A strange mashup of upper-class social drama and possession exploitation, this often disturbing film from the early ‘70s doesn’t quite earn its horror stripes but makes up for it with a particularly nasty final act.
Norah (Shirley MacLaine) is a typical divorced New Yorker who dotes on her younger brother, Joel (Perry King), almost as much as her children. When he’s sectioned following an unprovoked attack on his apartment superintendent in Spanish Harlem, Joel begins to act strangely. The locals believe he’s been possessed by the spirit of a deceased resident who was thought to be a sadistic serial killer.
Directed by Waris Hussein, best known for his TV dramas and helming the first-ever episode of Doctor Who way back in 1963, The Possession of Joel Delaney has a lot to recommend. MacLaine is fantastic as the sister desperate to keep her brother safe at any cost and King is suitably sinister as the possessed Joel. There are a pair of sequences that stand out, however. A Puerto Rican exorcism provides a flavour of fevered mysticism and the aforementioned climax is powerful stuff indeed. Now fully possessed by the killer’s spirit, Joel terrorises his sister, nephew, and niece in a home invasion situation that’s rather hard to watch as it’s both very nasty and incredibly cruel.
Imprint’s Blu-ray has a wealth of bonus material, including an informative commentary and a pair of video essays (including one focusing on the fashions of the film). The standout feature is a lengthy interview with Perry King, who’s brutally honest about his work on the film (and his lack of experience) as well as giving a fascinating insight into how he sees the business. A documentary from 1994 about Shirley MacLaine rounds off the extras making this a worthwhile purchase.
