The Psychic Blu-ray Movie

Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Psychic Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Brian Orndorf February 16, 2019

Unlike a lot of giallo that make it a point to deliver shocks before settling into a mystery, 1977’s “The Psychic” (titled “Murder to the Tune of Seven Black Notes” on the print) doesn’t mind a slower pace. Director Lucio Fulci takes his time with this tale of one woman’s struggle with murderous premonitions, gradually working through the layers of the crime and its suspects, trying to make a meal out of the central crisis. It’s not a feature that wins on thrills alone, but “The Psychic” is the rare endeavor to actually master a payoff worth waiting for, using stillness to help increase tensions before revealing all in the macabre finale.

Jennifer O’Neill stars as the titular visionary, and it’s one of her better performances, primarily because Fulci needs her to be reactionary, with pained close-ups her primary thespian contribution. She’s a fine focal point for the picture, which works through scenes of accusation and investigation, but always does better when it remains in a hazy space of mental expansion, finding Fulci peppering the endeavor with snap zooms while O’Neill masters the art of the terrified stare as her character tries to piece together scattered visions of horror.

The Psychic Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The AVC encoded image (1.85:1 aspect ratio) presentation reflects Scorpion Releasing's effort to refresh the feature for Blu-ray distribution, labeling the endeavor as a "Brand new 2K scan of the original camera negative." "The Psychic" certainly looks worked over during the viewing experience, offering a brighter view of Lucio Fulci's moviemaking artistry. Source material has its limits, with some wear and tear on view, resulting in brief chemical blotches, small hairs, speckling, and mild flicker, but detail remains involving, capturing intensity of stares that largely make up O'Neill's performance, with a reasonably clear view of facial particulars. Other cast members enjoy the same definition, along with costuming, keeping luxury outfits and suit fibrous. Locations are dimensional, from city visits to rural vistas. Colors are respectfully handled, emphasizing red lights and blue eyes, along with a pleasing boost of greenery. Delineation is comfortable. Grain is largely filmic, with a few blockier passages.

The Psychic Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The 2.0 DTS-HD MA mix has undergone "audio fixes" for the disc, and some of this repair work is detected, finding brief sections of the picture revealing a slight compressed sound, while the overall track hits a few fuzzier highs as intensity is found. Dialogue exchanges aren't problematic, delivering dubbed voices with clarity. Scoring selections aren't weighty but they're understood, delivering synth stings and delicate chimes of doom. Sound effects are blunt.

The Psychic Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Commentary features film historian Troy Howarth.

• "Defeating Fate" (50:14, HD) is an incredibly scattered interview with screenwriter Dardano Sacchetti, who's fired up to talk about anything that pops into his mind. There is some direction to the conversation, with Sacchetti describing his early career with Dario Argento and how he was matched with Lucio Fulci, with the pair working for Dino De Laurentiis, tasked with breaking a story together to help inspire a future film production. Turns out, Fulci's work ethic wasn't quite there, while his legendary temper remained, creating a combustible dynamic with the screenwriter, who refused to kiss the ring. Sacchetti tracks the rise of Fulci's career and his obsessive jealousy of Argento, fueling some of his career choices. Fulci is also revealed to be an Agatha Christie fan, trying to scratch that itch with "The Psychic." Sacchetti has passion but not a lot of focus, winding through cinema history, boat metaphors, and the differences between Italian and American storytelling. What's clear is his pride in "The Psychic," describing it as some type of forgotten masterpiece, also celebrating his love/hate working relationship with Fulci.

• Still Gallery (2:29) includes publicity photos and poster art.

• And a Theatrical Trailer (1:06, SD) is included.

The Psychic Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There are times when it feels like "The Psychic" isn't going anywhere specific, but once Fulci begins to pull tighter on the central mystery, the mechanics of the story begin to work their magic, with the effort making its way to a conclusion that delivers a lasting mark, giving a somewhat dry viewing experience a successful final blow, sold with traditional Fulci ghoulishness.