The Clairvoyant (1982) User Reviews

strong opening after which it peters out, but still fairly good.

[FieCrier · 6/10 · 21 June 2006]

I saw this on VHS under the title The Killing Hour.

This movie starts off really well with several unexplained killings involving handcuffs. A woman is fished out of the river, a man swims alone in a swimming pool reminiscent of a scene from Cat People, a construction worker goes down a manhole. The latter two killings are quite graphic, though without being bloody. Meanwhile, an artist draws strange pictures.

A cop who does lousy impressions in his side job as a standup comedian (yet he gets laughs, surprisingly) leads the investigation, leaking information to a tabloid television reporter. Both he and the reporter start courting the artist once they meet her.

Some additional deaths occur. The ending may be predictable, since it's possible to make a good guess as to the identity of the killer early on in the movie. Unfortunately, after the strong opening, no other scene quite lives up. Some scenes have lengthy dialog that doesn't serve the plot or characters. Still, not a bad movie by a long shot.

Clever as long as you suspend disbelief ............

[merklekranz · 6/10 · 2 December 2019]

"The Killing Hour" a.k.a. "The Clairvoyant" is a clever scripted who done it, however over analyzing the plot would make you crazy. If you accept the fact that the storyline stretches reality beyond the breaking point, then just go with it. The New York handcuff killer is finally revealed through a series of sketches made by an art student who posses the gift of seeing the past and future through her drawings. I suppose you could do worse for a preposterous storyline? The acting is OK, the New York City locations are a plus, but if you demand a certain amount of logic in your twisty thrillers, then this is one to avoid. For entertainment only it succeeds, and for low budget entertainment it is way above average. The film is almost bloodless, and has brief nudity. - MERK

Giallo echoes.

[Coventry · 5/10 · 14 August 2010]

"The Killing Hour" is an American thriller with Italian giallo ambitions. The murders, the killer's disguise & modus operandi and especially the final denouement – which obviously can't be revealed here – are seemingly taken straight from the screenplay of an early 70's Italian giallo highlight. Even the additional topic of clairvoyance doesn't make it typically American, because near the end of the seventies the Italians were experimenting with supernatural themes, like for example in Lucio Fulci's "The Psychic". This certainly isn't a bad little movie, it's just somewhat unfortunate that the pacing is very uneven and the second half is boring and lifeless. What you can't afford to miss about "The Killing Hour" are the first ten minutes. Imagine if you agreed with some of your friends to watch this movie and you're ten minutes late to the party, well than you're just terribly out of luck, because 99% of the horrific images and carnage are already over and done with by then. In the opening sequences we witness the discovery of a naked girl's body floating in the Hudson river and two highly imaginative murders, one in a pool and one in a road construction site. All three victims wore handcuffs and there's undoubtedly a common element that links them all to the same killer. Whilst copper Larry Weeks and TV talk show host Paul McCormack are arguing about whether or not to keep the story out of the media, a shy young girl reports herself to the police. She's an artist in training but claims that at certain moments her hand uncontrollably takes over and draws the murders as they occurred or will still occur. McCormack sees the girl as a sensational guest for his talk show, but obviously doesn't realize this brings her in great mortal danger. The film starts out as a compelling whodunit full of suspense and curious characters (a cop who's a stand-up comedian in his spare time?), but gradually becomes just another dull and predictable little thriller. There's hardly anything exciting going on in the film's second half and the climax is only original and efficient if you haven't seen a single Italian giallo ever before in your life. As soon as you have, the ending of "The Killing Hour" will leave you underwhelmed and stone cold. Writer/director Armand Mastroianni, who probably has some sort of Italian roots despite being born and raised in Brooklyn, was a competent horror director back in the early 80's. He made the underrated slasher "He Knows You're Alone" as well as goofy horror flicks like "The Supernaturals" and "Cameron's Closet". This was his most serious horror effort, but the result is only semi-successful.

"Say Goodnight, Gracie!"...

