Un tueur dans la ville

I saw this on VHS under the title The Killing Hour.

This movie starts off really well with several unexplained killings involving handcuffs. A woman is fished out of the river, a man swims alone in a swimming pool reminiscent of a scene from Cat People, a construction worker goes down a manhole. The latter two killings are quite graphic, though without being bloody. Meanwhile, an artist draws strange pictures.

A cop who does lousy impressions in his side job as a standup comedian (yet he gets laughs, surprisingly) leads the investigation, leaking information to a tabloid television reporter. Both he and the reporter start courting the artist once they meet her.

Some additional deaths occur. The ending may be predictable, since it's possible to make a good guess as to the identity of the killer early on in the movie. Unfortunately, after the strong opening, no other scene quite lives up. Some scenes have lengthy dialog that doesn't serve the plot or characters. Still, not a bad movie by a long shot.

"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.

Fun detective/psychic/serial killer flick

Odd mix of murder and humor at times. The jokes don't always land. It's sufficiently light in spots to make it feel like it won't get too dark. But it does get dark. It's about a serial killer.

The always great Kenneth McMillan has a supporting role here. The man is incredible! He could make picking his teeth seem fascinating.

Elizabeth Kemp plays the psychic. I was not impressed with her psychic scenes - they were okay. But strangely, I was wowed by her romantic scenes. Like the couple romantic scenes in this were so good I kind of wanted to see more of that and less of the psychic stuff. Good romance in a film like this... I didn't see that coming.

The mystery here is really not so great. You'll probably spot it coming. But it's an enjoyable ride and an odd mix of tones that works better than it really should. Worth a watch if you're into this kind of thing.

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 ****

As a fan of B-rated movies, I didn't know what to expect when I saw this film advertised in the TV guide on a local independent UHF station known for showing off-the-wall movies. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. First of all, this movie is perfect for people who love those tacky memories of the early 80's. You'll see the rotary dial phones. The 1980 Ford Fairmounts. The old rabbit-ear televisions. But this movie is more than all that. Despite having a lot of lesser-known actors/actresses, the storyline was unlike most other B-films. It was actually very good ... as a TV reporter and a cop try to figure out who's committing various murders in New York City ... both seemingly having personal interests vested in solving the crimes ... and both getting on each other's nerves in the interim ... this all being made worse when a supposed clairvoyant steps into the picture who seems to have the ability to know someone's going to die before it actually happens. All this makes for a film that I think deserves more credit than it must have ever got ... being I never even heard of it. If you manage to find it at the bottom of some discount barrel of old VHS movies, or you see it advertised on some late night channel, by all means, watch it. It'll be worth your time.