The Sender (1982)

Director: Roger Christian

Starring: Kathryn Harrold, Zeljko Ivanek, Shirley Knight

A disturbed telepathic man is unable to fully control his ability to transmit his dreams and visions into the minds of the people around him, or even influence reality. A female therapist tries to help him, but his mother gets in the way.

The titular character is a man able to send his thoughts and dreams to people. This is an interesting concept and very well illustrated throughout the film.

Zeljko Ivanek stars as The Sender, a young man who tried to commit suicide by attempting to drown himself. (Throughout the film he is known only as The Sender). He is taken to a State Mental Hospital where Dr Farmer (Kathryn Harrold) takes care of him. As she becomes more interested in him (on a professional and sympathetic level), she feels compelled to finding out the truth about him and his past, and go beyond the call of duty to help him. At first, he has Amnesia and his life is a mystery. I really enjoyed Kathryn Harrold in the role of Dr Farmer, and made the film all the more believable. The mystery deepens when The Sender’s Mother shows up.

The performances in general are very good and ‘The Sender’ certainly is one of the more stylish horror films of the 80’s. The film hits the viewer with surprise upon surprise and builds to a good climax, and a rather chilling ending.

Would I watch it again? Possibly.