"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.
Review of The Clairvoyant
