THE STRANGE POSSESSION OF MRS OLIVER

US, 1977, 78 minutes, Colour.
Karen Black, George Hamilton, Robert F. Lyons.
Directed by Gordon Hessler.

A psychological thriller based on a screenplay by Richard Matheson. Matheson wrote the screenplay for 'Duel' and such films as 'The Omega Man' and the Jack Palance version of Dracula. He has had quite an influence on the horror/science fiction films of the seventies. This is a fairly slow moving thriller but ultimately makes an impact with its more psychological overtones of possession rather than by some outside or occult power. Karen Black is effective in the central role. George Hamilton in fairly stolid as her husband. The film really relies for its impact on Karen Black's performance and the mystery of her possession.

1. The title, expectations from the title? The thriller genres of the seventies? A good example?

2. Colour photography, interiors and exteriors, dreams and fantasies? The special effects especially in the dream? The score and its atmosphere?

3. The psychological background of the film? The overtones of the eerie and the extrasensory experience? The "normal" psychological explanation at the end? The plausibility of the plot and such a possession? The surprise in the ending?

4. The opening and its atmosphere, eeriness, visual impact? The arrival at the cemetery, the long haul and its ritual and religious overtones? husband and wife? The substitution of Greg for Mark? The coffin and the two Miriams? The violets? The later repetition of this dream? The way the ingredients ware incorporated into the dream? The repercussions in real life? The effect of the dream on illiriam and its recurrence throughout the film? The effect on the audience? The gradual revelation of the truth?

5. Miriam as a character? Repressed, housewife, sweet and docile? Her desire to do something more and to break out? The discussions with her husband and his dominating her? The effect of the dream? The experience of imagining herself in the wig and the blouse? The way that she bought these? The decision to buy the house? Her moving into the house and the discussion about her dancing and the transition from shyness and awkwardness to sensuous dancing? The visit to Miriam's mother and the revelation of the truth, the seeing of the portrait? The suggestion of split personality? Karen Black's ability to move from one mood to another? The build-up to indicate the possession?

6. The conventional sequences at home, Miriam as a docile wife, Greg as a busy husband?

7. The mystery of Mark and his presence during the dream, his observing Miriam, his following her, the attempted murder and its explanation, the confrontation with Sandra at the end?

8. The revelation of the truth about Sandra and Miriam? The portrait, the visit to Miriam’s mother? The memory and flashback and its being visualized? The trauma of the death, the burning of the house? Sandra’s guilt?

9. Was this sufficient reason for Sandra to take on Miriam’s personality? How consciously did she do this? how sub-consciously? Conscience, guilt, fear? Possession? How was she saved? Greg intervening?

10. How successful were the thriller aspects, the "possession" aspects, the mystery?