The Medusa Touch
A French detective probing the brutal attack on a seemingly impossible survivor uncovers a London writer whose troubled mind may summon catastrophe.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- eerie
- paranoid
- foreboding
- classic horror night
- rainy evening
What critics said
Critics generally found the premise intriguing but judged the screenplay increasingly sensational, underdeveloped, and weakened by uneven acting.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Morlar claims that his mind can cause destructive events, while Brunel investigates disasters associated with him.
Brunel must determine whether Morlar is a killer, a victim, or something more inexplicable.
The film explicitly frames Morlar as a contemporary counterpart to the legendary Medusa figure.
Morlar's scrapbook and memories connect personal history to increasingly consequential disasters.
Films like The Medusa Touch, and why
Carrie
psychokinetic horror, persecuted protagonist, and escalating supernatural catastrophe
The Mothman Prophecies
investigative supernatural mystery centered on ominous disasters and uncertain causality
The Dead Zone
psychological horror involving a troubled person whose extraordinary mental abilities blur victimhood and menace
Scanners
British supernatural thriller built around telekinetic or paranormal power and grim moral ambiguity
Movie Details
- Director
- Jack Gold
- Release Date
- 1978-04-13
- Runtime
- 109 min
- Rating
- 6.8 / 10 (206)
Cast
- Richard Burton
- Lino Ventura
- Lee Remick
- Harry Andrews
- Alan Badel
- Marie-Christine Barrault
- Jeremy Brett
- Michael Hordern
- Gordon Jackson
- Michael Byrne
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video
- Buy
- Amazon Video
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Medusa Touch about?
- A French detective probing the brutal attack on a seemingly impossible survivor uncovers a London writer whose troubled mind may summon catastrophe.
- What is The Medusa Touch like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Medusa Touch as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Medusa Touch violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in The Medusa Touch as moderate.
- What did critics think of The Medusa Touch?
- Critics generally found the premise intriguing but judged the screenplay increasingly sensational, underdeveloped, and weakened by uneven acting.
- Which films are like The Medusa Touch?
- Films with a similar feel include Carrie, The Mothman Prophecies, The Dead Zone, and Scanners.
- How long is The Medusa Touch?
- The Medusa Touch runs 109 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Medusa Touch?
- In United States, The Medusa Touch streams on Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
