Short Attention Span Review - The Psychic (1977)

Short Attention Span Review - The Psychic (1977)

I greatly enjoy Lucio Fulci's gruesome outings, landmark horror films where no eye is safe and the camera lingers lovingly on gaping wounds.  Much to my surprise, this 1977 effort is a wonderful example of Giallo, and while there are a couple of typical Fulci staples in play, it is far more subdued and . . . well, . . . sensible than much of his work.  To be perfectly clear, I think it ranks among the best of this rich subgenre for much of its runtime, and it boasts a particularly vivid and intriguing opening.  Jennifer O'Neill is a perfect choice for the heroine, and she carries the show from start to finish without missing a note.  Everything about this one is a winner, to include an excellent score and some particularly striking cinematography courtesy of the wonderful Sergio Salvati.  While someone looking for another grand gross-out from a man who made many of the best might find this far too tame for their liking, it is a wonderful surprise for those of us who also treasure these dastardly mysteries.  As always with such pictures, the emphasis on style and mood over substance and the desire for earth-shattering twists often results in a plot that is too convoluted for its own good.  Yet it never leans as far toward the absurd as many of its counterparts, and Fulci fans may be quite forgiving of any lapses in logic.  After all, Lucio liked shock and awe a lot more than plausibility, and this one never goes nearly as gonzo as legendary shockers like his The Beyond or City of the Living Dead.  I am going to highly recommend The Psychic (also known as Sette Note in Nero, or Seven Notes in Black) for those who dig Giallo as well as any Fulci fan, with those who want to see a different approach from this demented titan in particular.  You know what?  I'm going to take this a little farther and recommend The Psychic to anyone who digs the macabre at all.  I thought it was really damn good, and Fulci and O'Neill both worked hard to make this one twisted trip worth taking.

Final Grade: A

Jennifer O'Neill is sensational in this high quality giallo from a director better known for his gory shenanigans.