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Obsession Details

1976 Certificate 15
  • Rated:
  • 60
  • from 268 members

In one of director Brian DePalma's many cinematic tributes to Alfred Hitchcock (this one borrows from VERTIGO and employs Hitchcock's frequent collaborator, composer Bernard Herrmann), Cliff Robertson portrays an American businessman whose wife and child are killed in a botched kidnapping rescue effort. Years later, while in .. Read more

Starring Cliff Robertson, Genevieve Bujold, John Lithgow, Don Hood
Director Brian De Palma
Genres Drama

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Obsession

In one of director Brian DePalma's many cinematic tributes to Alfred Hitchcock (this one borrows from VERTIGO and employs Hitchcock's frequent collaborator, composer Bernard Herrmann), Cliff Robertson portrays an American businessman whose wife and child are killed in a botched kidnapping rescue effort. Years later, while in Italy, the still-distraught widower begins an affair with a woman (Genevieve Bujold) whose resemblance to his late wife is rather uncanny. The script was co-written by Paul Schrader (TAXI DRIVER, RAGING BULL).

Starring Cliff Robertson, Genevieve Bujold, John Lithgow, Don Hood, Pat McNamara, Wanda Blackman, Stocker Fontelieu, Sylvia Kuumba Williams
Director Brian De Palma
Studio ANCHOR BAY HOME ENTERTAINMENT
Run time DVD: 1 hr 34 mins
Certificate Certificate 15
Genres Drama
Language DVD: English
Released DVD: 27 May 2002
Production year: 1976
Format DVD

  • Critics' reviews (2) of Obsession

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  • 3 stars out of 5

    Director Brian De Palma made a brave stab at a homage to his idol Alfred Hitchcock with this sexy thriller in which Paul Schrader's screenplay offers more than one nod to Vertigo. Further echoes of Hitch are supplied in the Oscar-nominated score by Psycho composer Bernard Herrmann. Genevieve Bujold is particularly fetching as Cliff Robertson's dead wife and her double, but John Lithgow in his second movie steals the acting honours as Robertson's suspicious business partner. Star Wars editor Paul Hirsch consolidated his reputation on this movie, which is nearly, but not quite, as clever as it thinks it is.

    • Radio Times
    • Posted 29 Jan 2006

  • Schrader and De Palma's tribute to Hitchcock's Vertigo may lack the misogyny and bloodbath sensationalism of De Palma's... read more on Time Out

    • Time Out
    • Posted 04 Nov 2008

  • Most helpful member's review of Obsession

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Obsessive

    Interesting but slightly peculiar reworking of some of the ideas from Hitchcock's 'Vertigo'. A business man loses his wife and daughter in a kidnapping gone wrong. Years later he is still traumatised and suddenly stumbles upon a woman who is the image of his dead wife... The film never shows the kind of male obsession Stewart gave us in 'Vertigo' and feels weaker because of this. The ending doesn't seem to fit together very well with a lot of peculiar and convoluted back-story coming out too fast. Still, like 'Carrie' (de Palma's 'Psycho' tribute) this is worth watching. Oh, and Hermann's score is brilliant - it vividly recalls 'Vertigo' as does de Palma's cinematography.

      • Nick Vangelis from London
      • Posted 10 Sep 2004 21:44

  • Most recent members' review of Obsession

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  • 1 out of 1 person found this review helpful

    Rated - 3 stars

    Obsessive

    Interesting but slightly peculiar reworking of some of the ideas from Hitchcock's 'Vertigo'. A business man loses his wife and daughter in a kidnapping gone wrong. Years later he is still traumatised and suddenly stumbles upon a woman who is the image of his dead wife... The film never shows the kind of male obsession Stewart gave us in 'Vertigo' and feels weaker because of this. The ending doesn't seem to fit together very well with a lot of peculiar and convoluted back-story coming out too fast. Still, like 'Carrie' (de Palma's 'Psycho' tribute) this is worth watching. Oh, and Hermann's score is brilliant - it vividly recalls 'Vertigo' as does de Palma's cinematography.

      • Nick Vangelis from London
      • Posted 10 Sep 2004 21:44

  • News and features

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    Redacted

    De Palma’s Way

    • 10 Mar 2008

    Brian De Palma is in hot water. Again. For a director who often seems more interested in form than content and who has devoted the bulk of his career to making mainstream entertainment for the Hollywood studios, it's surprising how regularly he upsets people. Even his fans have a love-hate relationship with this prodigiously gifted but perverse and erratic talent. Feminists picketed Dressed to Kill and Cuban refugees weren't flattered by Scarface either. But that's nothing on the US reaction... Read more

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Rating breakdown

268 Member ratings
  • 100
15
  • 90
17
  • 80
28
  • 70
42
  • 60
62
  • 50
36
  • 40
27
  • 30
17
  • 20
17
  • 10
7

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      • In one of director Brian DePalma's many cinematic tributes to Alfred Hitchcock (this one borrows from VERTIGO and employs Hitchcock's frequent collaborator, composer Bernard Herrmann), Cliff ...