Written by Patrick Roddy
Directed by Andy Froemke
Featuring: David Gaffney, Julia Matias, David Akin, Robert Taminga, Marissa Hall, Aaron Caine, Sam DeLong, Robert Crawford, Carol Albert...
Archlmage Studio
USA
80 minutes
Brain Damage Films

The Parasite: a psychic who claims to have powers that include but are not limited to mesmerism, and all she needs is a chance to prove her authenticity.

When two colleagues meet, Professor John Wilson (Robert Taminga) and Professor Richard Austin (David Gaffney) discuss their respective fields, amongst other things and it is during one of these conversations that Prof. Wilson casually states that he has absolute proof of psychic ability. Prof. Austin, who is a skeptic, does not believe his colleague whose field of expertise is parapsychology. When Austin asks what the proof is, Wilson says, "Not what. WHO." And invites his colleague and his fiance, Audrey to attend a party. Reluctant, but curious, Prof. Austin attends, Audrey (Marissa Hall) in tow.

When they arrive they are met with a very strange acting but harmless appearing woman named Helena Voyich (Julia Matias). She is sitting and rubbing a golden urn-like object and when she catches sight of Prof. Austin, she tries to hide the fact that she has a bum-leg. Introductions out of the way, everyone gathers for what they believe is to be some kind of parlor trickery--but this is the moment the world starts falling apart for one Prof. Richard Austin. Helena proves her abilities to him by suggesting to his fiance that they suspend their engagement for one-half hour but will remember nothing once the half-hour is up. Of course, Prof. Austin was not aware of this until after Audrey has shown up to his house and ends the relationship. A day after the party! 

When Prof. Austin agrees to be a test subject for Helena and Prof. Wilson, the shit really hits the fan. Little does poor Prof. Austin realize, Helena is quite the lonely psychic and she will stop at nothing to have what she wants. Almost like a spoiled little brat, rather than a grown woman with all these limitless powers...and if her new infatuation with Prof. Austin doesn't work out, she's always got Charles Sadler (David Akin), another colleague that blindly agreed to experiment with Helena a few times himself (Kinky!) and has become enslaved.

While I did enjoy learning about each character's parts, and the story is a good idea; I feel that it was not executed to its best potential, even with a low-budget; which for low-budget standards, it isn't too bad!. It had a "made for TV" feel to it that was redolent of something I would have possibly seen on "Tales from the Darkside". It has some interesting ideas presented and some characters that could have been better developed, but overall it wasn't a horrible little movie. I believe my mom or my mother-in-law would really enjoy The Parasite. That isn't a put-down, they just enjoy slow-paced near-meatless stories involving more of an idea rather than hit-you-over-the-head horror.

What I found funny was that the pyschic seemed to only affect one side of a person. Example: the opening sequence shows a man writing a love letter. As he reaches the end, just before he signs it, he stabs himself in his writing hand with a pair of scissors. Then he signs the letter WITH the hand that was stabbed. Okay, one, I don't think your hand would function after having a large pair of scissors stabbed into it (all the way through it!) and if I met up with someone who rubbed a golden urn-like pot and rolled her eyes into her head, I think I would be apt to at least laugh or back away, depending.

By the way, the movie alluded to something important about that golden urn, but it is never seen again. Hmmm. The intrigue abounds in The Parasite. Also, don't be mislead by the title or the opening sequence: this has nothing to do with parasites; unless you count what Prof. Richard Austin teaches, which is parasitology (hah, get it, parasitology--parapsychology? Hah!). Though, I can see where a relationship can be like a parasitic arrangement...The Parasite is a calm and quiet psychological suspense story that can be watched and enjoyed in front of the kids.