PATRICKDirector: Richard Franklin
Elite Entertainment
PATRICKDo you know that television version of BEAUTY AND THE BEAST that was made in '87 with that Ron Pearlman character? Franklin did that… What about that film involving spies and espionage with that Henry Thomas fellow from E.T. (He’s Elliot)? Also did that… I know you know this one: Norman Bates returns for another installment of the mother loving PSYCHO II. He did that too. Reason being, this movie PATRICK was based around his mentor Alfred Hitchcock’s style of suspense and Universal Studios noticed. So go figure. So here we have Mr. Richard Franklin, extraordinaire Hitchcock fan.
On to the show, shall we. The film is somewhat based on true events heard by screenplayer Everett De Roche. Assuming Patrick is disturbed from the start, (you would be also if you heard the headpost of your mother's bed banging against your wall in sheer lust) he quaintly makes his way over to the bath of her and her lover only to rid of them by means of heater coil to the bathtub, then the story of absolute mind power takes place.
PATRICK involves Robert Thompson as the psychokinetic comatose patient closely watched and handled by nurse Kathy Jacquard played by stage actor Susan Penhaligon (THE LAND THAT TIME FORGOT). As Kathy is brought into the picture and given a nurse job, she is told to keep a close watch on PATRICK. The shit really begins to hit the fan at that point. Jealousy riddles this lifeless body of his, enough to even kill for nurse Kathy. The box quotes tells us of this being "Extremely Bloody!" Did I miss something! I think not! The worst murder would be an aftermath of a burnt nurse in the basement which bitch nurse Matron (Julia Blake) so richly deserves. But that’s it! Overall though a long and kind of tiresome effort on Franklin’s part if I might say so. Suspense like his mentor's is delivered with the somewhat boring fill-in-the-blanks scene in his fave movie, PSYCHO. Still, it pops out the atmosphere like the best of them.
I found the quality of this 1.78:1 ratio to be quite mesmerizing in its dull lifeless AGFA film stock compared to the Harmonyvision Exclusive release back in 1981 on VHS (well, go figure). We have the American uncut version with the soundtrack scored by Brian May, not the European version with the GOBLINS score (shucks). We are treated to a lengthy commentary from director Richard Franklin and screenplay writer Everett De Roche. If Franklin didn’t mention how much homage to Hitchcock he made here then it wouldn't be so annoying to watch now (I shouldn’t have listened to the commentary).
Cast and film Biographies and a hidden little Easter egg are included. In the special features menu, scroll past the commentary feature and K CI will appear. Click and then we are blessed with two album art versions of the GOBLIN soundtrack and a tripped-out movie poster from god knows were (a million versions of every movie were made so to keep track with posters and so on was almost impossible). Not a particular gem for me, but if subtlety and suspense in long (112 minutes to be precise) degrees are on you’re "A" list, then by all means check it out. (Cannibal Cam)