"Figures in a Landscape" is definitely one of the weirdest and most unclassifiable movies I've encountered lately, and at the same time it's pretty difficult to explain why that is. Some movies are weird because they increasingly overpower the viewer with substantial twists and/or stylistic gimmicks, but still they constantly uphold the impression there's some kind of deeper meaning or hidden structure behind it. The films of David Lynch are like that, for example. Other movies, and "Figures in a Landscape" is definitely one of them, are weird because they never at one point feature abrupt story twists and never even seem to want to achieve a deeper meaning. Kind of like the 'what you see is what you get principle' and don't even bother asking background information. Based on Barry England's novel - that probably only very few people have read - "Figures in a Landscape" revolves on two escaped convicts nervously running across a desolate area. Pretty much like the title implies, they are, in fact, simply figures in a landscape. We're never explained where exactly the events take place (South America? East Asia?) or what crimes the two committed in the first place. They must have been quite serious, however, as MacConnachie and Ansell quickly find themselves besieged by a menacing black helicopter and later also by army patrols on foot. The helicopter plays a devastating mental and physical game with them, as it appears to be omnipresent and in absolutely no hurry to pick them up. This is the type of film where there are no characters to root for. You won't develop any sympathy for the fugitives as they commit some truly vile acts along their way and you can't really support the guys inside the helicopter, neither, as their faces aren't even properly shown. "Figures in a Landscape" is a brooding, moody and mildly unsettling film that doesn't always makes sense and doesn't bother to involve the viewer. But, if you manage to put all the unanswered questions aside from you, this also might turn out one extremely enchanting viewing experience. Every shot, every inch of the landscape seems precisely measured and re-considered at least a dozen times before featuring in the film. The choreography is simply wonderful and the filming locations apparently Spanish are almost continuously breathtaking. The performances of Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell couldn't be more apt and Joseph Losey's direction is very surefooted. After seeing only this and the even more unique "These are the Doomed", I'm more than anxious to check out Losey's further repertoire.
31 Reviews
Weird cinema, but worth catching
barnabyrudge18 November 2002
Figures in a Landscape is the most peculiar film I've ever seen. I've seen a lot of peculiar films (The Keep, The Island, A Zed and Two Noughts, Eye of the Devil, etc.) but this one beats them all in terms of its curious nature.
It has almost no plot. What little plot there is details the efforts of two escaped convicts to evade a menacing black helicopter as they flee through the rugged landscape of some un-named South American country. Did they really commit a crime at all? Why does the chopper pilot want to catch them? Who are they? All these questions, so obvious and central to all the other films of this type, are left unasked and unanswered. This is purely a chase for the sake of a chase movie. Everything is left unexplained, and the immediate action is the only thing that is concentrated upon.
Given the existentialist angle that the film adopts, it is little surprise that it is unpopular.Many people feel cheated by the lack of explanation. I have a soft spot for the film, because it lets me decide for myself what is going on and what has gone before. I feel that Robert Shaw's performance is commanding, and the aerial photography is outstanding. However, I'm not saying that this is some kind of overlooked classic; nor even that it is an excellent film. It's just a wrongly panned film that has enough interesting features within its running time to make it commendable to anyone who has yet to see it.
It has almost no plot. What little plot there is details the efforts of two escaped convicts to evade a menacing black helicopter as they flee through the rugged landscape of some un-named South American country. Did they really commit a crime at all? Why does the chopper pilot want to catch them? Who are they? All these questions, so obvious and central to all the other films of this type, are left unasked and unanswered. This is purely a chase for the sake of a chase movie. Everything is left unexplained, and the immediate action is the only thing that is concentrated upon.
