Grade: B-
Synopsis: An irresponsible heir (Oliver Reed) and his sister are shocked by the return of their brother, long thought dead.
Paranoiac is a descent little contemporary thriller from the Hammer Film production company. While Hitchcock’s Psycho (1960) no doubt influenced it heavily, the script by Jimmy Sangster is original enough to stand on its own.
Director Freddie Francis keeps things moving along, and manages to deliver some genuinely disturbing scenes without resorting to overt graphic violence.
The performances are a mixed bag. Oliver Reed is great in a role that could have easily been overplayed and Alexander Davion is acceptable as the protagonist, but Janette Scott falls victim to the over-emoting that seems to plague most Hammer heroines.
Bottom Line: A good little movie that will likely entertain both Hammer and Hitchcock fans.