[azathothpwiggins · 11 March 2019]

THE KILLING HOUR (aka: THE CLAIRVOYANT) opens with the body of a handcuffed woman being fished out of the Hudson river by police. Simultaneously, an artist in a studio seems to be drawing the same scenario in charcoal. In quick succession, two men are killed in horrible ways, both murders involving handcuffs, and both drawn by the same artist either before or during the act.

Detective Larry Weeks (Norman Parker) and his team are on the case. Enter TV personality, Paul "Mac" McCormack (Perry King), who's out for the scoop on "The Handcuff Killer", getting Weeks into hot water with his superiors in the process. Ultimately, Weeks and McCormack join forces to catch the manacle-using menace. Eventually, the clairvoyant artist, Virna Nightbourne (Elizabeth Kemp) comes forward to help. Can these three catch the murderer, before more deaths take place?

This movie seems to frustrate those looking for a slasher or giallo film, who consider it rather dull. Actually, it's more of a suspense / police drama with supernatural horror elements. As such, it's not a bad movie. Personally, I get tired of watching people get stabbed to death all the time, and really liked the novel approach used here. It was every bit as terrifying without being repetitive. While not altogether unexpected, the ending is quite good.

Co-stars Joe Morton as Detective Rich...

Not too thrilling.

[Hey_Sweden · 5/10 · 2 January 2013]

"The Clairvoyant", a.k.a. "The Killing Hour", is just a passable thriller at best. Working like an American version of an Italian Giallo, one thing it does have going for it is a killer with an unusual modus operandi: they handcuff their victims to their killing implements. The first person is handcuffed to the bottom rung of a swimming pool ladder and drowns, the next is a Con Ed worker who is electrocuted, another is imprisoned on top of an elevator. The detective on the case is a quirky character named Larry Weeks (the reasonably likable Norman Parker), who moonlights as a stand-up comedian who does bad impressions of Woody Allen and George Burns. His friend is Paul "Mac" McCormack (Perry King, "Class of 1984"), a sleazy TV show host who exploits the case for all it's worth. And rounding out our trio of main characters is Virna Nightbourne (Elizabeth Kemp), an art student who has psychic visions of the murders and then sketches them. It's not too hard to figure out whodunit in this boringly handled film; director / story co-author Armand Mastroianni fails to bring much style to the proceedings. Things get more interesting by the end but by then it's too little too late. There's also a serious lack of true dramatic tension; one never becomes too involved with these characters or this mostly familiar scenario. There is some value in watching this cast at work; Kenneth McMillan is good (if not as good as he can be) as Weeks's superior, and it's nice to see character players Jon Polito (thinner in build but sporting a thicker moustache) and Joe Morton near the beginning of their careers. Also in the cast are Brooke Palance (Jack P.'s daughter) as a hooker, Ted Sorel ("From Beyond") as Ben Cosley, and Robert Kerman ("Cannibal Holocaust") as the medical examiner. King is quite animated and pretty entertaining, injecting a little bit of spark into the film, and Kemp, who's commendably more average looking than the typical leading lady, does have some appeal. The film does begin quite effectively, with two murder set pieces shown in succession, and doesn't go out of its way to explain things, letting the viewers work out the plot for themselves. And the on location shooting in NYC is always a bonus for films of this kind. In addition to Mastroianni and actress Kemp, other hands from the previous year's slasher "He Knows You're Alone" were involved in the making of this one. Five out of 10.

Little giallo in the Big Apple

[drownsoda90 · 7/10 · 23 December 2014]

"The Killing Hour," alternately titled "The Clairvoyant," follows Norman Parker as a New York City detective attempting to solve the mystery behind the murders of multiple women; an ever-handsome Perry King plays a local talk show host with alternately vested interests in the crimes, but the presence of an art student who appears to be able to draw the murders on paper before they occur brings a whole new dimension to the solving of the mystery.