Given the existentialist angle that the film adopts, it is little surprise that it is unpopular.Many people feel cheated by the lack of explanation. I have a soft spot for the film, because it lets me decide for myself what is going on and what has gone before. I feel that Robert Shaw's performance is commanding, and the aerial photography is outstanding. However, I'm not saying that this is some kind of overlooked classic; nor even that it is an excellent film. It's just a wrongly panned film that has enough interesting features within its running time to make it commendable to anyone who has yet to see it.
existential chase film, largely forgotten, but worth a look.
raegan_butcher3 August 2006
FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE is interesting for a lot of reasons: it was directed by Joseph Losey,it stars a very young Malcolm McDowell and it boasts a script by co-star Robert Shaw.
The set-up is very existential: 2 men are pursued by a mysterious black helicopter over a rough, desert terrain. We never learn the reasons for any of this or even where it is taking place.The atmosphere of dread is kept at a high level thru-out.
Everything about the film is as stripped to the basics as the title suggests. The men are never given much more than the briefest of backgrounds. But it is precisely this quality of mystery that gives the film its main points of interest. I would certainly like to be able to see it on a larger screen. The helicopter photography is very impressive and the shots of the two figures traversing the inhospitable terrain are striking.
Robert Shaw gives a ferocious performance. Malcolm McDowell's part requires him to be more subdued but he is capable and provides the film's main sympathetic character.
The set-up is very existential: 2 men are pursued by a mysterious black helicopter over a rough, desert terrain. We never learn the reasons for any of this or even where it is taking place.The atmosphere of dread is kept at a high level thru-out.
Everything about the film is as stripped to the basics as the title suggests. The men are never given much more than the briefest of backgrounds. But it is precisely this quality of mystery that gives the film its main points of interest. I would certainly like to be able to see it on a larger screen. The helicopter photography is very impressive and the shots of the two figures traversing the inhospitable terrain are striking.
Robert Shaw gives a ferocious performance. Malcolm McDowell's part requires him to be more subdued but he is capable and provides the film's main sympathetic character.
Oblique, yet gripping thriller
Woodyanders23 February 2016
Rugged maniacal brute MacConnachie (a fabulously ferocious and galvanizing performance by Robert Shaw) and wimpy intellectual Ansell (a sound portrayal by Malcom McDowell) are a couple of escaped fugitives who are on the run in some unspecified foreign country. The pair find themselves being relentlessly pursued by an ominous black helicopter.
Director Joseph Losey makes excellent and inspired use of the harsh, sprawling, and desolate countryside. Shaw's stark and intriguing script eschews pretense and exposition in favor of stripping down the premise to its mean'n'lean existential essentials whereby the plot basically becomes a gritty meditation on survival and the ruthless extremes people will resort to in order to stay alive in a hostile and pitiless world. Shaw and McDowell play off each other exceptionally well as a couple of radically contrasting fellows who are forced to depend on each other so they can persevere through a grueling ordeal that's beyond their control or understanding. Several scenes involving close calls with the helicopter register as quite dangerous and hence are positively harrowing to watch. The striking widescreen cinematography by Guy Tabary, Henri Alekan, and Peter Suschitzky offers a wealth of breathtaking aerial shots. Recommended viewing.
Director Joseph Losey makes excellent and inspired use of the harsh, sprawling, and desolate countryside. Shaw's stark and intriguing script eschews pretense and exposition in favor of stripping down the premise to its mean'n'lean existential essentials whereby the plot basically becomes a gritty meditation on survival and the ruthless extremes people will resort to in order to stay alive in a hostile and pitiless world. Shaw and McDowell play off each other exceptionally well as a couple of radically contrasting fellows who are forced to depend on each other so they can persevere through a grueling ordeal that's beyond their control or understanding. Several scenes involving close calls with the helicopter register as quite dangerous and hence are positively harrowing to watch. The striking widescreen cinematography by Guy Tabary, Henri Alekan, and Peter Suschitzky offers a wealth of breathtaking aerial shots. Recommended viewing.
but what's it all about?
didi-51 February 2004
This movie takes what was a difficult novel to start with (by Barry England) and turns it into a rather odd tale of two men on the run. Robert Shaw wrote the screenplay and stars in this, and as usual is excellent as the tough and slightly unhinged Mac, with Malcolm McDowell in slightly overshadowed support as Ansell. You never really find out why they are running or who from (their pursuers are constantly referred to just as 'them'); but at times the action turns bloody and violent, at other times it is more reflective and quiet.
