# 364 - THE EYES OF LAURA MARS (1978)

THE EYES OF LAURA MARS (1978 - THRILLER / MYSTERY / ROMANCE)

(I‘ve been a photographer my whole life, and I‘ve never once seen the shit that this chick sees through her lens. What the hell is she smoking? Pass that shit around…)

Let me guess what you had for breaksfast - egg whites?

CAST: Faye Dunaway, Tommy Lee Jones, Raul Julia, Renee Auberjonois, Lisa Taylor, Darlanne Fluegel.

DIRECTOR: Irvin Kershner

WARNING: Some SPOILERS and a photographer with unwelcome psychic powers - straight ahead…








FAVORITE OF: Friend.

IN A NUTSHELL: Glamorous New York City fashion photographer Laura Mars (Faye Dunaway) is not your average fashion clicker. To wit, she: (1) specializes in photos with an undercurrent of erotic violence to them, (2) but is as old-fashioned and sweet as Grandma Moses, and the most interesting of all: (3) she’s psychic. Yes, folks. Our shutterbug Laura has a psychic link to a killer. Meaning she can see through his eyes whenever he attacks someone - and her pictures might actually have been inspired by him subliminally. Then the people around her - her friends, her associates, her acquaintances - start getting killed by this mysterious person - and Laura sees each murder through his eyes. Enter NYC detective John Neville to unravel the mystery. Before you know it, he and Laura are involved - as the killer draws nearer and nearer to her. Who the fuck is this guy? A fan? Someone who thinks her work glorifies violence? Someone else? And why is he psychically connected to Laura? Why? Why? WHY!?!?

WHY SHE LOVES IT: Because she likes psychological thrillers mixed with glamour and romance, and THE EYES OF LAURA MARS is a perfect example of that genre. I have to say that I’m inclined to agree. The late 70’s NYC fashion scene is perfectly realized here, and the photoshoots, fashion shows, and parties all have a glossy look to them that is in perfect step with the elegant tone of this movie. Being a photographer myself, I could easily relate to Laura’s character, even when what she sees through the camera starts veering into another level of sight entirely: second sight - or the ability to see things that other people miss.

This angle is played with much suspense, and the romantic subplot between Laura and John is equally well-done. Unlike a lot of thrillers that seem to include a romance between a cop and a vulnerable heroine that feels tacked-on, this relationship is organic and vital to THE EYES OF LAURA MARS. To say anything more would be to spoil the twist at the end. In a lot of ways, THE EYES OF LAURA MARS is like an American-style “Giallo.”

In Italy, there is a sub-genre of thrillers called “Giallo” - or “Yellow” because of the color of the books these stories were based on - which are colorful, arty, sleek, scary, and often surreal. This film takes those elements and presents them in a more streamlined American package - and delivers a visceral thriller that is exciting, eerie, poignant, and - ultimately - devastatingly heartbreaking. Trust me - that ending will haunt you. THE EYES OF LAURA MARS is a great recommendation.