Armand Mastroianni writes and directs here, two years after the release of his slasher film "He Knows You're Alone"— in my opinion one of the most underrated and charming of the eighties—and the direction is solid. Mastroianni has a knack for photographing the city and milking it for all the atmosphere it offers. With "He Knows You're Alone," the suburban gloom of Staten Island set the backdrop, while Manhattan serves as the primary location here, but the photography and direction are moody and evocative. The script, as some have noted, does slack a bit at times, but the sleek photography and strongly-established atmosphere really overshadow any losses of momentum in the screenplay.

The film is similarly fashioned to a giallo, and at times evokes the work of Mario Bava or Dario Argento, with a psychic splash of Nicholas Roeg's "Don't Look Now," but all that said, these are respectable influences to have. The psychic element is the standout component here, which elevates the proceedings from mere "killer-in-the-city" fodder to something slightly more interesting. Norman Parker and Perry King make competent leading men, while Elizabeth Kemp is also solid as the tormented clairvoyant art student.

Overall, "The Killing Hour" is a solid thriller that wears its influences on its sleeve. As with some of his other films, Mastroianni is great at evoking atmosphere from the camera and the locations. Despite a few pacing issues, the giallo undertones and the grand finale make this worth a watch. 7/10.

Kill an hour by doing something else!

[The_Void · 4/10 · 8 January 2007]

Since this film is a thriller directed by someone with an Italian sounding name, I was expecting something like an American version of Italy's finest export - the Giallo. The film certainly has elements that resemble the Giallo, but it constantly falls down as everything in the film is just so DULL. The plot opens with the discovery of a dead body making its way down the Hudson River. We than follow the investigation into the crimes, which is a joint venture between a police detective and a TV talk show host. The story also gets an extra element of mystery through Virna Nightbourne; a clairvoyant who draws the crimes before they happen. Obviously the idea of someone being able to draw crimes before they happen is more than a little bit preposterous, but to be honest I could live with that if the resulting film was entertaining. However, the film is not entertaining; we've got a couple of decent murder scenes, and that really is the only point of interest. The way that the film plays out is far too serious given the silliness of it, and by the time it ended I was thoroughly bored! Not recommended.

Killing Hour

[BandSAboutMovies · 7/10 · 6 September 2021]

"Beyond the five senses lies a sixth. To possess it is to see the unseen. If she sees you...you're dead." That's a pretty great tagline. This is kind of a sleeper of a film.

Armand Mastroianni (He Knows You're Alone, The Supernaturals, plenty of stuff for the Hallmark Channel like their Pandemic mini-series) made this one and while he has an Italian name, he was born in Brooklyn. But the roots of this film are firmly in the world of the giallo, at least the later fantastic era and less in the early detective films.

Handcuffed bodes have been showing up all over New York City - yes, the end of the world NYC as seen in films like The Eyes of Laura Mars and The New York Ripper - which leads talk show host Paul "Mac" McCormack (Perry King) and police detective/stand-up comedian Larry Weeks (Norman Parker) to team up. They soon meet Virna Nightbourne (He Knows You're Alone, Sticky Fingers), an art student whose work somehow perfectly captures details of the crimes that even the police don't know.

I mean, in case if you're wondering, as I always do, "Is this a giallo?" just the idea that a cop is also a comedian and the name Virna NIghtbourne should tell you all that you need to know.

Virna is able to basically switch off her brain and free her hand to draw whatever it wants, a talent that led her to rescue a young girl named Elizabeth many years ago. The police have to tell her the horrible news that Elizabeth was one of the Handcuff Killer's victims, which is a strange coincidence or because this is a giallo.

Now, Virna is having dreams of being tied to a bed and murdered, turning that scene into her art. At the same time, other people who were close to Elizabeth, like a male prostitute, are being killed and even Mac is attacked in his apartment by a man paid to attack him. He's shot by the police before he can give them any further answers.

Somehow, our heroine begins dating both men and stands up Mac one night to see Larry perform stand-up (it's the comic strip and you can see Dennis Wolfberg's act) when she gets a call that the killer has her roommate tied up to a car and plans on murdering her. She runs outside and is nearly hit by the Handcuff Killer's car.

