original German/Austrian title PARAPSYCHO:
SPEKTRUM DER ANGST [Parapsycho Spectrum of Fear]
director: Peter Patzak
starring Marisa Mell · Matthieu Carriere · Debra Berger
· Mascha Gonska · William Berger
This
Austrian horror omnibus, comprised of three separate stories dealing with
the phenomena of extrasensory perception (ESP), won numerous European
awards upon its release. It was the theatrical debut for director Peter
Patzak, preceded by numerous experimental projects for New York's Films
of Art Show with his friends Paul Morrissey and Andy Warhol. He returned
from the United States to his home, Vienna Austria, for this movie in
1974. Its success led to a German TV contract to direct and headline in
a new anarchistic 'crime genre' parody Tatort (Kottan
Ermittelt), which has become the longest running television series in
European history [episodes still airing today]. By the mid '80s, Peter
became more involved in painting, writing and teaching. He directed 50+
films while also holding a professorship at the University of Music and
Performing Arts, Vienna. In 2008, Peter Patzak became the Dean of the
Institute for Film and Television, from which he retired
in 2013. Mr Patzak died in March 2021 at age 76 from complications with
heart surgery.
Specifically, the three stories inside this film deal with Psychosis
(a man makes love to a woman killed thirty-five years ago), Reincarnation
(a ghost haunts a family beyond endurance), and Telepathy (bloody
murders are committed with telepathic control). The cast is exceptionally
good including European superstar Marisa Mell, Debra Berger, Mathieu Carriere
and Mascha Gonska. Notice: the third act contains some surprising scenes
of gore which are most likely real, close-up of an operating table.
An
Austrian/German film with English subtitles; widescreen, (101 minutes)
in DVD encoded for
ALL REGION NTSC, playable on any American DVD machine;
Extras include original
trailers
Violence/Graphic
Gore/Nudity
Recommended for Mature Audiences
