HorrorThrillerScience FictionMystery

The Medusa Touch

- Richard Burton is the man with the medusa touch... he has the power to create catastrophe.

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.

Release Date : 1978-04-13

Language :English

Adult : false

Status : Released

Production Company : CoatesgoldITC Entertainment

Production Country : FranceUnited Kingdom

Alternative Titles :

Cast

Character Name : John Morlar

Original Name : Richard Burton

Gender : Male

Character Name : Brunel

Original Name : Lino Ventura

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor Zonfeld

Original Name : Lee Remick

Gender : Female

Character Name : Assistant Commissioner

Original Name : Harry Andrews

Gender : Male

Character Name : Barrister

Original Name : Alan Badel

Gender : Male

Character Name : Patricia

Original Name : Marie-Christine Barrault

Gender : Female

Character Name : Edward Parrish

Original Name : Jeremy Brett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Atropos - Fortune Teller

Original Name : Michael Hordern

Gender : Male

Character Name : Doctor Johnson

Original Name : Gordon Jackson

Gender : Male

Character Name : Duff

Original Name : Michael Byrne

Gender : Male

Character Name : Townley - Publisher

Original Name : Derek Jacobi

Gender : Male

Character Name : Deacon

Original Name : Malcolm Tierney

Gender : Male

Character Name : Dean

Original Name : Philip Stone

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pennington

Original Name : Robert Lang

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Pennington

Original Name : Avril Elgar

Gender : Female

Character Name : Lovelass

Original Name : James Hazeldine

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mr. Copley

Original Name : John Normington

Gender : Male

Character Name : Judge McKinley

Original Name : Robert Flemyng

Gender : Male

Character Name : Major Henry Morlar

Original Name : Norman Bird

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mrs. Morlar

Original Name : Jennifer Jayne

Gender : Female

Character Name : Nanny

Original Name : Frances Tomelty

Gender : Female

Character Name : Van Driver

Original Name : George Innes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Detective

Original Name : Ian Marter

Gender : Male

Character Name : Male Nurse

Original Name : Brook Williams

Gender : Male

Character Name : Receptionist

Original Name : Wendy Gifford

Gender : Female

Character Name : TV Space Reporter

Original Name : Shaw Taylor

Gender : Male

Character Name : TV Newscaster

Original Name : Gordon Honeycombe

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Hughes

Original Name : Mark Jones

Gender : Male

Character Name : Sgt. Robbins

Original Name : Maurice O'Connell

Gender : Male

Character Name : Senior Police Officer

Original Name : Victor Winding

Gender : Male

Character Name : Mounted Police Officer

Original Name : Anthony Blackett

Gender : Male

Character Name : Hospital Doctor

Original Name : Denyse Alexander

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Constable

Original Name : John Flanagan

Gender : Male

Character Name : Police Doctor

Original Name : Stanley Lebor

Gender : Male

Character Name : Young Morlar

Original Name : Cornelius Bowe

Gender : Male

Character Name : 10-Year-Old Morlar

Original Name : Adam Bridges

Gender : Male

Character Name : 14-Year-Old Morlar

Original Name : Joseph Clark

Gender : Male

Character Name : Parsons

Original Name : Earl Rhodes

Gender : Male

Character Name : Pilot

Original Name : Christopher Burgess

Gender : Male

Character Name : Co-Pilot

Original Name : Matthew Long

Gender : Male

Character Name : Engineer

Original Name : Colin Rix

Gender : Male

Character Name : Man in Court Scene (uncredited)

Original Name : Malcolm Brownjohn

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman at Cathedral (uncredited)

Original Name : Jeremy Coote

Gender : Male

Character Name : Policeman (uncredited)

Original Name : Marc Furstenberg

Gender : Male

Character Name : Organist (uncredited)

Original Name : Clifford Harker

Gender : Male

Character Name : Teacher (uncredited)

Original Name : Guy Standeven

Gender : Male

Reviews

Wuchak

@Wuchak

2022-04-13

_**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

@Geronimo1967

2023-06-04

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!