Joseph Losey's direction gives us the sense of two people lost in an expanse of nothing, which makes the scenes with the helicopter chasing them across country even more powerful. It is just hard to care about these two, without any back story to speak of or any sense of just what or who they are. An ok film and worth watching, but slightly frustrating.
Joseph Losey's direction gives us the sense of two people lost in an expanse of nothing, which makes the scenes with the helicopter chasing them across country even more powerful. It is just hard to care about these two, without any back story to speak of or any sense of just what or who they are. An ok film and worth watching, but slightly frustrating.
Who Are They And Why
ewarn-117 June 2007
Here is another film that has just dropped mysteriously out of sight. Why some movies never make reappearances in these days of DVDs and the internet is just as strange as the whole story that takes place here.
Two guys are on the run in some South American-looking country, their hands tied behind their backs. They are chased and sometimes menaced by a black helicopter, like something out of a conspiracy nut's nightmare. A hopeless situation? Maybe, but the character played by Shaw is so tough, the score is evened up a bit.
As the film progresses, the action grows and so do the questions. Who are they? What country are they in? Why are they there? How can they ever get out? Shaw's character becomes more interesting as the story unfolds, and more enigmatic. Is he insane? A mercenary? An escaped killer? There is always a suspicion you might not find out, but you keep watching anyway.
I read the novel this is based on, it's a great story and written in my favorite style, but the ending is different. I'm waiting to see the film again, looking for a DVD soon.
Two guys are on the run in some South American-looking country, their hands tied behind their backs. They are chased and sometimes menaced by a black helicopter, like something out of a conspiracy nut's nightmare. A hopeless situation? Maybe, but the character played by Shaw is so tough, the score is evened up a bit.
As the film progresses, the action grows and so do the questions. Who are they? What country are they in? Why are they there? How can they ever get out? Shaw's character becomes more interesting as the story unfolds, and more enigmatic. Is he insane? A mercenary? An escaped killer? There is always a suspicion you might not find out, but you keep watching anyway.
I read the novel this is based on, it's a great story and written in my favorite style, but the ending is different. I'm waiting to see the film again, looking for a DVD soon.
a thought provoking film
Tony Rome27 May 2001
The viewer is presented with two characters. These characters are on the run, from a black helicopter that keeps chasing after them. The viewer is not told what there crime is, or if they have committed any crime. They both must fight their way through a rocky, rough, dry desert region. All the viewer gets is little stories from each of these men. We find out about children, a wife, former girlfriends, etc. The men struggle to reach a safe place, almost driving themselves crazy, believing that this is possible. This film is not available on video or disc, and the TV print runs shorter than 110 minutes. There may be a large important part of this film missing. Maybe one day it will be released on tape and disc so that a wider audience can see it. This film really is a good piece of film making.
Definitely worth the wait
fellowdroogie2 June 2005
I spent quite a few pennies to get my hands on this film as it was consigned to oblivion after its brief cinematic release some 35 years ago, and it was money well spent. They certainly don't make them like this anymore. From the off you're thrown into this situation with Shaw and McDowell as two convicts on the run and being pursued by a menacing black helicopter through hostile, mountainous terrain. The aerial cinematography is breathtaking at times, more real than anything you see on the silver screen today, and quite frightening too. The chase becomes personal, with one character hell-bent on destroying the enemy and the other just wanting to escape. It's compellingly brilliant - beautifully shot, in most parts, and well acted. There are some lengthy sequences which the majority of todays directors, and actors, would struggle to pull off without CGI. It does have flaws, most films do, but there are enough positives here and it's a shame it ended up as another of those 'lost' films. Okay we don't find out where they are, although it was shot in Spain, or what crimes they have committed, so what? It's a bloody good film, though I can't help but think, what a film it could have been.
