Filmmaking as a form of intellectual and emotional expression as well as visual art
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| Don't Look Now (1973) - By Nicholas Roeg |
Reviewer's Ratings: 9.0
IMDb Ratings: 7.4
IMDb Ratings: 7.4
Genre: Drama | Horror | Thriller
Cast: Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Hilary Mason
Country: UK | Italy
Country: UK | Italy
Language: English | Italian
Runtime: 110 min
Color: Color
Summary: John and Laura Baxter are in Venice when they meet a pair of elderly sisters, one of whom claims to be psychic. She insists that she sees the spirit of the Baxters' daughter, who recently drowned. Laura is intrigued, but John resists the idea. He, however, seems to have his own psychic flashes, seeing their daughter walk the streets in her red cloak, as well as Laura and the sisters on a funeral gondola.
It
is blurry, it is horrifying, it is unsettling, and it features an elusively
crafted closure. Directed by Nicolas Roeg, Don’t Look Now is a film that will
certainly keep haunting you forever if you would dare, for once, let it hold
you. Starring acclaimed actors Julie Christie (as Laura Baxter) and Donald
Sutherland (as John Baxter), Don’t Look Now is written for the screen by Allan
Scott and Chris Bryant, adapted from an original short story by Daphne du
Maurier.
John and Laura Baxter have lost their daughter Christine in a terrible accident.
Laura is devastated and is in grief. She and John are now in Venice, Italy.
John is assigned the work of restoration of an old church. While they are here, a
murderer is also on the loose. The couple encounter a strange woman, who is
blind, but paradoxically, is gifted with a ‘second’ sight. She claims to Laura
that she is ‘seeing’ her daughter and warns them that their life might be in
danger in Venice.
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| Donald Sutherland as John in Don't Look Now |
I had previously seen Walkabout (1971), a critically acclaimed independent film
by the same director, before watching Don’t Look Now. I was aware of his
non-linear narrative style, so I wasn’t too perplexed this time. Here, he achieves
it by marvellous, meticulous editing, fine use of montage and brief cuts. It acts
as a device to emphasize the theme and elements of the film which exudes
originality and is a testament of Roeg’s mastery of allusive storytelling. Not
only do those seemingly random frames keep the audience guessing and indulged,
they also add to the depth of the film. The movie reveals the plot incoherently
while giving an insight into the characters’ cognitive state and the symbolic
ideas the director is trying to relegate.
Nicolas Roeg, formerly a cinematographer, had already impressed me by his
breath-taking photography of the diverse wilderness of Australia in Walkabout, with
his very distinctive style. In Don’t Look Now, Roeg just about does justice to
the surreal, enigmatic beauty of Venice—the city of history, romance and art.
The opening shot is incredible to say the least; it sets the whole tone of the
film, it is long, but it is extremely well paced where plenty of incidents take
place. And, in contrasting juxtaposition, the shot of a dying ashtray, with
fire, growing vigorously in the next frame, and close up of Christine, smiling
naively while her brother falls and Laura, irritated; the idea of premonition
is put forward brilliantly with the use of concise, fast cuts and dynamic
vision of the director. The use of colour, especially red, is distinguishable
throughout the film. The sudden death of their daughter leaves the parents in
disbelief, as we also do feel the same way. Cinematography takes the scene to a next level
with shots of serene country setting while montage doing the rest. The night
shots of Venice are majestic and intimidating at the same time. They are
chilling and when coupled with old buildings, water and rats create an
absolutely frightening atmosphere.
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| Julie Christie as Laura in Don't Look Now |
The shot which left me stunned was the couple’s love making scene at a hotel in
Venice. It was sensual, arousing, aesthetically shot and ingeniously edited. It
was very bold, intense and intimate. The brief cuts in between captured their
routine after the scene, like a sinusoidal wave, a ride of emotions, of course,
rising and falling in intensity in a haste, somewhat signalling their lingering
state of mind. It captured the lust of the couple as if they were finally
united after a long time. The stark nakedness of their agitated souls, warmed with
love, with alternating cuts of them, dressing up, getting their senses back,
far from each other, still, tranquilized, just after this very togetherness, alone.
The film is superbly acted; both Donald and Julie in their prime do outright justice
to their respective characters while bringing a sense of reality and intimacy
to their relationship and the overall performances. The supporting characters
are a bit strange and twisted, but the supporting cast has done a very decent job.
The music and score is very good, brilliantly complementing the visual nature
of the film. Art direction has been paid a lot of attention, as you would
expect from a film like this where composition plays a vital role towards the
look of the film. The church, old buildings and the interior sets are a very
fine example of composition.
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| A Still from Nicholas Roeg's Don't Look Now |
Don’t Look Now is primarily an intricate tale of grief, with many ideas to
ruminate upon, like the transcendent nature of our unconscious mind over the
reality, being different from what it seems. The title itself, “Don’t Look Now”
prompts discussion, it maybe a warning, telling the protagonist to wait. Look
as in search of what’s missing, or ‘seeing’ that which is not visible. What
about the mysterious figure we see in the slide of the church, and the
reflection of Christine in the pond, what was John actually seeing there? Was
it the murderer? A There is lot more to it than what it suggests.
What happens in the climax is a result of the huge build-up of tension, terror
and threat, all of which is released at once, leaving us in a state of sheer
trauma. Don’t Look Now is a great
example of a unique style of filmmaking that treats us with the film medium as
a form of intellectual and emotional expression just as much as visual art, which
makes it an unforgettable experience.
About Author -
Tanmay is an online film critic and a filmmaker who was introduced to cinema when he explored his elder brother’s collection while he was around 10. A few years ago he discovered IMDb.COM and since then he has been obsessed about everything related to cinema. He had accidentally read a book on directors and the name which he remembered was that of the master of suspense Alfred Hitchcock, and he believes that his passion for cinema springs from his love for Hitchcock's work. Apart from movies, Tanmay has keen interests in photography, art, travelling, reading and writing.
Readers, please feel free to share your views./opinions in the comment box below . As always your feedback is highly appreciated!
For more information on the title, please click on the following links:
Don't Look Now (1973) Trailer
Readers, please feel free to share your views./opinions in the comment box below . As always your feedback is highly appreciated!
For more information on the title, please click on the following links:
Don't Look Now (1973) Trailer
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nice review!
ReplyDeleteGlad you liked it! :-)
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