contact with spirits "on the other side" and connects them with their loved ones still alive, in public performances. Trouble begins when she gives a message to Mary Kuron from her husband, Tom. But Tom isn't dead - yet. And Martha not only knows he will die, she also knows who killed him. And the murderer knows she knows. Her exploitative elderly alcoholic father and manager, Walter Travis, and Gary Wallace, a skeptical investigative reporter fascinated by the story who eventually falls for Martha, try to protect her, and so does the skeptical police - or do they. Written by Yuval Kfir <yuval.kfir@Indigo.co.il>
Black Rainbow is like most of Mike Hodges films: Get Carter, Croupier and Terminal Man, very intelligent. It is great performance by
Rosanna Arquette best ever. Also Jason Robards and Tom Hulce are also good.
I doesn't rely on special effects to tell a story. It is more or less dealing with whether or not (Martha Travis) Rosanna Arquette is telling the truth. What I found interesting is how Hodges creates a psychological atmosphere on what would happen if someone with that psychic power tells you somebody close to you is dead. That is more disturbing than any special effect.
It is a shame Black Rainbow didn't get a proper cinema release. According to Mike Hodges on the DVD commentary of Black Rainbow, both the distributors Palace Pictures (UK) & Miramax (USA) were both suffering financially. Palace Pictures only released the in minimum cinemas, because they were on the verge of getting bankrupt. Miramax decided to release it straight to television.
My opinion is this is great film and should get a chance, any interested in this film, its out on DVD on Anchor Bay on Region 2