Looker (1981)

Director:

Michael Crichton

Writer:

Michael Crichton (written by)

Release Date:

30 October 1981 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Sci-Fi | Thriller

Tagline:

If Looks Could Kill...

Plot:

Plastic surgeon Larry Roberts performs a series of minor alterations on a group of models who are seeking perfection...

Plot Keywords:

Model | Plastic Surgeon | Perfection | Computer | Cosmetic Surgery

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Albert Finney	...	Dr. Larry Roberts
James Coburn	...	John Reston
Susan Dey	...	Cindy Fairmont
Leigh Taylor-Young	...	Jennifer Long
Dorian Harewood	...	Lieutenant Masters
Tim Rossovich	...	Moustache Man
Darryl Hickman	...	Dr. Jim Belfield
Kathryn Witt	...	Tina Cassidy
Terri Welles	...	Lisa Convey
Michael Hawkins	...	Senator Robert Harrison (as Michael Gainsborough)
Ashley Cox	...	Candy
Donna Kei Benz	...	Ellen (as Donna Benz)
Catherine Parks	...	Jan
Terry Kiser	...	Commercial Director
Georgann Johnson	...	Cindy's Mother

Runtime:

93 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:16 | Canada:18A | France:U | Australia:M | Finland:K-16 | Norway:16 | UK:15 | USA:PG | West Germany:16

Company:

Ladd Company, The

Trivia:

Kim Carnes recorded her own version of the title song for her album "Voyeur" (1982). The title song in the movie was performed by Sue Saad.

Goofs:

Crew or equipment visible: At precisely 4:50 (DVD timing), when the model opens her apartment door and her dog barks, you can clearly see the trainer's hand motioning for the dog to turn around (lower right hand corner of the screen).

Quotes:

John Reston: Television can control public opinion more effectively than armies of secret police, because television is entirely voluntary. The American government forces our children to attend school, but nobody forces them to watch T.V. Americans of all ages *submit* to television...

Movie Connections:

Features "The Lucy Show" (1962)

Soundtrack:

LOOKER

Odd, not entirely satisfying, but an interesting effort all the same.

Beverly Hills plastic surgeon Larry Roberts (Albert Finney) is losing his clients as of late. They're dying under mysterious circumstances, and Roberts makes it his mission to protect Cindy (Susan Dey), whom he believes will be next.

The nefarious plot afoot seems to have something to do with the Reston Corporation, headed by smooth, powerful John Reston (a dapper James Coburn), which is using the medium of television to its utmost advantage.

Perhaps what is most noteworthy for me is that Michael Crichtons' premise was ambitious for its time, foretelling the kind of technology that has actually come to pass in more recent years. He also succeeds in crafting an offbeat mystery where the viewer is discovering things along with the hero, instead of always being two steps ahead.

Some sequences have a decidedly strange effect, and these involve the use of a revolutionary weapon that causes people to blank out. These lend the film a surreal quality that adds to the overall unconventional feel of this thriller.

The cast gives it a good effort, with the electronic score by Barry DeVorzon lending it a creepy feel. The title song is typical cheesy 80's stuff, but is undeniably catchy. Sets and computer graphics are also quite eye-catching (not to mention the prospect of a naked Dey being scanned by a computer for an extended period of time).

While suffering from some significant flaws, I can't just dismiss it either, as it espouses its ideas in a fairly slick and provocative manner, and delivers a fair dose of early 1980's sci-fi entertainment.

6/10