Full Circle (1977)

“Most nightmares end at daybreak. This one was just beginning.” A genuinely creepy atmospheric horror flick, Full Circle (AKA The Haunting of Julia) stars Mia Farrow as “Julia Lofting,” who has a mental breakdown after the accidental death of her daughter “Katie” (she chokes on a piece of apple and Julia attempts a tracheostomy with a steak knife in a truly horrifying opening scene). Julia, who has a substantial trust fund, leaves her moronic husband, “Magnus” (Keir Dullea), and moves to an eerie townhouse in London to start a new life. However, strange things start happening immediately – Does a ghost or ghosts haunt the house, is Magnus stalking Julia or is she simply losing her mind? Highlights include the freaky séance participants, the disturbing incident in the park, Julia’s visit with the old woman at the psychiatric hospital, the ghostly hand on Julia’s face while she sleeps, and, of course, the toy monkey with the cymbals. Directed by Richard Loncraine, Full Circle was based on the 1975 novel Julia by Peter Straub (Ghost Story). Colin Towns provided the score. Full Circle would make a great double feature with Don’t Look Now (1973). One of the film’s taglines reads: “She had no one to play with for thirty years.”

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