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Obsession

Play trailer Poster for Obsession PG Released Aug 1, 1976 1h 38m Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
75% Tomatometer 28 Reviews 58% Popcornmeter 2,500+ Ratings
Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson) is a husband and father whose wife, Elizabeth (Geneviève Bujold), and daughter, Amy (Wanda Blackman), have been kidnapped. When a rescue attempt fails, Elizabeth and Amy are killed, leaving Michael devastated and alone. After years of mourning, Michael travels to Italy and meets Sandra Portinari, a woman with a familiar face. Deeply in love and still haunted by the memory of Elizabeth and Amy, Michael fears that Sandra may face a similar fate.
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Obsession

Obsession

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Critics Consensus

Obsession suffers in comparison to the Alfred Hitchcock masterpiece that it mirrors, but director Brian De Palma's unique preoccupations give this thriller its own compulsive, twisted fingerprint.

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Critics Reviews

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John Simon New York Magazine/Vulture De Palma's direction has its splashy slickness, but the people serve as mere props for the effects. Jan 1, 2020 Full Review Walter Goodman New York Times Whatever shred of credibility the movie retains is dispersed by the final, dead serious directorial hocus‐pocus. Dec 13, 2017 Full Review Lou Lumenick New York Post Subtlety is a not a term that can often be applied to DePalma's work, but it's this uncharacteristic restraint that helps make "Obsession" his masterpiece. Rated: 4/4 Apr 24, 2015 Full Review Mike Scott Times-Picayune One could fairly question the casting of the stiff Cliff Robertson in the lead role, but it has its merits, including its dreamy cinematography, its sense of style and a storyline designed to shock. Rated: 2.5/4 Aug 14, 2024 Full Review Bianca Garner The Film Bee ...it is very much a film that can stand on its own legs and has plenty of its own uniqueness and beauty. It is well-worth a watch... May 16, 2024 Full Review Clancy Sigel The Spectator Obsession is a laughably bad film. So bad, in fact, that it becomes almost interesting to speculate on why all the critical enthusiasm. Jun 29, 2020 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (127) audience reviews
CodyZamboni Z Wow, Stunning, Highly emotional, Stirring, haunting, memorable music, Riveting performances, One of De Palma's best movies. Rated 4.5 out of 5 stars 08/10/24 Full Review Alec B Extremely silly, even by De Palma standards but the real issue is that the movie lacks the kind of tension fueled set pieces that elevate his other work. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/10/24 Full Review Steve D Too much like a million others despite the talent involved. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 08/10/23 Full Review Shioka O Undoubtedly it's not his best, but still a decent thriller. I think the plot is kinda cliche, it is said a homage to "Vertigo" by Hitchcock, though. Good photography especially some scenes in Italy. John Lithgow stands out. Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 12/03/22 Full Review isla s This is quite a suspenseful film - a real chilly thriller of sorts. It features a heavy use of stringed instruments to really bring home the Hitchcockian tension. Its, needless to say, quite claustrophobic and I noticed towards the end there appeared to be a mistiness around the bottom of the screen, which gives it a bit of a dream like sense. I felt John Lithgow gave a particularly good performance in this film and its somewhat memorable - certainly not a bad film, I'd recommend it. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Lequisha S [3/1/21]: I knew what the twist would be but it's also kinda dumb that she acted like she didn't know the bedroom, and she was 9 shouldn't she have known. Had they thrown in that she was brainwashed earlier then we'd be in suspense about their relationship [wouldn't want consummation, would want his obsession to stop], and then the reveal of her being in on it would be even crazier. The shimmering in the wedding night scene was good. Airplane scene against sunset skyline. 360 camera move mirrors vertigo, and the haze around the lights was like West Wing. The specific type of film does that? Very visual storyteller, combined with a prominent score. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 07/03/22 Full Review Read all reviews
Obsession

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Obsession

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Movie Info

Synopsis Michael Courtland (Cliff Robertson) is a husband and father whose wife, Elizabeth (Geneviève Bujold), and daughter, Amy (Wanda Blackman), have been kidnapped. When a rescue attempt fails, Elizabeth and Amy are killed, leaving Michael devastated and alone. After years of mourning, Michael travels to Italy and meets Sandra Portinari, a woman with a familiar face. Deeply in love and still haunted by the memory of Elizabeth and Amy, Michael fears that Sandra may face a similar fate.
Director
Brian De Palma
Producer
George Litto, Harry N. Blum
Screenwriter
Paul Schrader
Distributor
Columbia Pictures
Production Co
Columbia
Rating
PG
Genre
Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
Aug 1, 1976, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 27, 2010
Runtime
1h 38m
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