31 Films for Halloween, #15: Patrick (1978)

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1970s horror movies are a breed apart.  The era of radioactive giant animals had ended 

With some notable exceptions, of course.

and the horror industry was just making it up as they went along.  Supernaturalism and satanism were favored topics, but Just Plain Weirdness like cryptids, Italian dwarves in raincoats, and Margot Kidder roamed the cinematic plains.

One of the creatures didn't roam at all, however. That creature was Patrick (1978)


Patrick is a coma-patient who is more aware than his caretakers realize and who has psychokinesis and MINDPOWERS.  Patrick is also... well, being immobile would make anyone crabby, but that aside, Patrick is not a nice person.  He's a bit, let's say "possessive", and that's how he wound up in a coma in the first place.

He's stuck in a slummy/crummy hospital, where the staff isn't very sympathetic (but it's kind of hard to blame them).  The Main Doctor is trying to electroshock Patrick out of his coma; Patrick's not fond of the process or the doctor.  But then a Nice Young Nurse comes along! What could possibly go wrong?

For the record, she is neither a lesbian, a nymphomaniac, nor an enema specialist.

A lot goes wrong.  Watch to find out!

It's a delightfully low-rent film, part of the "Ozploitation" era, where generous tax incentives and grants Down Under jumpstarted Australia's previously nearly-non-existent film industry, with exactly the chaotic results you would expect from 1. Australia 2. the 1970s and 3. going from 0 to 60 as fast as possible.

Patrick is one of its shining jewels; enjoy it.

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