The cute and appealing Susan Penhaligon ("The Land That Time Forgot") plays Kathy Jacquard, a young woman returning to work as a nurse. She comes to a private hospital where the title character (Robert Thompson, "Thirst") has been in a coma for three years. (He'd murdered his trampy mother and a lover of hers, before lapsing into his current state.) Despite misgivings from her boss (Robert Helpmann, "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang") and supervisor (Julia Blake, "X-Men Origins: Wolverine"), she finds herself attached to Patrick, and reaching out to him. Soon it becomes apparent that he CAN sense her presence, and has fallen in love with her. However, he has incredibly powerful psychokinetic powers that constantly manifest themselves in and outside the hospital."Patrick" isn't without some flaws, but overall it emerges as an interesting and largely absorbing story with some bonkers moments. Obviously it's done on some sort of budget, keeping special effects to a minimum and mostly concentrating on plot and performance. Since it runs an hour and 53 minutes in its most complete version, it's too drawn out to be totally effective, not always staying on point. Some viewers can describe it as "cheesy" or "tacky", but it does succeed at being creepy often enough to overlook its lesser aspects. One element that stuck in this viewers' head for years is the way that Patrick makes spitting sounds - once for yes, twice for no - when acknowledging Kathy's questions.Much effectiveness is due to Thompson, in his film debut. He has the hardest job among the cast, having to lie there for most of the films' duration and not react to other actors in the room. He certainly has a look that helps to make him quite memorable.But the whole cast is fine: Ms. Penhaligon, Mr. Helpmann, Ms. Blake, Rod Mullinar as Kathy's amiable estranged husband Ed, Bruce Barry as inquisitive doctor Brian Wright, Helen Hemingway as Kathy's co-worker Sister Williams, Maria Mercedes as a high strung nurse, Walter Pym as aged and senile Captain Fraser, and Frank Wilson as a detective.The film further benefits from impressive camera work and capable direction by Hitchcock protege Richard Franklin, who as we all know went on to make the surprisingly worthy first sequel to "Psycho". And it can boast another lovely music score by that great Aussie composer Brian May.Even if you're not overly impressed with the film in general, you will want to stick it out for THAT ending.Seven out of 10.

Due to the fact that it was on Netflix I happened to watch the 2013 remake of this film before this one and I'm glad I did, because at doesn't hold a candle to the original. Had I seen this one first, doubtless I would have been highly disappointed in the remake; but as it stands Patrick: Evil Awakens is a guilty pleasure and Patrick simply a pleasure. First off, the dialogue is hilarious, in a tongue-in- cheek way, especially the much lauded 'hiring scene'. It seems like something straight out of a John Waters film. The cinematography and sets are surprisingly decent for an Australian horror film and the hospital is in a gorgeous little mansion, the interior is reminiscent of the house in Psycho. It can be a bit silly and/or tacky but I think this works in the film's favour. For the most part this film is a slow burn and I can't help but feel that the writer's and director's aspirations exceeded that which they had either the skill or budget to create. Regardless it's enjoyable and one which i'll be watching over again, probably paired with Evil Awakens.

I finally had the chance to watch PATRICK and I'm glad I did. I had heard about it a few times, in a way that got me interested. I knew it had a certain cult-status, so I made sure I didn't know too much about it before seeing it. I recommend everybody who hasn't seen it yet to do the same, that way the movie will have its maximum impact. So, you guessed it, I liked it a lot and think it's an effective creepy little horror/thriller. The only thing you need to know about the story is that it's about a young man, Patrick, who's in a coma for several years and for reasons unexplained. Also bare in mind that before he slipped into a coma, Patrick viciously killed his mother and her lover... just in case you start feeling sorry for the poor lad at one point or another. You might wanna stop reading now, 'cause you do not need to know more.I think that when you consider PATRICK was released in 1978, it truly was a suspenseful little shocker. I can understand that some may find it too slow or even boring, but I personally don't mind slowly building up tension in this type of movies. I simply loved the fact that this movie carefully gives hints to the viewer about the fact that Patrick has acquired all sorts of psychokinetic powers throughout his comatose-years. And you sometimes can see him as a helpless child, then again as a cunning psychopath. This movie at one point, also raises some thoughts about the moral issues concerning euthanasia. But then leaves those questions behind when you start wondering whether it are the machines who keep Patrick alive, or it is Patrick who controls the machines. Also, the tension throughout this movie is sharp as a knife, 'cause you're constantly waiting for Patrick to move, and when he does, it truly is a terrifying sight.You can tell this was shot on a low budget but it still looks okay. The acting was even pretty decent (thanks to a good, unknown cast, 'cause otherwise this movie would have failed miserably). I especially liked Susan Penhaligon as Kathy and of course Robert Thompson as creepy Patrick. Robert Helpmann was very unlikeable as the sadistic Dr. Roget. The same goes for Helen Hemingway as the hateful head-nurse Williams. There isn't really any gore in this movie and the few make-up effects are not so well-done. However this movie does something that's simply unthinkable in nowadays cinema and will make several animal-rights activists go foaming at the mouth. At one point Dr. Roget actually pierces a real living frog's brains, hereby killing it. Then he joyfully runs electricity through its carcass to see it jump again (but he eventually gets what he deserves when he is seen eating those same frogs under the mental influence of... Patrick). Pretty sick, if you ask me.On a curious note, I suspect no-one less than Quentin Tarantino having seen and liking PATRICK. Because in KILL BILL Uma Thurman's character's also in a coma AND spits at unsuspecting bystanders. It might be far-fetched, but those are the only two movies I've seen that have such a character, and considering Tarantino is such a real movie-buff...PATRICK is an Australian movie that wasn't too successful after all and highly under-appreciated if you ask me, so the bigger surprise it was that, all of the sudden two years later, an unofficial sequel was made in Italy, PATRICK VIVE ANCORA, which differs immensely from the original. But that, my friends, is a completely different story, and you may not wanna go there...

The later 70's saw a handful of films about people with psychic powers, but this little-known thriller from Australia may just be the most unique of them all.Nurse comes under the spell of her seemingly comatose patient, whose intense psychic powers are menacing the people around her.Patrick is a bizarre, yet oddly moving film that benefits strongly from its off-beat and ultimately unpredictable story. It's a tale that manages to side-step clichés to become not only a brooding chiller, but a weird love story as well. There's an occasional good bit of suspense and shock that keeps the tension high. The story also possesses a strange sense of the erotic. Granted, the plot is a bit slow in pace but Richard Franklin's direction and a good cast help to carry it well.Star Susan Penhaligon does a throughly good performance as the films heroine/victim. Rod Mulliner is good as Penhaligon's troubled husband, as is Bruce Barry as her boyfriend. Robert Thompson is also a stand-out as the films menacing title character. Even though Thompson spends most of the film lying in silence he still conveys a threatening presence, he's just that good of an actor.For those seeking a left-field thriller that's thoughtfully well done, Patrick may just be your date.*** 1/2 out of ****