Black Rainbow

source: Black Rainbow

Mike Hodges has had a crazy career. Who else could make both Flash Gordon, Pulp and Get Carter? This film is even stranger, a tale of Martha Travis (Rosanna Arquette), a carny clairvoyant who is traveling the rails with her father (Jason Robards), pulling off that old cold reading trick, letting people feel better about their dead loved ones. One night, however, she predicts a death, which starts spiraling her life - and everyone connected to it like journalist Gary Wallace (Tom Hulce, Amadeus) - out of control. After predicting the death of a whistleblower, Martha is soon followed by the police, the press and the man who keeps killing anyone to keep the secrets of industry. While she was once content to use her gifts for showmanship, now she feels the need to tell her growing audience that there is nothing left in the great unknown. Worse, she is starting to see how each of them will die. This is an anachronistic film, because if you asked me when it took place, I'd say the 1930's, but there are references to R2D2 in the dialogue. That kind of incredulity makes me love this movie even more. It's a shame that it was basically dumped on release. No surprise, it was produced by Miramax over here.

Are you? Kidding aside and I have to say the summary line another reviewer used made me chuckle - "too preachy" - which is a nice joke even if not entirely to the point of the movie. Or missing the points of the movie. That doesn't matter though if you can engage in this otherworldly feel the movie gives you and dives into. Patricia Arquette is quite mesmerizing ... Robard is an amazing actor anyway. But they have certain scene, where some may feel confused. And they are there for a reason. I don't think one time viewing is enough to actually get everything the movie dishes out and serves us. I am sincerely surprised I never had heard about this until a really well restorated Blu Ray was released in the UK. I'm glad they did that, even if the movie may never reach a wide audience. But if you are into movies that are hard to predict (yes the overall outcome is clear from the start, since we then delve into flashback), but there is way more than meets the eye ... or camera lense for that matter! Watch and enjoy ... and maybe even understand! You better believe that ;)

I love films about fake psychics who suddenly discover they actually do have psychic powers. "Night has a Thousand Eyes" with Edward G Robinson did it brilliantly, but this film written and directed by Mike Hodges is right up there with the best. This film makes you appreciate Mike Hodge's talent as a storyteller, and there are layers to "Black Rainbow" that make it doubly interesting. Tom Hulce plays reporter Gary Wallace who stumbles across Martha Travis (Rosanna Arquette), a medium who works with her father doing a spiritualist act in South Carolina. We are in "Elmer Gantry" territory here and although we are led to believe the act is a scam, Martha begins to have visions that come true. However the things she sees put her life in danger. Wallace feels he is onto a big story and although he doesn't believe in her powers at first, he becomes fascinated with the enigmatic and sensuous Martha. Without spoiling things, the film has a terrific ending that leaves you wondering. Hodges could come up with a punchy ending – remember "Get Carter"? A perfect cast struts their stuff including a low key Tom Hulce as the disbelieving reporter. Jason Robards goes to town on his alcoholic Walter Travis, the father who doesn't realise his daughter's powers have progressed beyond mere show business. However Rosanna Arquette steals the show as the ethereal Martha. Rosanna Arquette always brought a sense of detachment and a certain quirkiness to her roles and often surprises you with how sexy she could be – her screen persona is hard to define. "Black Rainbow" blends together a heady mixture of spiritualism, bent detectives, hit men, corrupt corporate heads and a dash of sex. Mike Hodges captured a slice of life in South Carolina with the same assurance he caught life in the North of England in "Get Carter". It's a penetrating gaze, but not a jaundiced one, he has a feeling for people and the script has touches of wit. British composer John Scott's moody score adds the final touch of quality to a clever little movie that makes for a nice discovery if you ever come across it.

