The Possession of Joel Delaney

Joel Delaney would seem to be an average burnout type, eschewing his high-class and wealthy upbringing for an affected hippie lifestyle. But when he moves into an apartment previously inhabited by a now-deceased serial killer in Spanish Harlem, Joel begins changing. Initially, his wealthy sister Norah attributes his behavior to moodiness and disillusionment, but as Joel becomes increasingly hostile and aggressive, she begins to fear something worse is afoot. When Joel’s temperament spills over into violence, after which a series of seemingly accidental deaths occur, Norah begins investigating her brother’s new lifestyle, which plunges her into the world of Espiritismo and the occult.

A tense and genuinely unnerving story of paranoia and the supernatural from acclaimed director Waris Hussein (A Touch of Love) and adapted from Ramona Stewart’s chilling novel of the same name, THE POSSESSION OF JOEL DELANEY was one of the earliest films to emerge in the cycle of 1970s possession thrillers. Helmed with an emphasis on documentary-like realism and taking great visual advantage of seedy, early 70s New York City, courtesy of cinematographer Arthur J. Ornitz (Serpico, Death Wish), the film stars Oscar® winner and five-time nominee Shirley MacLaine (The Apartment, Terms of Endearment) in what is one of the most unusual and unforgettable roles of her career, alongside cult film star Perry King (Mandingo, Class of 1984) in one of his earliest leading roles. Long subject to either heavily edited or low-quality home video presentations, Vinegar Syndrome, at last, presents the UHD debut of this uniquely terrifying film, presented in its original theatrical version, freshly restored in 4K from its 35mm camera negative.