Mac brings Virna on his show and she starts to draw a murder that is paralleled by Muriel being murdered by being handcuffed and bound before being placed in a car that crashes into the river. She's gotten too close, so she's kept with Mac, but the drawings, when analyzed, show that she's not out of danger yet.

The clues all make sense in this - American giallo feels the need to explain things a bit better than their Italian counterparts - and it gets pretty boring before the psychic parts come out. Then again, ask yourself: how many old Hollywood romantic triangles infused into a police procedural with giallo elements are you going to find? Throw some Perry King in as the smoldering sizzle on the steak and hey, you won't be too upset that you spent time watching this.

A great concept on paper but a crashing bore on the screen!

[manchester_england2004 · 3/10 · 17 November 2009]

THE KILLING HOUR is an American movie made in the same vein as an Italian Giallo.

Whilst many may assume by the director's Italian name that this movie is a giallo, I can most assure them that it is not.

The director of this movie also directed HE KNOWS YOU'RE ALONE. Having liked that movie and also being tempted by the attractive DVD cover depicting a gloved hand over a woman's face, I had high hopes for THE KILLING HOUR.

How wrong I was.

The plot of this movie is actually very interesting. A police detective and a TV show host form an unlikely alliance in tracking down the "handcuff killer". Also entering the scene is a young clairvoyant with the ability to draw pictures based on her premonitions.

But the interesting aspect of the movie finishes here. The plot is really all that it has going for it.

In the hands of an experienced Italian director - Dario Argento, Mario Bava or Lucio Fulci - this movie could have made a great giallo.

Unfortunately, the movie was placed in the wrong hands and the superb concept on paper degenerates to a crashing bore on the screen.

The director of this movie obviously failed to understand that there is more to making a giallo than just the mere presence of a glove-wearing killer, a few arrogant cops, and occasional nudity and sleaze.

The movie is severely hampered by Mr Mastroianni's pedestrian direction that is without suspense, tension or the ability to invoke emotion.

The few killing scenes to be found are nothing to write home about and most last too short a time to have sufficient impact upon the viewer - or even the plot for that matter!

Without revealing spoilers, I can reveal that there is a killer in this movie - mostly unseen. But the killer shows very little threat or menace and as such it is almost impossible for the viewer to attach themselves to situations that should be tense, frightening and horrific.

Without revealing spoilers, I can also mention the presence of another scene in this movie outside of the killings but was clearly meant to be disturbing. But even this scene lacked any impact.

The two lead actors are incredibly bland with one-dimensional characters that can be found in any random American movie of this period.

Kenneth McMillan basically "phones in" his performance as a police lieutenant. Believe me, he was more interesting to watch in the infinitely superior SALEM'S LOT, a movie in which he had several great scenes.

On a positive note, Elizabeth Kemp delivers a good performance as the clairvoyant. But she is clearly restrained by a script lacking inspiration and a director lacking a coherent vision for the character.

Overall, I do not recommend this movie at all. I would, however, advise people to see HE KNOWS YOU'RE ALONE because I believe the director did a much better job on this earlier effort. Or even better, check out some genuine giallos such as DEEP RED, THE BIRD WITH THE CRYSTAL PLUMAGE, TORSO and DON'T TORTURE A DUCKLING just to name a few.

Fun detective/psychic/serial killer flick

[dopefishie · 7/10 · 4 March 2022]

Fun detective/psychic/serial killer flick

Odd mix of murder and humor at times. The jokes don't always land. It's sufficiently light in spots to make it feel like it won't get too dark. But it does get dark. It's about a serial killer.

The always great Kenneth McMillan has a supporting role here. The man is incredible! He could make picking his teeth seem fascinating.

Elizabeth Kemp plays the psychic. I was not impressed with her psychic scenes - they were okay. But strangely, I was wowed by her romantic scenes. Like the couple romantic scenes in this were so good I kind of wanted to see more of that and less of the psychic stuff. Good romance in a film like this... I didn't see that coming.

