Don't Look Now (1973)

A married couple grieving the recent death of their little daughter are in Venice when they encounter two elderly sisters, one of whom is psychic and brings a warning from beyond.

Director:

Nicolas Roeg

Writers:

Daphne Du Maurier (story), Allan Scott (screenplay),

Stars:

Julie Christie, Donald Sutherland, Hilary Mason

Won 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 8 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Julie Christie	...	Laura Baxter
Donald Sutherland	...	John Baxter
Hilary Mason	...	Heather
Clelia Matania	...	Wendy
Massimo Serato	...	Bishop Barbarrigo
Renato Scarpa	...	Inspector Longhi
Giorgio Trestini	...	Workman
Leopoldo Trieste	...	Hotel Manager
David Tree	...	Anthony Babbage
Ann Rye	...	Mandy Babbage
Nicholas Salter	...	Johnny Baxter
Sharon Williams	...	Christine Baxter
Bruno Cattaneo	...	Detective Sabbione
Adelina Poerio	...	Dwarf

Storyline

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.

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Plot Keywords:

psychic | gondola | death | church | grieving | 

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Taglines:

A psychic thriller.

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Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK Italy

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

January 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Venezia... un dicembre rosso shocking

Filming Locations:

"The Canals", Venice, Veneto, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

Gross:

SEK 790,825 (Sweden)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Casey Productions, Eldorado Films, D.L.N. Ventures Partnership

Technical Specs

Runtime:

110 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

In 2011, both co-star Donald Sutherland and producer Peter Katz issued rebuttals to the longstanding rumor that Sutherland and Julie Christie had engaged in unsimulated intercourse during their characters' sex scene.

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Goofs

when laura leaves the hotel near the end to pursue john she is wearing boots but is bare legged. later in the chase as she scrambles over a boat she is wearing the same boots but is now also wearing dark colored stockings/tights.

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Quotes

Laura Baxter: This one who's blind. She's the one that can see.

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Connections

Featured in 100 Greatest Sexy Moments (2003)

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Soundtracks

"Salvatore"
(uncredited)
Music by Emidio Remigi
Lyrics by Vito Pallavicini

User Reviews

Mysterious, brooding and bone chilling at the climax!

Don't Look Now is a strange horror film in that it doesn't rely on the usual horror genre staples in order to be successful. Rather than be gratuitous on the gore, atmosphere and shocks front, Don't Look Now simply presents it's story and the horror almost seems like an afterthought. Usually, films like this annoy me because they obviously want to portray the horror, but skirt around it in order to not be put in with the less intelligent offerings from the genre; but this one clearly cares about it's story and characters, and never really sets out to scare. The film, therefore, comes off as being assured and well handled throughout, and even though the plot is slow; the film can never be described as boring because there's always enough bubbling under the surface of the immediate goings on in order to keep the viewers' interest. The plot is shrouded with mystery and follows a father who finds his daughter drowned in a nearby lake. He and his wife then move to picturesque Venice, but the memory of their daughter cannot be laid to rest after a blind psychic tells the woman that she has seen her daughter may still be alive.

I love the horror genre, but I admit that a large proportion of it can't be compared among the true classics of cinema due largely to a lack of production values, good acting or a decent script that is coherent with the story and characters. Don't Look Now, however, often appears on film lists amongst the classics because this is one of the films that is strong in those areas. The acting is first rate, with Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie giving brilliant brooding performances that are in line with their characters and the film's plot. Sutherland can be something of a one-note actor, but when a performer is given the right material it allows them to shine and his role in this film fits him like a glove. One of the main compliments that this film gets is the cinematography, as the film expertly captures the beauty of it's central location. Venice's canals and dark alleys are as much a part of this film as the plot itself, and it is testament to Nicolas Roeg's directorial talent that this has been expertly captured in a way that helps the film. On the whole, this is a fine horror film that will be enjoyed by anyone that is willing to put time and effort into it. It's also worth noting that this film pays it's viewers at the climax with one of the best twist endings in the horror genre. Highly recommended!