The Fury (1978)

Directed by Brian DePalma, The Fury stars Kirk Douglas as desperate father Peter Sandza, who enlists the help of teenage psychic Gillian (Amy Irving) to find his son Robin (Andrew Stevens), who has been abducted by Ben Childress (John Cassavetes), the head of a shadowy government organisation.The Fury isn't really much of a De Parture for De Palma, who had scored a hit only two years earlier with Carrie, another film about a psychic teenage girl. This sense of deja vu might not be such an issue if The Fury was on a par with his previous film, but it isn't: the pacing is too slow, the script rather dull, the acting uneven (at times, Douglas seems to be playing his role for laughs), and the direction over-egged, De Palma laying on his Hitchcockian style to such a ridiculous degree that supposedly dramatic scenes frequently prove unintentionally hilarious.Giggle-worthy moments include Gillian's escape from a psychic institute that is rendered laughable by an over-use of slow motion, a car chase through fog (where not being able to see both vehicles at the same time seriously reduces the thrills), a pair of unfortunate Arabs on a malfunctioning fairground ride flying through a restaurant window, and Kirk Douglas' anticlimactic death scene (after all his efforts, he simply rolls off a roof).4.5 out of 10, rounded up to 5 for the reminder of just how far games consoles have advanced since the late '70s, the extraordinarily large spectacles worn by schoolgirl Cheryl (Hilary Thompson), and the film's closing full-body explosion special effect that is shown from every conceivable angle.

The Fury is directed by Brian De Palma and adapted to screenplay from his own novel by John Farris. It stars Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Carrie Snodgress, Charles Durning, Amy Irving, Fiona Lewis and Andrew Stevens. Music is by John Williams and cinematography by Richard H. Kline.De Palma once again indulges in the strange world of psychic abilities and telekinetic powers, with mixed results. On one hand it features strong performances, some masterful techniques by De Palma, a superb score by Williams, and an ending fit to grace any horror film past or present. On the other it's exposition heavy, too draggy in the mid-section and much of the screenplay isn't narratively cohesive. Yet getting through the chores is worth it, the last third of film enters the realm of the weird and the bloody, gripping in texture and execution.Far from perfect but when it hits its straps it soars. 7/10

It's 1977 Mid East. Ben Childress (John Cassavetes) pretends to be sending Peter Sandza (Kirk Douglas) and his son Robin (Andrew Stevens) to Chicago. Instead he sets up an attack. Peter barely escapes but Robin wrongly assumes that his father was killed by Arab terrorists. Childress is gathering children with psychic abilities to train as US secret agents. In 1978, Chicago teen Gillian Bellaver (Amy Irving) sharpens her mental abilities in the Paragon Institute headed by Dr. McKeever (Charles Durning). Peter is tracking Gillian as a possible way to get his son back with the help of his naive girlfriend Hester (Carrie Snodgress) who works at the institute.The movie follows two tracks. Amy Irving's track reminds me of Carrie for more than one reason. Kirk Douglas' side feels like a spy action thriller. The back and forth between the two sides diminishes some of the tension. Director Brian De Palma keeps the movie going at a good clip but it doesn't necessarily all work.

Kirk Douglas plays former CIA agent Peter Sandza, who is determined to find his son Robin(played by Andrew Stevens) who has been kidnapped by a secret government organization called Childress, (led by John Cassavetes) who want him,(and others) who have powerful psychic abilities to be used in times of war. Peter enlists the help of a Childress student named Gillian(Amy Irving) to rescue Robin, and defeat the evil Childress.Brian De Palma film is high on melodrama and violence but short on credibility, with a plot that seems like an extension of "Carrie"(which also starred Amy Irving) only isn't as good. Still, it does a showstopper of an ending...if you can stomach it!