A Rare Classic
penfever9 April 2008
Inspired by the minimalist theater-driven film-making of the period, Figures in a Landscape is much more interesting than its competition (Tomorrow, Losey's own "The Servant). Why? Because of the helicopter, of course!
Robert Shaw, always inspired, is here particularly so, all but frothing at the mouth as he drags his weary carcass over the mountains, from nowhere, to nowhere, until the endless desert itself seems more and more like a stage for their mad performance.
An inversion of the often static fare of the period that still displays serious acting chops. Recommended.
Robert Shaw, always inspired, is here particularly so, all but frothing at the mouth as he drags his weary carcass over the mountains, from nowhere, to nowhere, until the endless desert itself seems more and more like a stage for their mad performance.
An inversion of the often static fare of the period that still displays serious acting chops. Recommended.
Maybe not entirely successful, but still worth a look.
Hey_Sweden9 August 2018
Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell star as MacConnachie and Ansell, too men making an escape across various rural backdrops with their hands tied behind their backs. They may have been imprisoned for crimes of some sort, and now authorities relentlessly pursue them through the countryside. Their most persistent nemesis is a helicopter manned by two people.
Exactly where this is taking place, we never do find out. We don't learn very much about our protagonists, so they both remain something of an enigma. The plot is often stripped to the bare essentials; this is a very existential, interesting action-chase-thriller with a straightforward set-up. Scripted by Shaw himself, from the novel by Barry England, it does give some decent acting showcases to the two stars, and it also puts them through their paces almost non-stop. One can imagine that this must have been quite a gruelling shoot physically.
Shaw and McDowell are very good, under the direction of famous blacklisted filmmaker Joseph Losey ("The Damned", "Accident"). But the real "stars" of the picture have to be the cinematographers (three of them are credited) and camera operators, who impressively capture some truly breathtaking scenery - deserts, forest, snowy mountaintops, etc. To that end, it's appropriate that "Figures in a Landscape" was shot in 2.35:1. It IS a very nice-looking picture.
Exciting and harrowing at times, this is the kind of story that intrigues its viewers by largely leaving exposition out of the picture, and firing their imaginations.
Seven out of 10.
Exactly where this is taking place, we never do find out. We don't learn very much about our protagonists, so they both remain something of an enigma. The plot is often stripped to the bare essentials; this is a very existential, interesting action-chase-thriller with a straightforward set-up. Scripted by Shaw himself, from the novel by Barry England, it does give some decent acting showcases to the two stars, and it also puts them through their paces almost non-stop. One can imagine that this must have been quite a gruelling shoot physically.
Shaw and McDowell are very good, under the direction of famous blacklisted filmmaker Joseph Losey ("The Damned", "Accident"). But the real "stars" of the picture have to be the cinematographers (three of them are credited) and camera operators, who impressively capture some truly breathtaking scenery - deserts, forest, snowy mountaintops, etc. To that end, it's appropriate that "Figures in a Landscape" was shot in 2.35:1. It IS a very nice-looking picture.
Exciting and harrowing at times, this is the kind of story that intrigues its viewers by largely leaving exposition out of the picture, and firing their imaginations.
Seven out of 10.
A great surivalist action drama .....
PimpinAinttEasy5 May 2016
Warning: Spoilers
Dear Joseph Losey,
Figures in a Landscape was a great survivalist action drama set in a hostile mountainous landscape. The film begins with a great tracking shot of two men running along a beach with the fading sun and the high tide in the background. A helicopter follows them in the distance. A great way to start your film. I was hooked immediately. The fact that we do not know what the characters are escaping from and who is tracking them down makes this film very interesting and unique. Though the relentless chase from the sky by the inhuman helicopter clearly underlines who we are supposed to sympathize with. I liked the great sweeping camera moments and the point of view shots from the helicopter (the camera is placed just behind the pilots). The hilarious exchanges between the two escapees (the often indecipherable Robert Shaw and weakly Malcolm McDowell) are as interesting as the action scenes and the location. It is a cruelly underrated and unknown film, Joseph.
