Psychic Killer

Decent performances by a cast of familiar TV faces enliven this routine horror yarn about a mental patient (Hutton), hospitalized for a murder he didn't commit, who learns astral projection, and uses his new powers to bump off the people he holds responsible for his arrest, his mother's death while he was imprisoned, and the price of meat! One of the murders is unwisely played for comic relief, and Hutton's monster makeup at the end makes him resemble Michael Sarrazin on a five-day bender.

We've all heard the expression "if looks could kill," but how about thoughts? What if it were possible to kill somebody, no matter the distance, using the power of the mind to manipulate objects. Well, that is precisely the setup of Ray Danton's 1975 horror outing "Psychic Killer," an undeniably shlocky yet undeniably fun exercise in out-of-body homicide. In the film, we meet a 33-year-old mental patient named Arnold Masters (Jim Hutton, father of Timothy, 42 here in his final film), who repeatedly declares his innocence of the charge of murdering his dying mother's doctor (his mother had had no health insurance, and so that doctor had refused to perform a lifesaving operation on her; a situation that resonates even more strongly today, 36 years later!). Masters' luck soon takes a decided turn for the better, however, when his innocence is established, a fellow inmate gifts him with a voodoolike amulet, and he is released from confinement. Too bad, though, for all the folks who crossed Masters in the past, as the amulet soon confers on him the ability to slay from afar. As the film's trailer proclaimed back when, "The Evil of the Future Has Arrived"....

"Psychic Killer" has a rather simple, straightforward story line, but to the film's credit, it also boasts a cast of pros who seem to be having fun with it. As the investigating cops on the case, we have TV vet Paul Burke and Aldo Ray (not quite 50 here but looking much older). Masters' therapist (and God knows he needs one; the poor guy has almost as many mother issues as Norman Bates!) is played by Danton's then-wife, Julie Adams, who viewers will perhaps best remember as the bathing-suited beauty who is carried off in "The Creature From the Black Lagoon," and Israeli-born Nehemiah Persoff chews the scenery winningly as an expert on parapsychology and Kirlian auras. As for Arnold's victims, three of the unfortunate bunch are Whit Bissell, here nudging toward the end of his remarkably prolific career, Mary Wilcox, who had recently greatly impressed me playing the beautiful necrophiliac in the highly underrated film "Love Me Deadly," and Neville Brand, as a butchered butcher. It is a pleasure to watch these old pros dig into this dubious material and help put the conceit over. As for former actor turned director Danton, he does just fine in this, his third film (his two earlier pictures were "Crypt of the Living Dead" and "Deathmaster"), giving "Psychic Killer" some nice jolts and really keeping things moving; still, the picture cannot help but give off a decided Kirlian aura of cheese. The film is hardly a sleek-looking affair, and seems at times a bit crudely put together, but again, the enthusiasm of the cast, Danton's evident skill and William Kraft's occasionally freaky-deaky background score help smooth over the rough patches. Really, my only beef here is with that car that topples over a cliff, falls hundreds of feet...and fails to give the viewer a nice, satisfying fireball explosion to cap things off. Danton, apparently, should have watched some '60s Bond films to learn how to give such scenes a nice dramatic topper! Other than this quibble, though, my seal of approval to "Psychic Killer"...straight through to its incinerating conclusion.

"Psychic Killer" is quite amusing, and at the least can boast a twist on the usual sort of vengeance-themed murder spree. Some viewers might say that the ideas being explored deserve a much better cinematic treatment, but as schlock goes, this movie does show its audience a decent time. There's a fair bit of gore, and a little bit of imagination in terms of the death scenes. As guided by former actor turned director Ray Danton ("Deathmaster"), this has also got a hell of a cast of familiar faces to keep things watchable.

Jim Hutton plays Arnold Masters, a Norman Bates type who was wrongly convicted of murder and sent to a mental institution. While incarcerated, he makes the brief acquaintance of fellow patient Emilio (character actor Stack Pierce, who has a strong presence). Emilio provides Arnold with the tools to orchestrate murders while not being physically present at the murder scenes. As a result, flustered police lieutenant Jeff Morgan (Paul Burke) has to try to solve killings that don't make any sense.

The concepts of Kirlian photography (which can be seen behind the opening credits) and astral projection are good enough of a hook to reel viewers in. Hutton is good as the unbalanced protagonist. Making appearances are Julie Adams and Whit Bissell from "The Creature from the Black Lagoon", Nehemiah Persoff, Rod Cameron, Neville Brand (as a butcher whose only real "crime" is charging too much for his meat), Aldo Ray, and Della Reese. Mary Charlotte Wilcox supplies the T & A as a sexpot nurse who likes to tease her bedridden patient. In a supporting role is film director Greydon Clark ("Without Warning"), who co-wrote the picture with Danton and Mikel Angel.

This movie is "good" fun, although it does lead to a pretty horrific finale.

Seven out of 10.

Arnold Masters has several axes to grind. Hes in prison for a crime he didn't commit (his mother who had a tumour who due to be operated on but wasn't. The doctor who was due to undertake the procedure was then found dead in his office by Arnold who was then framed for his murder).

He tells his backstory to a fellow prisoner who confides his story to Arnold in return. His daughter was turned into a prostitute by a pimp. He says to him that he will seek revenge on this man by carving his name into his chest and slitting his throat. Lo and behold, sometime later he tells Arnold that hes done it and without leaving his prison cell. Before Arnold can ask him how, his confident scales the prison fence and jumps from the very high prison wall killing himself. It is later confirmed in the paper that the pimp indeed was murdered in the way the prisoner stipulated.

Arnold then inherits his friends belongings one of which was an amulet. This allows the owner to leave their body and travel psychically anywhere they want. Perfect for seeking revenge against your perceived enemies and enacting revenge.

Arnold is then found to be innocent and released. Those who failed his mother are then one by one found dead in very strange circumstances that defy logic and reason.

I remember seeing the trailer for this film on almost VIPCO video back in the 80's. The trailer was extremely evocative and I'm glad to say that now that I've seen the film it is every bit as brilliant as it's trailer.

Early/mid 1970's America is captured beautifully and the film has it's own very eccentric character. Check out the murders and how unorthodox they are- whether they involve a shower, a new building's cornerstone or a bacon slicer and mincing machine! The sequence involving the nurse before she steps into the shower from Hell could have been lifted from one of the great Russ Meyers' movies.

This is a great concept for a horror movie- someone spiritually leaving their body to avenge their grievances through the power of their minds. Transcendental meditation and other New Age concepts were very fashionable in the 70's and so it's great that this should mind it's way into an exploitation movie made for 42nd Street and the Drive-Ins.

And if you need any other recommendation for seeing this I'll just say this. It stars Neville Brand!!!Now if that isn't enough of an incentive then I don't know what is.

To be honest, I actually looked forward to watching the entire movie...but then again I'm used to watching the worst of the worst Blaxploitation movies.

But the acting was actually really good. Of course all the characters names have already slipped my mind, but the female psychologist was really good, can't remember if I've seen her in anything else - guess I should research that.

The 'meat' scene was a lot more graphic than I expected. It was cool to see Judith Brown in something else other than all the Pam Grier movies I've seen.

One thing to improve Psychic Killer would have been more of Stack Pierce (THE black Visitor from the TV Series 'V') in the film (at least some more flashback shots would've been cool). Another thing may have been a non-matted widescreen print. Couple of things were cut off in this print. In other words, I think it was shot in 4:3, but matted for the DVD/theatre release.

I really liked this movie, and will keep it in my collection.