Lucio Fulci's The Psychic is a classic Fulci that features some impressive atmosphere and cinematography, but what makes the film stand out as one of Fulci's best is its well-crafted story that unwinds in a way that is intricate but simple, leading up to a dynamite ending. The film tells the story of Virginia, a woman who suffers from bizarre episodes in which she see visions, typically related to death. The first time she had one of these visions was the day of her mother's suicide, with these psychotic episodes haunting her from an early age. Her latest psychotic episode involves a host of seemingly interconnected images. Having recently married, Virginia decides to visit the country house which her husband recently owned, hoping to clear her mind and help him decorate. The Psychic features some impressive atmosphere from the legendary Italian horror filmmaker, but I would defintely classify the film as more of a mystery than horror film. The voyeuristic quality of the cinemaotgraphy helps in elevating the sense of mystery and intrigue to this story that is full of twists and sturns, with Fulci also using overhead shots early on to give the film a unique feeling of dread. The film uses these images to construct a story that feels almost like a large puzzle to the viewer, with Virginia's psychotic interconnected episodes being the puzzle pieces that will are the key to the mystery. The editing used to showcase these reminders is far from subtle, but given Fulci's outlandish, atmospheric nature, it fits right in with his other visual styles. While I wouldn't go as far as to call The Psychic one of Lucio Fulci's best films, it is one of the better Italian giallo type films that manages to combine the genres intense sytle with a twisty, turvy mystery narrative that is intriguing from start up into its fantastic finale.
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AuthorLove of all things cinema brought me here. Archives
June 2023
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