Patrick (1978)

Patrick: Directed by Richard Franklin. With Susan Penhaligon, Robert Helpmann, Rod Mullinar, Bruce Barry. A comatose hospital patient harasses and kills through his powers of telekinesis to claim his private nurse as his own.

“The later 70u0026#39;s saw a handful of films about people with psychic powers, but this little-known thriller from Australia may just be the most unique of them all.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eNurse comes under the spell of her seemingly comatose patient, whose intense psychic powers are menacing the people around her.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003ePatrick is a bizarre, yet oddly moving film that benefits strongly from its off-beat and ultimately unpredictable story. Itu0026#39;s a tale that manages to side-step clichés to become not only a brooding chiller, but a weird love story as well. Thereu0026#39;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 Franklinu0026#39;s direction and a good cast help to carry it well.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eStar Susan Penhaligon does a throughly good performance as the films heroine/victim. Rod Mulliner is good as Penhaligonu0026#39;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, heu0026#39;s just that good of an actor.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eFor those seeking a left-field thriller thatu0026#39;s thoughtfully well done, Patrick may just be your date.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003e*** 1/2 out of ****”