The mystery here is really not so great. You'll probably spot it coming. But it's an enjoyable ride and an odd mix of tones that works better than it really should. Worth a watch if you're into this kind of thing.

A Decent Story With An Ingenious Weapon Of Choice.

[P3n-E-W1s3 · 5/10 · 16 April 2022]

Greetings And Salutations, and welcome to my review of The Clairvoyant. Before we get into it, here are my ratings:

Story - 1.25 Direction - 1.00 Pace - 1.00 Acting - 1.25 Enjoyment - 1.00

TOTAL - 5.50 out of 10

There's a new killer in New York, and their modus operandi is handcuffing their victims to death. So how do you handcuff a person to death? To find out, you'll have to watch the film. Though I will say, the writers do a great job implementing the usually non-lethal weapon. In fact, the writers do splendidly at crafting this dark mystery thriller. The only niggle I had were the two lead characters - the copper and the clairvoyant. Their personas were a tod fanciful and implausible.

As for the filming, the director chose to stay pretty conventional. There's nothing too exciting. He didn't employ a simple point and shoot method, but it's close. And he chose to shoot the script at a steady pace. It's the story that saves the picture from being dull. There were times when I found my attention slipping. These were at lulls in the tale, and the direction wasn't enough to keep my eyes on the screen.

What stunned me was the cast; there are a few principal players in this film. Perry King, Kenneth McMillan, John Polito, and Joe Morton. So when I saw that Norman Parker was the lead, I asked myself, who? And even though he gives an okay performance, I think the movie would have been better had he been swapped out with either John Polito or Joe Morton, who are better actors - even in this film.

All in all, The Clairvoyant is neither a good nor terrible film and would be ideal for a sleepy Sunday afternoon viewing after dinner. If you like your dark thrillers, then it's worth one watch. But don't stress too much if you miss it by falling asleep.

Please feel free to visit my Killer Thriller Chillers list to see where I ranked The Clairvoyant.

Take Care & Stay Well.

A gripping and lurid thriller.

[Nightman85 · 8/10 · 20 May 2008]

This little-known suspense thriller from Armand Mastroianni (director of the 1980 slasher romp He Knows You're Alone) makes for ripe entertainment for both fans of murder mysteries and horror films.

NYC police are trying to find out who is behind a rash of 'handcuff' murders, while a young artist (and psychic) is finding herself drawing the horrid crimes!

Cinema in the early 80's was bombarded with numerous slasher films, which is probably how this film became forgotten, but The Clairvoyant a.k.a. The Killing Hour isn't a routine killer thriller. Mastroianni's story is a solid mystery with plenty of dashes of tension and suspense to keep one engaged. The opening sequences are quite grabbing, the murders are inventive (although not gory), and the plot builds to a great showdown climax. The urban filming locations are terrific, Mastroianni's direction is sleekly well done, and the subtle piano score is a nice touch. The film also carries a kind of sexual vibe through out.

The cast is quite good in their performances. Perry King is great as a TV journalist exploiting the killings. Elizabeth Kemp makes for a likable young heroine as the clairvoyant artist. Norman Parker is charismatic as the police detective who moonlights as a stand-up comic.

Nicely done on all levels, The Clairvoyant makes for a perfect big city thriller.

*** out of ****

Dark to say the least

[GOWBTW · 5/10 · 3 October 2012]

Ahhh! The Big Apple, New York to say the least . My home state, well enough of that part, there's a strange killer running around. He is coined, "The Handcuff Killer". He put a young model, nude and in the Hudson River. A swimmer gets his ankle cuffed on the bottom rung of the pool ladder. Then to say the least, a ConEd worker get the shock of his life. This killer is methodical. Next you have this detective(Norman Parker) who is not only hard-nosed, hut has a funny side to him. He's a comedian off duty. Then in the film, there's this artist/medium(Elizabeth Kemp) who helps him crack the case. The last big help is this reporter(Perry King, "Riptide" and "Switch"[1991]) to lend a hand. Or so he does. The police department doesn't like him very well. Especially, Det. Weeks. Weeks and Mac do partner up, until Virna stays with him, while trying to piece up the murders. It turns out that Mac was more than just a TV talk show host. The crab claw she visions points out to her. This movie could used more of a twist to it, yet it was all right to watch. 2 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly good B-grade flick

