IMDb RATING
6.2/10
1.2K
YOUR RATING
After Paul has bizarre dreams about a faceless, sinister man, he suspects the man who is courting his Mother has ulterior motives.After Paul has bizarre dreams about a faceless, sinister man, he suspects the man who is courting his Mother has ulterior motives.After Paul has bizarre dreams about a faceless, sinister man, he suspects the man who is courting his Mother has ulterior motives.
Photos
Jimmy Lydon
- Paul Cartwright
- (as James Lydon)
George Reed
- Benjamin
- (as George H. Reed)
Victor Potel
- Mac - Game Warden
- (as Vic Potel)
Gene Roth
- Police Detective Sparks
- (as Gene Stutenroth)
Edmund Cobb
- Police Driver
- (uncredited)
Theresa Harris
- Maid
- (uncredited)
Charles Wagenheim
- Tom
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaDraws on the plot of William Shakespeare's "Hamlet." Hamlet's plot involves a Danish Prince who tries to exact revenge against his uncle, who has murdered the Prince's father in order to seize his throne and marry his mother. While Strange Illusion is by no means completely faithful to the original Shakespeare story-line - the character Ophelia doesn't exist here, and the tragic finale is replaced with a happy ending. In any case, Ulmer's film remains a fascinating attempt at re-imagining Shakespeare's Hamlet. Here, he is young Paul who lives in bucolic Southern California next to exclusive private schools and toney country clubs. To this, the plot adds a bit more - the protagonist admits himself into an insane asylum. This allows time for our scheming director Edgar G. Ulmer to amp up the cinematic tension, with added touches and moody lighting effects.
- GoofsWhen Brett is watching Lydia in the swimming pool, his body position changes in three successive shots from differing angles.
- Quotes
[first lines]
Paul Cartwright: I'm Paul Cartwright, my father was Judge Albert Cartwright, once lieutenant governor of the state, he was killed two years ago in a mysterious accident. We were not only father and son, but friends. The shock of his violent death still haunts my mind, my nights are troubled by strange dreams.
- ConnectionsFeatured in Edgar G. Ulmer: The Man Off-Screen (2004)
Featured review
An interesting one from Edgar G. Ulmer.
Its films like this that gave Edgar G. Ulmer his reputation as a director who could overcome the limitations of rapid lowbudget film making, even though STRANGE ILLUSION is actually an "A" picture by PRC standards. When Ulmer had interesting material to work with, the results were often good, as they are here. The story is fairly involving. Jimmy Lydon plays a college student who dreams of his late father being killed in a train/car wreck. In the dream he sees his widowed mother being seduced by a sinister but charming figure. Then the dream begins to come true, and Lydon has to convince others is was not all just a dream. The photography is low key and moody. The film is well paced and held my interest throughout. The dream sequences are well directed. My only complaint is that Jimmy Lydon's mother looks a bit to young to have a college age son.
- youroldpaljim
- Aug 17, 2001
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- How long is Strange Illusion?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime1 hour 27 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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