"Psychic Killer" is fun 1970's horror at its best. Peppered with a cast of B-vets such as Paul Burke, Aldo Ray, Nehemiah Persoff, Julie Adams, and Whit Bissell, and starring Jim Hutton (in a nicely scary performance), the movie goes at a nice pace and features some tense moments. There are even bits of gore tossed in for good measure.
The film has Hutton as a man wrongly convicted in the death of his terminally ill mother's doctor. It seems the doctor refused to treat the lady once he found out she had no medical insurance. An argument between Hutton and the doc results in a brief scuffle where the doctor falls to his death. Hutton is arrested, found guilty, and sent to a mental institution. Once there, he encounters a fellow patient who has the power of astral projection with the aid of a medallion and several books. After this patient uses this power to kill one of his enemies, he dies and leaves the medallion and books to Hutton. Shortly after, Hutton is finally exonerated (the real killer confesses to the crime)and freed. He goes home and uses his newfound power of astral projection to begin a mission of revenge against the people who wronged him and his mom. Police Lieutenant Morgan (Burke) and his partner (Ray) are baffled at these seemingly unrelated "accidents". Hutton's psychiatrist (Adams)and a local expert on paranormal research (Persoff) try to help.
"Psychic Killer" benefits from tight direction by former actor-turned-director Ray Danton, good camera-work and location shooting to cover up a small budget, clever dialogue that mixes in bits of humor amongst the hokum, and solid turns by a top cast of veteran genre stars. Even Neville Brand and Rod Cameron show up in bit parts.
"Psychic Killer" is not the type of film that pretends to be anything other than what it is: sturdy, B-grade entertainment for genre fans.
The film has Hutton as a man wrongly convicted in the death of his terminally ill mother's doctor. It seems the doctor refused to treat the lady once he found out she had no medical insurance. An argument between Hutton and the doc results in a brief scuffle where the doctor falls to his death. Hutton is arrested, found guilty, and sent to a mental institution. Once there, he encounters a fellow patient who has the power of astral projection with the aid of a medallion and several books. After this patient uses this power to kill one of his enemies, he dies and leaves the medallion and books to Hutton. Shortly after, Hutton is finally exonerated (the real killer confesses to the crime)and freed. He goes home and uses his newfound power of astral projection to begin a mission of revenge against the people who wronged him and his mom. Police Lieutenant Morgan (Burke) and his partner (Ray) are baffled at these seemingly unrelated "accidents". Hutton's psychiatrist (Adams)and a local expert on paranormal research (Persoff) try to help.
"Psychic Killer" benefits from tight direction by former actor-turned-director Ray Danton, good camera-work and location shooting to cover up a small budget, clever dialogue that mixes in bits of humor amongst the hokum, and solid turns by a top cast of veteran genre stars. Even Neville Brand and Rod Cameron show up in bit parts.
"Psychic Killer" is not the type of film that pretends to be anything other than what it is: sturdy, B-grade entertainment for genre fans.