(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…)
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.
