Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) Columbia/Horror-Thriller RT: 104 minutes Rated R (violence, nudity, language, brief sexual content) Director: Irvin Kershner Screenplay: John Carpenter and David Zelag Goodman Music: Artie Kane Cinematography: Victor J. Kemper Release date: August 2, 1978 (US) Cast: Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Brad Dourif, Rene Auberjonois, Raul Julia, Frank Adonis, Lisa Taylor, Darlanne Fluegel, Rose Gregorio, Bill Boggs, Steve Marachuk, Meg Mundy, Marilyn Meyers. Box Office: $20M (US)
Rating: ** ½
Perhaps the most notable thing about the thriller Eyes of Laura Mars is that it was written by John Carpenter. Yes, that John Carpenter. It began life as a spec script- a script written to be sold on the open market with no upfront payment- titled Eyes. Producer Jon Peters bought it with the intention of turning it into a starring vehicle for his then-girlfriend Barbra Streisand. The popular singer declined the role because of the kinky nature of the story. She did, however, contribute the theme song, the power ballad “Prisoner”. The title role ultimately went to Faye Dunaway, fresh from her Oscar-winning turn in Network.
Just to be clear, we are talking about the same Faye Dunaway who played actress Joan Crawford in the trashy tell-all biopic Mommie Dearest. Her performance is a textbook example of horrendous overacting. She continued the trend as the villainess Selena in 1984’s supremely silly superhero movie Supergirl. It’s almost hard to believe she’s the same actress from Bonnie and Clyde, Chinatown, Network and Barfly. Talk about acting range!
Laura Mars is a noted NYC photographer who specializes in photos depicting violence against women. She’s a controversial figure constantly accused by feminists and the press of glamorizing rape and murder. The night before the launch party for her photography book The Eyes of Mars, she has a dream in which she sees a woman being murdered with an ice pick. She sees the killing through the eyes of the killer. It freaks her out a little. She later finds out there’s been such a murder and the victim is somebody she knew.
Laura has a second vision, this time during a shoot in Columbus Square. The victim turns out to be the girlfriend of her ex-husband Michael (Julia, Kiss of the Spider Woman). She decides to tell the police what she “saw”. Naturally, they don’t believe her. The cop in charge, Lt. Neville (Jones, The Fugitive), is skeptical. It doesn’t stop him from getting romantically involved with the “witness” while the killings continue.
Directed by Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back), Eyes of Laura Mars is a weird one, but with an explanation. Actually, it’s more of a theory. Kershner didn’t want to make a garden-variety killer thriller. Sure, it works in that capacity, but he wanted his movie to stand out from all the other woman-in-jeopardy thrillers of the time. Eyes of Laura Mars more closely resembles an Italian giallo with its slightly surreal vibe, oddball characters and refusal to explain itself. We never learn the reason for Laura’s sudden ability to foresee events. Clairvoyance isn’t just something you pick up like a bug that’s going around. Or maybe it is? The movie just wants the audience to accept it at face value. Okay, I can do that, but under mild protest.
Because Eyes of Laura Mars functions as a thriller, that means there’s a list of suspects. Obviously, the killer is somebody that Laura knows. Rather, it’s somebody who knows her or thinks they know her. Whichever way to choose to look at it, there are a few viable candidates. Obviously, there’s the ex-hubby, an unbalanced and paranoid sort who can automatically be eliminated by virtue of being the most obvious suspect. That’s the only spoiler I’m giving you if you can even call it a spoiler. Next, we have her personal driver Tommy (Dourif, One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest), a dude with a criminal past. Then there’s Donald (Auberjonois, The Big Bus), her agent and confidante. He’s 1978 gay meaning nobody ever actually says “gay”. It’s only hinted at. You can add Neville to the list too.
If you know how the genre works, it’ll be easy to pick the killer out of the lineup. That’s not the problem with the ending. It’s a last-minute twist that comes right out of left field. I wasn’t looking for it and I can’t believe the writers resorted to it. It’s so corny. It was hackneyed even back in the 70s. On the other hand, it’s no less weird than anything else that happens in Eyes of Laura Mars. Take the scene where Donald dresses up as Laura to fool the cops assigned to protect her. That’s where the gay in him really comes out.
The performances are just what you’d expect. They’re serviceable within the confines of the genre. Dunaway does solid work as the target of the killer, one who suddenly finds herself in possession of a special psychic gift. She’s sufficiently freaked out. Jones does good work as her protector and lover. Dourif is always awesome. Auberjonois camps it up to just the right level. Look for the late Darlanne Fluegel (To Live and Die in L.A.) as one of the models working for Laura.
I love that Eyes of Laura Mars moves to a disco beat. What could be more fitting for a movie set in 70s-era NYC? The soundtrack features some goodies like “Native New Yorker” (Odyssey), “Boogie Nights” (Heatwave), “Shake Your Booty” (K.C. and the Sunshine Band) and my favorite, “Let’s All Chant” (The Michael Zager Band). All that’s missing is a scene in Studio 54.
Eyes of Laura Mars is a decent film. It’s mostly predictable and not all that suspenseful, but it tells a good story with a supernatural slant. It did pretty well at the box office, but it’s gone largely forgotten over the years. I say it’s worth a watch or rewatch if for no reason than to see Dunaway act as opposed to overact.
