THE FURY (1978)
Article 2566 by Dave Sindelar
Viewing Date: 4-14-2008
Posting Date: 8-22-2008
Directed by Brian De Palma
Featuring Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Carrie Snodgress
Country: USA

When a government agent is set up to be killed so he won’t interfere with the kidnapping of his son (who has special psychic abilities), he manages to survive and embarks on a quest to find his son. Towards that end, he tries to make contact with a girl who also has psychic abilities. Unfortunately, she is also wanted by the same government agency that kidnapped his son.

Of the Brian De Palma movies I’ve covered so far, this is the one I like best. This has probably less to do with the movie’s strengths than with the fact that I find the annoyance factor much lower here than it is with the others I’ve seen. For one thing, I see a lot less borrowing from Hitchcock; I have no doubt that there is some, but if so, it’s not from the Hitchcock movies I’m most familiar with and doesn’t seem quite as slavish. I also find his stylistic touches to be less intrusive; only once or twice do I get annoyed with them, and the extended slow motion sequence surrounding Gillian’s escape from the institute works beautifully. I also like all of the major performances (especially from Kirk Douglas) and the John Williams score. The movie is a bit on the longish side, though it mostly holds my attention very well. And it gets extra points for not having a stupid fake-out ending.