[elevator_opratr · 8/10 · 26 January 2004]

As a fan of B-rated movies, I didn't know what to expect when I saw this film advertised in the TV guide on a local independent UHF station known for showing off-the-wall movies. I must say, I was pleasantly surprised. First of all, this movie is perfect for people who love those tacky memories of the early 80's. You'll see the rotary dial phones. The 1980 Ford Fairmounts. The old rabbit-ear televisions. But this movie is more than all that. Despite having a lot of lesser-known actors/actresses, the storyline was unlike most other B-films. It was actually very good ... as a TV reporter and a cop try to figure out who's committing various murders in New York City ... both seemingly having personal interests vested in solving the crimes ... and both getting on each other's nerves in the interim ... this all being made worse when a supposed clairvoyant steps into the picture who seems to have the ability to know someone's going to die before it actually happens. All this makes for a film that I think deserves more credit than it must have ever got ... being I never even heard of it. If you manage to find it at the bottom of some discount barrel of old VHS movies, or you see it advertised on some late night channel, by all means, watch it. It'll be worth your time.

The Crab with the Crystal Plumage

[Jonny_Numb · 26 May 2008]

"The Killing Hour" is a surprisingly solid (if not overly surprising) entry in the sparsely-populated annals of American jabs at the "giallo" (a genre rooted in Italian pulp mystery novels, and popularized by the films of Dario Argento, among many others). Armand Mastroianni, who also directed the "Halloween" cash-in "He Knows You're Alone," shows considerable directorial skill with a story that's not nearly as convoluted (or as garishly stylish) as an Argento pic, but builds a fine aura of mystery and suspense nonetheless. When a woman's nude, handcuffed corpse is fished out of the Hudson River and two seemingly random men are murdered soon after (including a very effective sequence in an empty gym swimming pool), an NYC cop (Norman Parker) and a talk-show host (Perry King) become involved with a psychic art student (Elizabeth Kemp) who has a "sixth sense" about the murders. While the pace sometimes slackens due to the "suspicion building" middle act (a necessary evil in most gialli), and the film suffers from offering us only two potential killers (there are a few red herrings so transparent they don't merit mention), "The Killing Hour" is still a satisfying whodunit, complete with a chilling climax that doesn't over-explain things. Recommended.

Average thriller

[lor_ · 23 February 2023]

My review was written in July 1985 after watching the film on CBS/Fox video cassette.

"The Killing Hour" is a well-crafted but mediocre thriller. Lensed in Manhattan in 1981, low-budget indie was picked up by Jensen Farley Pictures and retitled (more appropriately to subject matter) "The Clairvoyant", subsequently acquired by 20th Century Fox after JFP went under, but unreleased theatrically, appearing instead as a cassette via CBS Fox.

Perry King toplines as Paul McCormack, Mack for short, a tv newsman/phone-in talkshow host who successfully exploits on the air a series of handcuffed-victim murders to increase his ratings and secure job advancement. At first he is aided with inside info by policeman Larry Weeks (Norman Parker), who improbably moonlights as an unfunny standup comic/impressionist (he has to identify his carbons, such as Al Pacino or Geroge Burns for the viewer), but his sensationalist reporting soon puts him at odds with the police led by Lt. Cullum (Kenneth McMillan).

Both the police and Mack are aided by Virna Nightbourne (Elizabeth Kemp), a young artist who is clairvoyant and makes drawings of each murder unconsciously.

After a promising beginning, spotlighting the ingenious rather than gory murders, pic becomes sluggish. Because of the script's paucity of suspects, the identity of the killer is quite predictable. Acting is okay and direction by Armand Mastroianni (previously known for "He Knows You're Alone") is effective within the screenplay's limitations. Lensing by British cameraman Larry Pizer is excellent.