Don't Look Now (1973)

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Nicolas Roeg

Writers:

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

Release Date:

January 1974 (USA)

Genre:

Horror | Mystery | Thriller

Tagline:

A psychic thriller.

Plot:

John and Laura Baxter are living in Venice when they meet a pair of elderly sisters, one of whom claims to be psychic...

Plot Keywords:

Psychic | Italy | Venice Italy | Red | Premonition

Awards:

Won BAFTA Film Award. Another 8 nominations

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	...	The Dwarf

Also Known As:

A Venezia... un dicembre rosso shocking (Italy)

Runtime:

110 min

Country:

Italy | UK

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Portugal:M/16 | Argentina:16 | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 (original rating) | Norway:18 (re-rating) | Sweden:15 | UK:15 (video re-rating) (2002) | UK:18 (video rating) (1988) | UK:X (original rating) | USA:R | West Germany:16 | Netherlands:16

Filming Locations:

"The Canals", Venice, Veneto, Italy

Company:

Casey Productions Ltd.

Trivia:

In order to avoid an X-certificate rating for the film's American release, 9 frames (less than half a second) had to be cut from the intimate love sequence between Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie.

Goofs:

Continuity: In the bathroom scene, John Baxter steps over Laura's clothes, piled on the floor. Among them is a pair of tights, which she was clearly not wearing in the preceding scene (in which she undresses).

Quotes:

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

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "The Simpsons: Treehouse of Horror XI (#12.1)" (2000)

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!