Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)

User Rating:

6.0/10   

Director:

Irvin Kershner

Writers:

John Carpenter (screenplay) and
David Zelag Goodman (screenplay) ...

Release Date:

2 August 1978 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Plot:

Suddenly Laura Mars can see through the eyes of a serial killer as he commits his crimes. She contacts...

Plot Keywords:

Police | Serial Killer | Model | Fashion | Disco Music

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Faye Dunaway	...	Laura Mars
Tommy Lee Jones	...	John Neville
Brad Dourif	...	Tommy Ludlow
Rene Auberjonois	...	Donald Phelps
Raul Julia	...	Michael Reisler (as R.J.)
Frank Adonis	...	Sal Volpe
Lisa Taylor	...	Michele
Darlanne Fluegel	...	Lulu
Rose Gregorio	...	Elaine Cassel
Bill Boggs	...	Himself
Steve Marachuk	...	Robert
Meg Mundy	...	Doris Spenser
Marilyn Meyers	...	Sheila Weissman
Gary Bayer	...	Reporter
Mitchell Edmonds	...	Reporter

Also Known As:

Eyes (USA) (working title)

Runtime:

104 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Metrocolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Netherlands:12 (original rating) | Netherlands:16 (re-rating) | South Africa:16LV | Australia:M | Finland:K-18 | Norway:15 | Sweden:15 | UK:AA (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16 | UK:15 (video rating)

Filming Locations:

New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Columbia Pictures Corporation

Trivia:

Michael Miller was hired by Jon Peters to direct this film in 1976, but was replaced in 1977 by Irvin Kershner because of "creative differences".

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: When Laura sees an especially frightening vision the camera cuts to her eyes in close-up. Her pupils are not maximally dilated as they would normally be by extreme emotion, but are pinpoints. This would likely have been a technical difficulty as the bright lights in the C/U would shrink her pupils.

Quotes:

Laura: I can't understand... how it's possible... to live your whole life... without someone... and be doing more or less OK. And then suddenly you find them.
John Neville: You recognize them.
Laura: You recognize them. And... you know without them...
John Neville: [whispered] It's terrifying.
Laura: Yes.
John Neville: [whispered] It's beautiful.
Laura: Yes.

Movie Connections:

References Capricorn One (1978)

Soundtrack:

Burn

Pretty decent thriller.

Laura Mars (Faye Dunaway, who at the time this was made, had just won her best actress Oscar for "Network") is a high-fashion photographer whose style involves setting her models among scenes of violence. One night, out of the blue, she starts experiencing psychic flashes, seen from a killer's point of view, in which her friends and associates are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant.

Based on an old, unused screenplay by John Carpenter, and ultimately going through a number of re-writes (with primary credit going to David Zelag Goodman), this fairly entertaining if unavoidably seedy thriller does capture 1970's era NYC very well. There is a steady parade of likely suspects, although the final revelation may not come as a shock to some viewers (I did, however, find the killer's motivation and mindset to be moderately interesting).

Dunaway is well supported by Tommy Lee Jones, in one of his very earliest big roles, and it helps immensely to have such solid actors as Brad Dourif, Rene Auberjonois, and Raul Julia in the other important parts (check out how grubby Dourif looks!). You can also see future T.V. actor Michael Tucker, looking very Gene Shalit-like, in a small role. Real-life former models Darlanne Fluegel and Lisa Taylor made their film debuts here, cast appropriately enough as Laura Mars' models of choice.

The script really isn't anything special, but the film is done well enough to make it a little more than average. The director is Irvin Kershner, a fine film-maker whose next picture turned out to be the highly successful "The Empire Strikes Back".

The theme song "Prisoner" is sung by Barbra Streisand, who was originally set to star.

7/10