Eyes of Laura Mars (1978)

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Hot off her Oscar win for Network, Faye Dunaway headlines this thriller about a controversial photographer whose focus on sex and violence makes her a sensation in New York’s advertising world. Dunaway’s title character begins having visions of murder — from the killer’s direct point-of-view. One by one, models and associates in her career begin dying, stabbed in the eyes by the mysterious killer. Over and over again, Dunaway experiences the deaths through the killer’s eyes — but will she ever discover his identity?

Eyes of Laura Mars is a competent thriller from director Irvin Kershner (The Empire Strikes Back), based on a story by John Carpenter (Halloween). It feels at times like a short story stretched too thin to fuel the demands of a feature film, but Dunaway and co-star Tommy Lee Jones, as a detective on the case, carry the film through its cyclical murder cycle. Kershner has fun with the New York art/fashion scene, too. A few of the film’s most memorable scenes are when we watch Dunaway’s character at work, staging beautiful models in the midst of car wrecks and murder scenes. Brad Dourif and Rene Auberjonois get juicy supporting roles. With Raul Julia and Darlanne Fluegel.