Os Olhos de Laura Mars

This 1978 chiller directed by Irvin Kerschner (RoboCop 2) and based on a story by John Carpenter, has Faye Dunaway as a fashion photographer who suddenly discovers that she has the ability to "see" through the eyes of a serial killer. All her premonitions of the murders are very accurate, and the victims are all people she knows. Soon it becomes apparent the killer is coming after her. Tommy Lee Jones is great as the police lieutenant/love interest (back when his face wasn't pockmarked with age), and the supporting cast (Raul Julia, Brad Dourif) is excellent. The movie's depictions of the murders were quite shocking for it's day, and it manages to keep us scared and in suspense throughout, though some of the scenes border on grotesque. Direction by Kirschner is tight, music is suitably eery, and the performances are overall impressive. A winner

This movie was around for twenty years before I saw it. I recall it as not having the best of reputations. But I found it to be suspenseful and it could be considered a forerunner of today's erotic thrillers.

Faye Dunaway is Laura Mars, a fashion/glamour photographer whose work is controversial in that some say it glorifies both sex and violence towards women. (Sounds like a pretty contemporary theme, doesn't it?) She becomes troubled by frightening visions she has of killers-eye views of murders. When a killing she has just "seen" turns out to have actually happened nearby she tells the police. She then finds out that a detective (Tommy Lee Jones) has already been investigating some cases where murder scenes closely resembled her photos.

Dunaway is always consistent in delivering good performances and this one is no exception. It was refreshing not to see Jones in his "Mr. Intensity" character he's played so often since 'The Fugitive.' Although some will doubtless find flaws to point up here and there, I found the film to be very enjoyable. Brad Dourif, Rene Aberjonois and Raul Julia also star. Irvin Kershner's direction is stylish and John Carpenter is responsible for the story and co-wrote the script.

Laura Mars is a very successful fashion photographer who one day starts to get visions of brutal murders being carried out. Troubled and in fear for her sanity, Laura turns to the police for help. But this only adds to her problems as Detective Neville points out to her that the murder scenes bare similarities to some of her staged photographs. The pair of them must figure it out quickly because the murderer is closing in on Laura and those close to her.

In 1978, John Carpenter thrilled horror fans with his baby sitting terror piece, Halloween. Also released was this mystery/thriller/horror film, written by Carpenter and directed by Irvin Kershner {The Empire Strikes Back} which is a film that has been called anything from innovative to outright rubbish. The truth is that where Halloween is a horror film of no character substance, Eyes Of Laura Mars is a completely different animal. It's bright blending of 70s fashion photography with Carpenter's dastardly tale {tho the final draft was tampered by many}, is a success. This is a psychological thriller first and foremost, yes horror elements are there {it's a done deal with a serial killer on the loose}, but running alongside a clever romantic angle, the film gains an intensity that few other 70s psychological thrillers can boast.

The cast, other than an insipidly hammy Raul Julia, also come out rather well. Faye Dunaway {Mars}, Tommy Lee Jones {Neville}, Brad Dourif {horror staple that he is} and Rene Auberjonois give credit to well formed characters. Technically it's a fine picture as well, Irvin Kershner and his cinematographer Victor J. Kemper excellently utilise the New York City location. Especially during the fashion shoot sequences, where the 70s and its glamour is fully realised. "Innovated" blurred corridor shots to portray Laura's terrible visions are creepy and highly effective, while i would be surprised if anyone doubted the impact of a mirror shot in the glorious finale.

Thought by many to have not aged well, Eyes Of Laura Mars is often consigned to the cupboard marked "dated", that's unfair because good thrillers are good thrillers, regardless of age. Emotionally strong and pulsing with imminent terror, this is a badly undervalued, and forgotten picture. 8/10

Laura Mars (Faye Dunaway) is a celebrated fashion photographer. She is haunted by visions from a killer's eyesight. At her gala, she encounters police detective John Neville (Tommy Lee Jones) who hates the photos of violence against semi-nude women without knowing it's her. Those around her are killed and Neville investigates. Her pictures seem to mimic real crime scenes. Tommy Ludlow (Brad Dourif) is her driver. Donald Phelps (René Auberjonois) is her manager. Michael Reisler (Raul Julia) is her possessive ex-husband.

The killer's vision needs better consistency. It's mostly first person POV except sometimes it goes up to the murder weapon. It becomes more traditional but it needs to stay with the first person POV. Otherwise, it's a nice premise and the visual mostly works. It has blood and gore but like the photos, they are too stagey. The first thing that caught my eye is the writing credit for John Carpenter. This is pre-Halloween by a couple of months. If it somehow got released after Halloween, I'm sure they would have promoted Carpenter's script to death and it would be an even bigger hit. The great cast is doing good work. There is a twist that seems more for twist's sake. This is a nice middling mystery thriller although the pacing is not always that thrilling.

"Eyes of Laura Mars" is a slow, flabby thriller that could have made MUCH better use of its intriguing (if not original) initial idea. Director Kershner shows some style and flair, but this movie needs tighter storytelling. I found the script, co-written by John Carpenter, clever and quite unpredictable (unless you're trying to find the identity of the killer strictly by guessing), and there are OK performances by the entire cast, but this film is ultimately defeated by its uneven, meandering pacing.