{"id":766,"date":"2006-04-15T14:31:47","date_gmt":"2006-04-15T21:31:47","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=766"},"modified":"2021-01-29T22:57:29","modified_gmt":"2021-01-30T05:57:29","slug":"possession-of-joel-delaney-the-1972","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=766","title":{"rendered":"Possession of Joel Delaney, The (1972)"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><strong>&#8220;Possession? Insanity? Fragmented ego? Are you trying to tell me that my brother is so weak and so vulnerable that he can be invaded from the outside by a maniac who is dead? I refuse to believe it!&#8221;<\/strong><\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Poster.jpg\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Poster-200x300.jpg\" alt=\"\" width=\"200\" height=\"300\" class=\"alignleft size-medium wp-image-22817\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Poster-200x300.jpg 200w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Poster-85x128.jpg 85w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Poster.jpg 580w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 200px) 100vw, 200px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Synopsis:<\/strong><br \/>\nSpoiled socialite Norah Benson (Shirley MacLaine) is puzzled by the uncharacteristically cruel and erratic behavior of her brother Joel (Perry King). Eventually, Norah finds herself investigating the possible &#8220;possession&#8221; of Joel&#8217;s body by the soul of his deceased psychotic friend, and defending her children against Joel&#8217;s homicidal behavior.  <\/p>\n<p><strong>Genres, Themes, Actors, and Directors:<\/strong> <\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Amateur Sleuths<\/li>\n<li>Class Relations<\/li>\n<li>New York<\/li>\n<li>Possession<\/li>\n<li>Psychological Horror<\/li>\n<li>Serial Killers<\/li>\n<li>Shirley MacLaine Films<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Response to Peary&#8217;s Review:<\/strong><br \/>\nAs Peary notes, this &#8220;neglected film is one of the creepiest psychological thrillers&#8221; ever made. Shirley MacLaine turns in a nuanced performance as a wealthy socialite who must delve into the &#8220;underworld&#8221; of New York to investigate the mystery of her beloved brother&#8217;s freaky behavior. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2-1024x534.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"334\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66996\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2-1024x534.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2-768x401.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2-1536x802.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2-517x270.png 517w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine2.png 1761w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p>More commonly known as a comedic actress, MacLaine shows true depth of characterization here &#8212; notice the tiny details of her performance, such as the distracted way she snatches the train tickets out of a station clerk&#8217;s hand as she rushes to take her children to safety. The final scene &#8212; much discussed in IMDb and elsewhere due to the explicit torture of children presented, as well as full-frontal nudity of a ten-year-old boy &#8212; remains disturbing, but in keeping with the general tone of the story. <\/p>\n<p><a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending-1024x538.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"336\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66993\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending-1024x538.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending-300x158.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending-768x404.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending-1536x808.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending-514x270.png 514w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ending.png 1767w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/p>\n<p><strong>Redeeming Qualities:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Shirley MacLaine as Norah Benson<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3-1024x535.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"334\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66994\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3-1024x535.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3-300x157.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3-128x67.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3-768x401.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3-1536x802.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3-517x270.png 517w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-MacLaine3.png 1763w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>Miriam Colon as MacLaine&#8217;s maid, Veronica<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon-1024x601.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"376\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66992\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon-1024x601.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon-300x176.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon-128x75.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon-768x450.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon-1536x901.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon-460x270.png 460w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Colon.png 1577w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<li>One of the better cinematic portrayals of &#8220;possession&#8221; &#8212; especially the intense spiritual seance held in the apartment of Puerto Rican New Yorkers<br \/>\n<a href=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual.png\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"http:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual-1024x543.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"640\" height=\"339\" class=\"alignnone size-large wp-image-66995\" srcset=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual-1024x543.png 1024w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual-300x159.png 300w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual-128x68.png 128w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual-768x407.png 768w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual-1536x815.png 1536w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual-509x270.png 509w, https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/wp-content\/uploads\/2006\/04\/Possession-Joel-Delaney-Ritual.png 1759w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 640px) 100vw, 640px\" \/><\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Must See? <\/strong><br \/>\nYes, for MacLaine&#8217;s excellent performance (which Peary nominates as one of the best of the year in his <em>Alternate Oscars<\/em>).<\/p>\n<p><strong>Categories<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Noteworthy Performance(s)<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><strong>Links:<\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/imdb.com\/title\/tt0067601\/\">IMDb entry<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a href=\"http:\/\/www.moriareviews.com\/horror\/possession-of-joel-delaney-1972.htm\">Moria Review<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>&#8220;Possession? Insanity? Fragmented ego? Are you trying to tell me that my brother is so weak and so vulnerable that he can be invaded from the outside by a maniac who is dead? I refuse to believe it!&#8221; Synopsis: Spoiled socialite Norah Benson (Shirley MacLaine) is puzzled by the uncharacteristically cruel and erratic behavior of her brother Joel (Perry King). Eventually, Norah finds herself investigating the possible &#8220;possession&#8221; of Joel&#8217;s body by the soul of his deceased psychotic friend, and&#8230;<\/p>\n<p class=\"read-more\"><a class=\"btn btn-default\" href=\"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/?p=766\"> Read More<span class=\"screen-reader-text\">  Read More<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-766","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-responses-to-peary"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/766","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=766"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/766\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":66997,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/766\/revisions\/66997"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=766"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=766"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/filmfanatic.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=766"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}