The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver

The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver
Original newspaper advertisement
Written by	Richard Matheson
Directed by	Gordon Hessler
Starring	Karen Black George Hamilton Robert F. Lyons Lucille Benson Jean Allison
Composer	Morton Stevens
Country of origin	United States
Original language	English
Production
Producer	Stanley Shpetner
Cinematography	Frank Stanley
Editors	Jerry Garcia Frank Morriss
Running time	78 minutes [1]
Production company	The Shpetner Company
Original release
Network	NBC
Release	February 28, 1977 (1977-02-28)

The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver is a 1977 American made-for-television horror film directed by Gordon Hessler and starring Karen Black, George Hamilton, Robert F. Lyons, Lucille Benson, and Jean Allison. The teleplay was written by Richard Matheson. ^[1] The film first aired on NBC in 1977. ^{[1] [2]}

Plot

Its plot follows a bored housewife who takes on an alternate persona that starts wreaking havoc on her life. Karen Black plays the title role, a dowdy, downtrodden housewife plagued by recurring nightmares of funerals, black flowers, fires, and a woman called Sandy. Seeking an escape from her stifling lifestyle and dull husband, who only wishes her to have a baby, Black dons a low-cut red blouse, blonde wig, garish makeup, and a new identity. She is also compelled to buy a house in a beach community where it would appear a woman who looks just like her once resided - before her tragic demise.

Critical reception

According to John Stanley, "Director Gordon Hessler builds the mystery with a deft camera, creating ambiguities to intrigue us: Is Black undergoing possession, reincarnation or what? Supernatural mood blends with psychological thrills." ^[3]

Cast

Black as the titular Mrs. Oliver.

• Karen Black as Miriam Oliver / Sandy
• George Hamilton as Greg Oliver
• Robert F. Lyons as Mark
• Lucille Benson as Housekeeper
• Jean Allison as Mrs. Dempsey
• Gloria LeRoy as Saleslady

Critical response

Hal Erickson of AllMovie awarded the film four out of five stars, but noted that Hessler's direction "muddles" Matheson's "perfectly coherent script." ^[4]

References

1. Young, R. G. (2000). The Encyclopedia of Fantastic Film: Ali Baba to Zombies. New York: Hal Leonard Corporation. p. 602. ISBN   978-1-557-83269-6.
2. Deal, David (2007). Television Fright Films of the 1970s. Jefferson, North Carolina: McFarland. p. 169. ISBN   978-0-786-42929-5.
3. John Stanley. Creature Features Movie Guide Strikes Again. (4th revised ed). Pacifica, CA: Creatures at Large Press, 1994, p. 373
4. Erickson, Hal. "The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver". AllMovie . Archived from the original on August 22, 2019.

External links

• The Strange Possession of Mrs. Oliver at IMDb