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Death Watch (1980)
"La mort en direct" (original title)

 -  Drama | Sci-Fi  -  April 1982 (USA)
6.7
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Ratings: 6.7/10 from 1,035 users  
Reviews: 18 user | 30 critic

Roddy has a camera implanted in his brain. He is then hired by a television producer to film a documentary of terminally ill Katherine, without her knowledge. His footage will then be run ... See full summary »

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(novel), , 2 more credits »
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Title: Death Watch (1980)

Death Watch (1980) on IMDb 6.7/10

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1 win & 7 nominations. See more awards »

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Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
...
...
...
Thérèse Liotard ...
Tracey
...
Gerald Mortenhoe (as Max Von Sydow)
Caroline Langrishe ...
Girl in the Bar
William Russell ...
Dr.Mason (as William Russel)
Vadim Glowna ...
Harry Graves
Eva Maria Meineke ...
Dr.Klausen
Bernhard Wicki ...
Katherine's Dad (as Bernard Wicki)
Freddie Boardley ...
Technician
...
Limosine driver
Julian Hough ...
Young doctor
Peter Kelly ...
Technician
Boyd Nelson ...
Policeman
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Storyline

Roddy has a camera implanted in his brain. He is then hired by a television producer to film a documentary of terminally ill Katherine, without her knowledge. His footage will then be run on the popular TV series, "Death Watch"... Written by Philip Brubaker <coda@nando.net>

Plot Summary | Add Synopsis

Taglines:

She's the target of every eye...including eyes only science could create.

Genres:

Drama | Sci-Fi

Certificate:

PG | See all certifications »
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Details

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Language:

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Release Date:

April 1982 (USA)  »

Also Known As:

Death Watch  »

Company Credits

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Technical Specs

Runtime:

Sound Mix:

Color:

(Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1
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Did You Know?

Trivia

This is Robbie Coltrane's first motion picture. See more »

Quotes

Katherine Mortenhoe: Everything's of interest, but nothing matters.
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Crazy Credits

To Jacques Tourneur See more »

Connections

References The Masque of the Red Death (1964) See more »

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User Reviews

Driftwood.
6 May 2002 | by (Melbourne, Australia) – See all my reviews

Bertrand Tavernier's tale of a critically ill woman hounded by a television network for it's popular show 'Deathwatch' could be looked back in 1980 as almost a premonition in these times of reality TV and it's popularity in today's viewing public.

A strong cast portrays a simple if at times ponderous story dealing the acceptance of death and those out to prosper from it, with Harvey Keitel putting in a passionate driving performance as the TV company's 'virtual camera', a point in the film which adds a certain element of fantasy to the whole proceedings, along with vague decrepit industrial towns and eerie bays as the backdrop for the main characters to drift through. However despite strong performances all round, the journey the film takes never seems to reach a definitive destination rather, slows, bogs down and then finally stops, and despite keeping the viewer intrigued throughout never seems to deliver anything more than the inevitable.

There is no doubt 'Deathwatch' is an original, eerie and at times beautiful film but one that does not necessarily make sense, just like Max von Sydow's eloquent line in the film that 'Events that have no significance like the flight of a bird, do not have to mean something.'


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