The Fury (Brian De Palma, 1978, USA)

Brian De Palma's 1978 followup to his first runaway success - the 1976 adaptation of Stephen King's novel Carrie - is a similarly-themed story revolving around telekinesis. The Fury has been dubbed the most Stephen King film that Stephen King didn't write, and in some senses, this is true - although the film has more similarities to King's own Firestarter than Carrie. Based on a novel by John Farris, who also wrote the film's screenplay, The Fury was more of a work-for-hire project for De Palma, who - at least according to the 2015 documentary De Palma - does not look at the film all too fondly.

We are introduced in the film's opening to Peter Sandza, played by Kirk Douglas. In a faux terrorist attack, Peter's son Robin (who harbors telekinetic powers) is abducted by shadowy government figures, led by Ben Childress (John Cassavetes). Peter spends the rest of the film trying to get Robin back. Along the way he encounters another young person with these powers - Gillian Bellaver (Amy Irving). The Fury is noteworthy featuring an action-packed, physical performance from Kirk Douglas who, at 62, was visibly quite older during the shoot. 

The Fury is wacky in parts - it is certainly not one of De Palma's best films. It is perhaps most noted for the great John Williams score, later used in the HBO series Euphoria. The film's finale, which involves an explosion of a character that rivals the head explosion from David Cronenberg's Scanners, is also a great effect. It seemed after this project - a modest success for De Palma - he returned toward more personal filmmaking, making a student film with Sarah Lawrence College, and then making two of his most well-known films - Dressed to Kill in 1980 and Blow Out in 1981.

6/10