The Medusa Touch (1978)

★ 6.8 1h 49m IMDb

Horror Thriller Sci-Fi Mystery

A French detective in London reconstructs the life of a man lying in hospital with severe injuries with the help of journals and a psychiatrist. He realises that the man had powerful telekinetic abilities.

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Cast

Richard Burton as John Morlar Died 1984 · Pontrhydyfen, Wales, UK Richard Burton CBE (born Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.; 10 November 1925 – 5 August 1984) was a Welsh actor. Noted for his mellifluous baritone voice, Burton established himself as a formidable Shakespea...

Lino Ventura as Brunel Died 1987 · Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy Angiolino Giuseppe Pasquale Ventura (14 July 1919 – 22 October 1987), known as Lino Ventura, was an Italian-born actor and philanthropist, who lived and worked for most of his life in France. He was c...

Lee Remick as Doctor Zonfeld Died 1991 · Quincy, Massachusetts, USA Lee Ann Remick (December 14, 1935 – July 2, 1991) was an American actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Actress for the 1962 film Days of Wine and Roses, and for the 1966 Tony Awar...

Harry Andrews as Assistant Commissioner Died 1989 · Tonbridge, Kent, England, UK From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Harry Fleetwood Andrews, CBE (10 November 1911 – 6 March 1989) was an English film actor known for his frequent portrayals of tough military officers. His pe...

Alan Badel as Barrister Died 1982 · Rusholme, Manchester, England From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Alan Fernand Badel (11 September 1923 – 19 March 1982) was a distinguished English stage actor who also appeared frequently in the cinema, radio and television...

Director Jack Gold

Cast Richard Burton, Lino Ventura, Lee Remick, Harry Andrews, Alan Badel, Marie-Christine Barrault, Jeremy Brett, Michael Hordern, Gordon Jackson, Michael Byrne

Wuchak 6/10 Apr 05, 2022

_**Beware the ‘deathlook’ of Richard Burton**_

A writer in London is convinced he has the power to cause destruction at will (Richard Burton) and it’s driving him mad. Lee Remick plays his psychiatrist while Lino Ventura is on hand as a Scotland Yard detective.

"The Medusa Touch" (1978) is a slow burn psychological thriller/horror that takes the psychokinesis element of “Carrie” but throws in the mass disaster angle of the later “The Mothman Prophecies” (2002). Other films covering this kind of mind power include "Powder" (1995), "Phenomenon" (1996) and “Youth Without Youth” (2007) with the difference here being that the protagonist’s party trick is mayhem rather than benevolence.

Like the original Star Trek pilot, “Where No Man Has Gone Before” (1966), the theme is power corrupts and absolute power corrupts absolutely. For instance, if Morlar (Burton) wanted to illustrate his power to the therapist, why not simply lift up her dress or something else harmless, such as picking up a chair? Like Bruce Banner, his gift (or curse) only manifests when provoked to anger.

Remick was the youngest adult cast member at 42 during shooting. I’m not an ageist, but the rest of the cast is glaringly mature. Burton was only 52, but looks way older (he must’ve lived a hard life). Nevertheless, he’s legendary and you can’t beat his presence, voice or delivery.

The film runs 1 hour, 49 minutes, and was shot in London and the greater London area, including the White Cliffs of Dover and Reculver Towers, which are about an hour’s drive east of the city on the coast.

GRADE: B-/B

CinemaSerf 7/10 Jun 04, 2023

Though top billed in this, Richard Burton features but sparingly as a man with a tortured past. His recollections to his psychiatrist "Dr. Zonfeld" (Lee Remick) are relayed to police inspector "Brunel" (Lino Ventura) after he ("Morlar") is found savagely beaten at his London flat. As the investigation expands, it is clear that the normal rules do not apply here. "Morlar" shouldn't even be alive, yet his brain activity coupled with a spate of accidents and with the ever more revealing - but sensational - revelations about his disaster-prone past lead "Brunel" and the Assistant Commissioner (Harry Andrews) to a conclusion that, well, they just cannot believe. Ventura is good in this, as is the understated, but effective Remick. There are plenty of twists that keep the obvious from becoming too obvious, too soon, and when called upon, Burton contributes well in a sort of manic, epitome of evil, manner. It is a bit dialogue heavy at times, but the last twenty minutes are great drama well put together. A good bit of telekinetic terror!