The Unwatchable.
Horrible acting and bad directing. All the sound effects are repeated with a nonsense echo and reverb, even if they open a door or a book page, that makes totally no sense.
The acting is very bad and forced. It seems that they tried to use the book directly instead of making an adaptation as it used to happens with other story-based films.
The edition is more than worse, it has a cold-blue palette that paints the actors face blue, the trees and the forests too so you are more close to the world of Avatar than a Mystery film.
The supernatural element... I think that is something that doesn't fit in this type of Mystery because I consider this piece in that genre than a Thriller.
I agree with the comments that said that this movie is too foreseeable but there are a lot of sub elements that, even having an idea of how the movie will ends, the development is very interesting.
The cinematography is very beautiful and the sounds are very well recreated. The acting of the three main characters are glorious and, even if you think that you know what is going on, the viewer has to pay attention of the different keys that happens because not always something is what we think/believe it will go.
It was ok but I rather prefer 1956 version. The dialogues are messy and there are some incoherencies through the movie scenes that produce a feeling of being lost several times (they get off from a taxi in the middle of the highway and suddenly they are at San Francisco city hall?).
The special effects are very well done and the music is also the other strong feature of this film but, the sound and the dubbing, are the most horrible things that my ears had suffered (yes, suffered) in horror movies from a long time. Totally absence of foley effects on almost all the picture, when they were, it was with bad timing or without synchronization with the picture. It amazes me that is Ben Burtt (Star Wars, Indiana Jones, E.T., Dark Crystal ) the professional behind this aspect of the movie.
The dubbing by the cast is over-forced and with a total lack of feeling in some scenes.
I didn’t read the book but the film, among the one from 1956 has some key scenes that I can imagine that are directly extracted from there because they are depicted identically in both movies.
I prefer the ending of this one but mixed with the one of 1956 and, as a final appreciation, the contribution of Kevin McCarthy was very surprising and funny.
I loved the creepy atmosphere of this film and the confluence of sub-genres, styles and topics that you can appreciate on it.
As it happens with many (almost all) of the horror/sci fi/thriller movies of the 50s and 60s, the film opens within a context o war or armed earlier response.
I´ve watched the remake by John Carpenter long ago but I loved how they show in this one the "impregnation" moment when the blackout happens. Remarkable the scene when the plane pilot tries to check at what altitude the mysterious blackout has effect.
All the process regarding the revelation of the woman that are pregnant and the struggles of the society accepting this situations: the young girl, the woman whose husband was abroad... lure the viewer closer to the feelings of the villagers of this place.
When the kids are born and they grow up... that eerie look and the amazing cast make the rest formidable.
I really love the development of the final part of the movie as the ending too. Difficult to catalog into horror or sci fi, definitely a must in any list.
Question: Why all the camera transitions wipe from right to left with the exception of one, that goes from left to right?
Strange and entertaining piece from the 70s that has a lot much hidden that what we can found in other pieces of this sub-genre. From Edward Woodward´s play as the astute Sergeant to the matchless Christopher Lee as the hippie Lord, every character in the plot is a piece in this mysterious puzzle.
Absolutely amazing end that was replicated several times even in the actual days (Midsommar).
I totally agree with the comments regarding the dark atmosphere that this movie emanates. Sometimes you can feel the agony and despair of the main character perfectly portrayed by Tim Robbins.
It is the kind of movie that you have to be continuously on his loop of attention because, the jumps back and forward of the plot can easily confuse or even lost the viewer.
Regarding the end, I personally think that is a bit messy because the main history was developing in an appropriate way until this climax breaks in leaving you with only two options, hate or love.
As discussed, the cinematography its stunning. Robert Mitchum portraits an intriguing character that makes the film work but, the plot and the rest of the cast ruins the move for any horror movie fan that found this movie as a reference because, it is not.
As a thriller, it works nicely but the end sounds more like a christmas carol than a movie of this genre. Even if you are not convinced by the comments, the photography, the light and how the cameras are used make it worthy.
The history is vague and the development too slow. We miss a lot of relevant information in order to understand a bit more the plot just to not be surprised on the last 10 minutes.
It's a good end and a good concept but since Brightburn it is starting to create a new canon. Having Netflix on the back I totally agree that I will not be surprised if a second part comes out from this.
Horrible second part... Nothing to do with the first awesome film but the same mannor and witch.
It appears that the script is written without watching the first part. Better to see something better because this sequel is clearly done to make benefits.
