Saturday, March 31, 2012

Don't Look Now - Nicolas Roeg - 1973


Daphne Du Maurier once said that Don't Look Now was her favorite adaptation of any of her works, which is saying a lot considering that Hitchcock adapted 3 of her novels into films (Jamaica Inn, Rebecca, and The Birds).

The story follows two grieving parents (Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie) as they travel to venice to grieve the loss of their daughter. They encounter two sisters there, one of which claims to be psychic who warns them of ensuing danger. The suspense of the film builds and builds until the shocking ending that feels both natural and unexpected.

The film is assertively edited, meaning that every cut has a purpose in either providing information or establishing relationships between characters. The cuts are often in your face and are very memorable. To put it simple, this is the best edited film I've ever seen.

There are many reoccurring images, shapes, and colors which are mostly easy to spot, however there are some that are barely noticeable. These tiny unnoticed touches come from a director who is a master of his craft and has a great grasp on the story he is telling.

Don't Look Now is bazaar, horrifying, touching, and suspenseful to a point where it's hard to watch, yet impossible to look away.




No comments:

Post a Comment