Lead actress Jennifer O'neill is stunning, haunted and fraught. Her psychic visions are tantalizing, letting us in on her mounting horror and providing glimpses of the approaching danger. It builds tension, it teases suspense.
And by the way, I found myself exclaiming "Want!" at every single outfit O'neill wore, including the fedoras and jewels. When the movie finally revealed it's surprising ending (well, I distrusted that character the whole time if I'm honest) we immediately went back to the beginning to see who the costume designer was--it's a dude named Massimo Lentini. According to IMDb he worked a lot, on other Fulci movies and more, as both costume designer and production designer. Well, I'm a fan. Those costumes were gorgeous, evoking a slick, stylish 1920s vibe, even though the action takes place in the 1970s.
Two things of note just so you're aware--the actors speak English rather than Italian. That's unusual for Fulci. And even more unusual is the mild gore--this is a director who is known for filming long, drawn out and close up kills, and a high body count. Not this time! It's way toned down. All told, The Psychic is a thoroughly enjoyable, beautiful to look at thriller. Highly Recommended.
