The Medusa Touch (1978)

In the chilling depths of British night, John Morlar (Richard Burton) sits entranced by a news broadcast — an American spacecraft, entrapped in lunar orbit. Suddenly, violence shatters the tranquility as an unseen assailant bludgeons him with a figurine, his lifeblood staining the television screen. Enter French Detective-Inspector Brunel (Lino Ventura), drawn into the mystery of Morlar's seemingly lifeless body, yet still clinging to life. Rushed to the hospital, Morlar is entangled in a web of life-support systems, one machine precariously monitoring his damaged brain activity. As Brunel delves deeper into the enigma, he unearths Morlar's unsettling past — a history of bearing witness to calamities, always others' disasters. Dr. Zonfeld (Lee Remick), Morlar's analyst, unveils the twisted roots of his psyche, tracing it back to a childhood riddled with delusions of causing a despised nanny's death. These delusions morph into a horrifying reality at a resort when he overhears his parents' disapproval. The scene shifts to a cliff's edge where Morlar's parents meet a gruesome end, hurled off by their own car, as he watches in detached horror. Brunel, immersed in the perplexing narrative of Morlar's diary and his scrapbook of catastrophes, grapples with the enigma that is Morlar. Is he hunting a cold-blooded murderer or a hapless victim? Through this intoxicating blend of mystery and psychological suspense, "The Medusa Touch" weaves a tapestry of intrigue, leaving viewers questioning the blurred lines between reality and the power of a damaged mind.

The Medusa Touch is a horror movie featuring Richard Burton and directed by Jack Gold.

The Medusa Touch is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Plex, Plex Player, Pluto TV, Shout! Factory TV and Tubi TV.

It is also possible to buy The Medusa Touch on Amazon Video.