The Psychic at American Cinematheque

The American Cinematheque has been doing a retrospective of giallo films (i.e., Italian mystery-thrillers) this week – in particular, ones that are not avaiable, easily or at all, on DVD and home video.

This afforded me a rare opportunity to see Lucio Fulci’s 1977 effort THE PSYCHIC, starring model Jennifer O’Neill as a rich man’s wife who has visions of a murder and uncovers a body walled-up in her husband’s summer house. It’s not a masterpiece, but Fulci (a man more known for gory efforts like THE BEYOND than for subtle suspense) did a pretty good job with it.

The festival concludes this evening at 6:30 with a double bill of Dario Argento’s rarely screened FOUR FLIES ON GREY VELVET (which is quite good) and another thriller callled AUTOPSY, which I have never seen. Both are ar the Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood.

However, I will probably have to forego those films, as I am planning to enjoy the Cinematheque’s double bill of BEAST FROM 20,000 FATHOMS and SHE, with special effects expert Ray Harryhausen and fantasy author Ray Bradbury in attendance to introduce the films. This screening takes place at the Aero Theatre in Santa Monica, also starting at 6:30pm