Suspense, thrills and grisly killings by imitative director Brian De Palma . This scary triller is plenty of mystery , intrigue , suspenseful and creepy scenes . It is a potentially brilliant and ingenious chiller that concerns about a government agent , Peter Sandza , (Kirk Douglas , he was aged around sixty-one years of age , Kirk was cast as the lead because director had felt that his previous picture had suffered at the box-office without a name draw-card) determined to come to his son's (first major cinema movie role of actor Andrew Stevens) rescue , when a sinister official (John Cassavetes) kidnaps him to harbor his extremely powerful psychic abilities . As he is forced to take on a super-powerful government agency called MORG (it stands for the Multiphasic Operations Research Group) which has kidnapped his son with psychokinetic skills . The intrepid father is helped by a good friend called Hester (Carrie Snodgress) . And then things really get worse . Meanwhile , a young girl (Amy Irving who married Spielberg , she attended a biofeedback clinic to learn about different levels of consciousness, as she had a better sense to play) who personally experiencing psychic changes is taken in a strange Institute of supernatural forces . Peter uses desperate attempts to save hid gifted son from being used or destryed . At the end takes place the ultimate revenge story .
This stylish chiller contains long-drawn-out tension , flash violent scenes and shock effects with the accent on gas-provoking , but on most occasion without finesse . Adding special characteristics techniques as ominous camera movements and wide screen . This flick was made and released about two years after its source novel of the same name by John Farris was first published in 1976 ; Farris also wrote the screenplay for the film . It is is a contemporary thrilling tale that utilizes the average man against the unknown approach that made Hitchcock 's suspense films so effective . All this said , the mechanics of suspense are worked quite well and may frighten the easily scared quite badly , but De Palma has made a habit of dwelling on their more sordid shoots . Director 'Brian de Palma''s second movie featuring Telekinesis, his first had been Carrie (1976) , as actress Amy Irving appears in both films . In fact , this picture has often been described as a cross between The Omen (1976) and a peculiar follow-up to Carrie (1976) . Very good cast plenty of familiar faces such as John Cassavetes , Charles Durning , Rutanya Alda , Fiona Lewis , Carrie Snodgres and William Finley who played for De Palma , Phantom of paradise . Being the first film for both Daryl Hannah, Laura Innes and look fast James Belushi as an extra , as you can see him in a pair of dark trunks a few steps behind Irving . The film displays a great and haunting musical score by John Williams , previous his fruitful collaboration to Steven Spielberg ; he composed in the style of a Bernard Herrmann score from an Alfred Hitchcock movie . Furthermore , appropriate and colorful cinematography by excellent cameraman Richard H Kline .
The picture was brilliantly directed by Brian De Palma , adding special characteristics techniques and special camera movements . The movie was realized during his period when Brian made outwardly odes to Hitchcock , such as ¨Obsession¨ , ¨Sisters¨, ¨Dresssed to Kill¨ and ¨Blow out¨ . Rating : Above average , as it gets some riveting basic ideas and fascinating images. Essential and indispensable watching for Brian De Palma buffs and Kirk Douglas fans .
