The Clairvoyant (1982)

Boring

A movie that not only functions as a solid scarefest but a razor-sharp satire.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

The movie really just wants to entertain people.

"The Killing Hour," alternately titled "The Clairvoyant," follows Norman Parker as a New York City detective attempting to solve the mystery behind the murders of multiple women; an ever-handsome Perry King plays a local talk show host with alternately vested interests in the crimes, but the presence of an art student who appears to be able to draw the murders on paper before they occur brings a whole new dimension to the solving of the mystery. Armand Mastroianni writes and directs here, two years after the release of his slasher film "He Knows You're Alone"— in my opinion one of the most underrated and charming of the eighties—and the direction is solid. Mastroianni has a knack for photographing the city and milking it for all the atmosphere it offers. With "He Knows You're Alone," the suburban gloom of Staten Island set the backdrop, while Manhattan serves as the primary location here, but the photography and direction are moody and evocative. The script, as some have noted, does slack a bit at times, but the sleek photography and strongly-established atmosphere really overshadow any losses of momentum in the screenplay.The film is similarly fashioned to a giallo, and at times evokes the work of Mario Bava or Dario Argento, with a psychic splash of Nicholas Roeg's "Don't Look Now," but all that said, these are respectable influences to have. The psychic element is the standout component here, which elevates the proceedings from mere "killer-in-the-city" fodder to something slightly more interesting. Norman Parker and Perry King make competent leading men, while Elizabeth Kemp is also solid as the tormented clairvoyant art student.Overall, "The Killing Hour" is a solid thriller that wears its influences on its sleeve. As with some of his other films, Mastroianni is great at evoking atmosphere from the camera and the locations. Despite a few pacing issues, the giallo undertones and the grand finale make this worth a watch. 7/10.

THE KILLING HOUR is an American movie made in the same vein as an Italian Giallo.Whilst many may assume by the director's Italian name that this movie is a giallo, I can most assure them that it is not.The director of this movie also directed HE KNOWS YOU'RE ALONE. Having liked that movie and also being tempted by the attractive DVD cover depicting a gloved hand over a woman's face, I had high hopes for THE KILLING HOUR.How wrong I was.The plot of this movie is actually very interesting. A police detective and a TV show host form an unlikely alliance in tracking down the "handcuff killer". Also entering the scene is a young clairvoyant with the ability to draw pictures based on her premonitions.But the interesting aspect of the movie finishes here. The plot is really all that it has going for it.In the hands of an experienced Italian director - Dario Argento, Mario Bava or Lucio Fulci - this movie could have made a great giallo.Unfortunately, the movie was placed in the wrong hands and the superb concept on paper degenerates to a crashing bore on the screen.The director of this movie obviously failed to understand that there is more to making a giallo than just the mere presence of a glove-wearing killer, a few arrogant cops, and occasional nudity and sleaze.The movie is severely hampered by Mr Mastroianni's pedestrian direction that is without suspense, tension or the ability to invoke emotion.The few killing scenes to be found are nothing to write home about and most last too short a time to have sufficient impact upon the viewer - or even the plot for that matter!Without revealing spoilers, I can reveal that there is a killer in this movie - mostly unseen. But the killer shows very little threat or menace and as such it is almost impossible for the viewer to attach themselves to situations that should be tense, frightening and horrific.Without revealing spoilers, I can also mention the presence of another scene in this movie outside of the killings but was clearly meant to be disturbing. But even this scene lacked any impact.The two lead actors are incredibly bland with one-dimensional characters that can be found in any random American movie of this period.Kenneth McMillan basically "phones in" his performance as a police lieutenant. Believe me, he was more interesting to watch in the infinitely superior SALEM'S LOT, a movie in which he had several great scenes.On a positive note, Elizabeth Kemp delivers a good performance as the clairvoyant. But she is clearly restrained by a script lacking inspiration and a director lacking a coherent vision for the character.Overall, I do not recommend this movie at all. I would, however, advise people to see HE KNOWS YOU'RE ALONE because I believe the director did a much better job on this earlier effort. Or even better, check out some genuine giallos such as DEEP RED, THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, TORSO and DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING just to name a few.

This little-known suspense thriller from Armand Mastroianni (director of the 1980 slasher romp He Knows You're Alone) makes for ripe entertainment for both fans of murder mysteries and horror films.NYC police are trying to find out who is behind a rash of 'handcuff' murders, while a young artist (and psychic) is finding herself drawing the horrid crimes!Cinema in the early 80's was bombarded with numerous slasher films, which is probably how this film became forgotten, but The Clairvoyant a.k.a. The Killing Hour isn't a routine killer thriller. Mastroianni's story is a solid mystery with plenty of dashes of tension and suspense to keep one engaged. The opening sequences are quite grabbing, the murders are inventive (although not gory), and the plot builds to a great showdown climax. The urban filming locations are terrific, Mastroianni's direction is sleekly well done, and the subtle piano score is a nice touch. The film also carries a kind of sexual vibe through out.The cast is quite good in their performances. Perry King is great as a TV journalist exploiting the killings. Elizabeth Kemp makes for a likable young heroine as the clairvoyant artist. Norman Parker is charismatic as the police detective who moonlights as a stand-up comic.Nicely done on all levels, The Clairvoyant makes for a perfect big city thriller.*** out of ****

Since this film is a thriller directed by someone with an Italian sounding name, I was expecting something like an American version of Italy's finest export - the Giallo. The film certainly has elements that resemble the Giallo, but it constantly falls down as everything in the film is just so DULL. The plot opens with the discovery of a dead body making its way down the Hudson River. We than follow the investigation into the crimes, which is a joint venture between a police detective and a TV talk show host. The story also gets an extra element of mystery through Virna Nightbourne; a clairvoyant who draws the crimes before they happen. Obviously the idea of someone being able to draw crimes before they happen is more than a little bit preposterous, but to be honest I could live with that if the resulting film was entertaining. However, the film is not entertaining; we've got a couple of decent murder scenes, and that really is the only point of interest. The way that the film plays out is far too serious given the silliness of it, and by the time it ended I was thoroughly bored! Not recommended.