Aggiungi una trama nella tua linguaA young nurse who's just started working at a public clinic begins to suspect that a comatose young man may possess the powers of psychokinesis.A young nurse who's just started working at a public clinic begins to suspect that a comatose young man may possess the powers of psychokinesis.A young nurse who's just started working at a public clinic begins to suspect that a comatose young man may possess the powers of psychokinesis.
- Premi
- 2 vittorie e 4 candidature totali
- Nurse Panicale
- (as Maria Mercedes)
- Nurse
- (as Gillian Seemer)
Recensioni in evidenza
Nurse comes under the spell of her seemingly comatose patient, whose intense psychic powers are menacing the people around her.
Patrick is a bizarre, yet oddly moving film that benefits strongly from its off-beat and ultimately unpredictable story. It's a tale that manages to side-step clichés to become not only a brooding chiller, but a weird love story as well. There's an occasional good bit of suspense and shock that keeps the tension high. The story also possesses a strange sense of the erotic. Granted, the plot is a bit slow in pace but Richard Franklin's direction and a good cast help to carry it well.
Star Susan Penhaligon does a throughly good performance as the films heroine/victim. Rod Mulliner is good as Penhaligon's troubled husband, as is Bruce Barry as her boyfriend. Robert Thompson is also a stand-out as the films menacing title character. Even though Thompson spends most of the film lying in silence he still conveys a threatening presence, he's just that good of an actor.
For those seeking a left-field thriller that's thoughtfully well done, Patrick may just be your date.
*** 1/2 out of ****
Susan Penhaligon has a lot to do in the lead role as she struggles to communicate with the 'dead' hospital patient, Patrick.
Some real suspense, a little nudity and gore but excellent dialogue and a throbbing storyline that maintains a strong interest throughout.
Robert Thompson is the poor guy who has to play dead or near dead through the whole film but does a really good job and those eyes, even to the end. Great stuff!
In and of itself the narrative isn't especially remarkable; for all Patrick's malevolence and violence, the casualties, destruction, or basic thrills we would expect of a genre flick are not so great in number. It's an enticing concept, however, one that has been borne out to terrific results elsewhere (see fellow 1978 release 'The Medusa touch') - and in my mind there's just enough subtlety and hard work shining through in this rendition that the result is commendable and worthwhile. Whether the supporting cast is given the task of fighting against an unseen force, or sharp editing and simple (but good-looking) effects are employed to depict the more easily visualized instances of Patrick's powers, the earnestness of the production is admirable. Simpler still but more clever is the instance in which Patrick's machinations mean slyly writing a character out of a fair portion of the movie. Sometimes the smallest of facets can be twisted around into something more fun.
With that said, it strikes me that both in writing and in execution it's probably individual scenes that do the most to carry the feature as it progresses. From one to the next there's sufficient variety between protagonist Kathie, other characters, and Patrick, as events progress from exposition to increasing aberrance, to keep the movie suitably interesting and fresh. From one scene to the next we see more of how Kathie is interacting with Patrick and still trying to go on with her life while the patient's ill-doings spread out, and such piecemeal focus lets both De Roche and Franklin concentrate their efforts into enriching each beat as it comes. And on that note - while the cast at large perform admirably, Susan Penhaligon has the most time on-screen and the most lines as nurse Kathie, and I think she demonstrates capable skill to command the lead role with quiet range and nuance.
'Patrick' is less than altogether spellbinding; its highest heights are probably stuck at about the mid-level of most genre fare. There's no risk of anyone confusing it for something more immediate and visceral, and even among titles similarly hanging in the mid-range of eventfulness it's right in the middle of the back. Nevertheless, there's appreciable intelligence and hard work that went into making this as moderately engrossing and satisfying as it is, and the endeavor is gratifying. There isn't necessarily a reason to go out of your way to see this, yet keeping in mind the overall tone - if you happen to come across 'Patrick,' it's a good time.
I see much the same here. After all, the only "special effect" really required was the typewriter typing all by itself! Weird it is - but then it's supposed to be. And slow, too: isn't that the whole point of a "suspense" movie?
In my opinion, it builds on its initial premise (the development of "mental" powers when physical ones don't exist) reasonably well, and achieves its objectives quite well. It's not "Star Wars" or even "Sixth Sense", but it never intended to be.
Lo sapevi?
- QuizWhen released in America, the film was edited down for time, and the voices of the entire cast were dubbed by other actors (with the exception of Susan Penhaligon as her contract included a dubbing clause, allowing her to loop her lines with an American accent). This angered Robert Helpmann so much that he attempted to take legal action against the US distributors.
- BlooperAfter the doctor attempts to give Patrick a lethal injection, he is hit in the head by a potted plant. Immediately after this, he picks up a chair to strike Patrick and is thrown back against the wall, which is shown to bounce back.
- Citazioni
Matron Cassidy: Why did you choose the Roget Clinic, Mrs. Jacquard? ... We tend to attract certain types ... lesbians, nymphomaniacs, enema specialists. Oh, am I offending you, Mrs. Jacquard?
Kathy Jacquard: No.
Matron Cassidy: Zoophiliacs, algolegnacs, necrophiliacs, pedophiliacs, scoptophiliacs, exhibitionists, voyeurs. Now do you follow me, Mrs. Jacquard?
Kathy Jacquard: Yes.
Matron Cassidy: Disease, like God, works in mysterious ways, Mrs. Jacquard. It can don the mask of perversion and spread like cancer through a hospital staff.
- Curiosità sui creditiThe end credits play over Patrick lying in his hospital bed with his eyes open.
- Versioni alternativeOriginal Australian version features a music score by Brian May; European version was re-scored by Italian rock group Goblin, partly using outtakes from their score for a TV series for director Dario Argento.
- ConnessioniFeatured in Snapshot (1979)
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Dettagli
- Data di uscita
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- Lingua
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- Patrick's Höllentrip
- Luoghi delle riprese
- Aziende produttrici
- Vedi altri crediti dell’azienda su IMDbPro
Botteghino
- Budget
- 400.000 A$ (previsto)