Boring

Absolutely the worst movie.

It’s fine. It's literally the definition of a fine movie. You’ve seen it before, you know every beat and outcome before the characters even do. Only question is how much escapism you’re looking for.

A great movie, one of the best of this year. There was a bit of confusion at one point in the plot, but nothing serious.

the nuances of story. the nuances of acting. the intensity of Richard Burton look. and an old theme. each as convincing ingredient for a real good movie interesting for atmosphere, original for the tension and large shadows. far to be original, it represents a good job. and that fact defines it. the presence of a remarkable cast - Lee Remick, Richard Burton and Lino Ventura, the short presence of Michael Hordern and Derek Jacobi, the image and the dialog rhythm are perfect bricks for a story about a kind of Raskolnikoff and his new form of justice. sure, it is slice from a large pie of conspiracies and paranormal events but that is only a virtue. because it has a special flavor and the right atmosphere.

This is an engrossing crime investigation film with an unusual format that extensively utilises flashbacks. The flashbacks are seamlessly integrated into the story and soon the audience is almost unaware of the switching back and forth.The main storyline, focusing on the investigation of detective Brunel, is intriguing with the feel of a European gangster film. This is contrasted with the flashbacks to Morlar, many of which have a different, more English tone. Especially interesting are the flashbacks to Morlar's earlier life: the vignettes involving his parents, his school days, his work as a barrister and a domestic argument between his neighbours in London are excellent. The flashbacks, especially some of those to Doctor Zonfeld and the publisher, Townley, are integrated into the main storyline in an ingenious manner.The last part of the film moves away from police intrigue to telekinesis thriller. While the change from gritty police drama to supernatural fantasy is a little jarring the audience is soon gripped by the new threat and goes along for the ride.The cast is excellent. Richard Burton seems chillingly restrained. Lino Ventura is the perfect choice as a world weary detective who essentially carries the main story - it is too bad they chose to overdub his voice with that of another actor as this seems quite distracting. Lee Remick as Doctor Zonfeld and Harry Andrews are also very effective in their roles. The cast is made up of many recognisable actors in cameos who are all extremely interesting and effective.

There are horror films, and there are horror films. Some have a bunch of teenagers being stalked by some nutjob with a mask and a big knife, and you have trouble remembering those the minute they're over. And some horror films have bigger ambitions, and less splatter, and the best of those can stay with you for a long time after they're over. The Medusa Touch, an almost forgotten gem from the 1970s, is one that might leave you with trouble sleeping if you watch it late at night.The set-up is certainly eye-catching. John Morlar, a misanthropic writer played by Richard Burton, is a man who thinks he can create disasters. At the very least, people who annoy him have a funny way of dying - his parents, his teacher, the judge at a trial where Morlar was a lawyer. But that was in the past - now Morlar is thinking bigger, causing bigger and bigger disasters. Or at least, that's what he thinks. But is he really a man with devastating powers, or is he a deluded madman? In fact, although the movie leaves the question open in the early going, there's never much doubt as to what the answer is. The question becomes not so much what is he doing, as how he can be stopped. When you can't kill a man by smashing his skull in so badly that his brains ooze onto the carpet, can you stop him at all? I hadn't seen this movie for years until today, but I remembered enough of it from when I was a kid, hiding behind the sofa. Coming back to it as a grown-up, I had my doubts. It's a euro-production, with a couple of roles handed to French actors for no good reason. It was made by Lew Grade's notoriously cheap studios, known for wobbly special effects and ruthless editing to fit in with TV schedules. And most of all, the premise seemed a bit, well, silly.I needn't have worried. The euro-actors acquit themselves well, especially Lino Ventura in what's effectively the lead role, the special effects are better than they have any right to be, and still stand up well. And as for the premise - yeah, it is a bit hokey. But as with any such mad sci-fi plot, everything depends on how the actors and the director play it. Here, they sell it, right to the bone - there's no smirking, no winks to the camera - and considering this is late-period Richard Burton, surprisingly little ham. Everyone is committed, and the result is that I was drawn in all over again, and I'll likely have nightmares all over again. That's OK, though. I just wish all my nightmares were as well-crafted as this one.

This was promoted at the time as a star vehicle for Richard Burton who also appeared in THE WILD GEESE the same year . What wasn't promoted at the time was that the screenwriter was John Briley who would go on to Oscar winning success with the screenplay for GHANDI . Briley's structure follows that of a whodunnit . Novelist John Morlar is found battered nearly to death in his flat and French detective Brunel traces Morlar's life by talking to witnesses and realises bad things happen to people who cross Morlar It's hardly Oscar winning stuff but as a piece of low brow entertainment it serves its function . What makes it such a morbid delight is that the audience can empathise with Morlar's telekinetic abilities and to be honest we'd all use them to get back against sadistic teachers , noisy neighbours and cheating lovers . Morlar only becomes a villain when he starts killing people he has no argument with like plane passengers and astronauts There's also some wonderfully bitchy dialogue that Burton delivers in an appropriate dead pan style such as when Mrs Morlar introduces her fancy man to her husband , the fancy man being a renowned West End actor " You might like to pour yourself a large drink " " Why ? Is he going to perform for us ? " The climax takes place at a cathedral where a large amount of VIPs are congregating and guess what happens next ? There's a high amount of amusement to be had watching a bunch of well dressed film extras being crushed to death by polystyrene boulders crashing down . In fact the scene with the bell ringers being bonged to death by bells caused me to collapse in tears of laughter That scene sums up the whole movie . You'll feel slightly dirty watching it but you'll have almost two hours of undiluted entertainment even though you don't want to admit it