The Medusa Touch

The Medusa Touch is currently streaming in the US on Shout! Factory Amazon Channel and Fawesome, and it earns its premise rather than just borrowing genre trappings. The length is exactly right for the story it is telling — nothing rushed, nothing dragged out. With 202 viewer ratings on TMDB, this is not a title flying under the radar. Richard Burton sets the tone, and the world-building does the rest. Available now on Shout! Factory Amazon Channel — press play and find out why people keep recommending it.

There is a reason The Medusa Touch keeps coming up in conversation. What makes The Medusa Touch work is that the ideas never crowd out the people having them. A French detective in London reconstructs the life of a man lying in hospital with severe injuries with the help of journals and a psychiatrist. He realises that the man had powerful telekinetic abilities. Richard Burton and Lino Ventura lead a cast that keeps the bigger ideas grounded in something human. It was released in 1978. The Medusa Touch resists the temptation to explain everything, trusting the audience to sit with ambiguity. It knows exactly what it is, and does not try to be anything else.

For late-night viewing or a proper weekend binge, The Medusa Touch fits the bill. It rewards viewers regardless of what else is in their watch history. Short enough to finish in one sitting, substantial enough to feel satisfying. Richard Burton's performance is the anchor the more ambitious moments need. The world-building pays off in ways you will not anticipate on a first watch.

The Medusa Touch was released in 1978, directed by Jack Gold. The full 109-minute film is available to watch now. Find exactly where it's streaming below, and TV Butler Pro makes it effortless to track your progress as you go. Just search the name, and Butler finds it instantly, tells you which service has it, and remembers exactly where you left off.