Mike Hodges' Black Rainbow is a clever little supernatural thriller, at least up until the final act where things get a little muddled, Hodges failing to wrap things up in a satisfactory manner. The film stars Rosanna Arquette as medium Martha Travis, who travels the religious circuit with her father Walter (Jason Robards), earning money from eager church audiences hoping to hear from their dear departed. During one of these events, Martha has a vision of man called Tom, even though the man's wife Mary-who is in the audience-insists that her husband is alive and well at home. That evening, Tom is killed in cold blood by a hitman hired to prevent him from blowing the whistle on malpractice at the factory where he works. Intrepid reporter Gary Wallace (Tom Hulce) investigates the story, but is sceptical about Martha's powers, at least until she accurately predicts the deaths of several men in a disaster at a power plant. Convinced that Martha is no longer a fake, Gary believes that Martha knows the identity of Tom's killer, and that she might be his next target. A strong cast go a long way to making this film as entertaining as it is: Arquette is beguiling as troubled Martha, who has to contend with an alcoholic father who refuses to believe in her supernatural abilities. Robards' does his flawed character justice, making him both likeable yet also pathetic; and Hulce does well with a role that is primarily there to drive the narrative. However, the best comes from Mark Joy as the assassin, who makes for a truly loathsome individual, the horror of what he does for a living compounded by the fact that we see him as husband and father to his unsuspecting wife and kids. It should come as no surprise that the finalé sees the nasty killer attempting to silence Martha before she can spill the beans, but this is where things go pear-shaped, Martha's powers now including astral projection, the girl appearing in spiritual form to both her father and the killer. The police (led by a cop who I thought was in the pay of the factory owner who hired the hitman in the first place) pump a few rounds into the villain, but only after he's put a few slugs in poor old Walter. Soon after, Martha vanishes without a trace. It really doesn't make much sense, and neither does the very final scene, set ten years later, in which Wallace, having finally tracked down Martha, visits her home to find it deserted, dilapidated and overgrown with weeds. Not a scooby. 6.5/10, rounded up to 7 for Arquette in her sexy black underwear. Hot diggity!

Black Rainbow is a low-budget mystery with supernatural overtones, a rare genre that I'm particularly fond of. The sound and the picture quality on the print I saw was not great but was certainly watchable. I really enjoyed the premise: a fake psychic starts actually prophesizing people's deaths -- both the why and how -- which makes her a target for a hit man. Arquette is pretty good in the role -- kind of a mystical and ethereal nymphomaniac and Robards is great as always. The plot meanders a bit and sometimes gets a little slow, but I still enjoyed it. The ending didn't really make a lot of sense to me -- maybe I missed something earlier in the movie -- but I was surprised by this ending and liked it even if though it didn't seem to be supported by the rest of the movie.

I know that I have seen this years ago on VHS and I watched it again as I am writing this and my only conclusion is that it is a typical flick for the end of the eighties. We all know that the end of the eighties didn't brought us much in the horror genre except a few and this one is a so-called horror that isn't frightening at all. For todays standards it is even a bit lame. There are no effects to spot or any blood at all and that for a horror. Naturally if you don't add blood (like the original Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974)) you must add suspense or eerie situations but we don't have it here. The horror lays in the fact that a medium do contact dead people who are in fact still alive. Nobody believes her but once the living are dying like she said things go wrong. There are a lot of famous names here to see but for me it didn't deliver enough suspense like it did back then. For the Kleenex lovers, Rosanne Arquette do show a few things... Gore 0/5 Nudity 0,5/5 Effects 0/5 Story 3/5 Comedy 0/5

Rosanna Arquette stars as the medium, Martha Travis, who connects with deceased people, and give comfort to their loved ones. Her problems start during a clairvoyant show when she connects with factory worker Tom Kuron on the 'other side' while he is still alive (only to be assassinated shortly thereafter). She now becomes the target of the killer, a man hired by a a factory owner to kill Tom who was about to expose the factory's malpractice. A reporter, Gary Wallace (Tom Hulce) investigates and becomes close with Martha and her father, Walter (Jason Robards). Martha then connects with more people 'on the other side', while they are still alive, setting in motion a series of events. 'Black Rainbow' is an interesting story with good performances, and there's also a twist ending. I just don't know if I'm going to remember this movie by its title...

This acting is just too bad, I had to wear sunglasses to bare the damage.

I won't waste time repeating all the positive points other reviewers have made about this film. Rosanna Arquette is absolutely stunning in the lead role. You can see why Martin Scorsese advised her to play the part, she's perfect. The fact that Arrow have restored this little gem on Blu-Ray is a rare piece of good news in this terrible year of 2020.