Best Regards, Pimpin.
(8/10)
Figures in a Landscape was a great survivalist action drama set in a hostile mountainous landscape. The film begins with a great tracking shot of two men running along a beach with the fading sun and the high tide in the background. A helicopter follows them in the distance. A great way to start your film. I was hooked immediately. The fact that we do not know what the characters are escaping from and who is tracking them down makes this film very interesting and unique. Though the relentless chase from the sky by the inhuman helicopter clearly underlines who we are supposed to sympathize with. I liked the great sweeping camera moments and the point of view shots from the helicopter (the camera is placed just behind the pilots). The hilarious exchanges between the two escapees (the often indecipherable Robert Shaw and weakly Malcolm McDowell) are as interesting as the action scenes and the location. It is a cruelly underrated and unknown film, Joseph.
Best Regards, Pimpin.
(8/10)
Who's at war?
JasparLamarCrabb21 March 2008
Warning: Spoilers
FIGURES IN A LANDSCAPE presents two men escaping from military capture somewhere out in the desert (filmed in Spain) seeking refuge in another, hospitable country. They're endlessly pursued by a helicopter with an unseen pilot, who seems more interested in toying with then than capturing them. It's an exciting, thought-provoking piece of work. Director Joseph Losey has finally made the great ambiguous movie he was shooting for with the like of BOOM! and SECRET CEREMONY. The film is startling in its use of the vast scenery the two men find themselves against. Losey's direction has never been so tightly controlled, with sharp, jarring editing and a creepy, sparsely used score by Richard Rodney Bennett. A huge asset is the casting of Robert Shaw (who also scripted) and Malcolm McDowell as the escapees. They have great chemistry...McDowell's naiveté and neediness working well against Shaw's veteran soldier's gruffness. Shaw has a great speech where he recall's the courtship of his wife during "the war." A thrilling, rarely seen, movie!
A Spanish odyssey
Chase_Witherspoon13 January 2013
While it's existential nature renders the plot largely aimless, the scenery and cinematography that brings that to life is breath-taking, not to mention the agility with which the helicopter - in pursuit of two escaped prisoners Shaw & McDowell - pursues its hapless quarry throughout the rugged Spanish terrain.
Beautifully shot abstract film has Shaw as the bold, vicious and erratic elder prisoner who goads his younger, more refined companion McDowell in the necessary techniques for survival - including murder. It's a two-man show here, and although a supporting cast featuring Christopher Malcolm, Henry Woolf and Pamela Brown is credited, they essentially have none of the dialogue and appear only briefly.
While I found the film picturesque, the landscape vivid and diverse, and the aerial stunt-work impressive, the characterisations were not as well drawn, their theatrical-like dialogue, peppered with soulful monologues reflecting on their civilised life before this ordeal, didn't quite (in my experience) paper over the thin plot and largely organic narrative. I guess that's the point though - less is more - and for a film that offers so much texture in visual displays, and aerial acrobatics of its menacing helicopter protagonist, perhaps the minimalist approach is all that's really needed.
Beautifully shot abstract film has Shaw as the bold, vicious and erratic elder prisoner who goads his younger, more refined companion McDowell in the necessary techniques for survival - including murder. It's a two-man show here, and although a supporting cast featuring Christopher Malcolm, Henry Woolf and Pamela Brown is credited, they essentially have none of the dialogue and appear only briefly.
While I found the film picturesque, the landscape vivid and diverse, and the aerial stunt-work impressive, the characterisations were not as well drawn, their theatrical-like dialogue, peppered with soulful monologues reflecting on their civilised life before this ordeal, didn't quite (in my experience) paper over the thin plot and largely organic narrative. I guess that's the point though - less is more - and for a film that offers so much texture in visual displays, and aerial acrobatics of its menacing helicopter protagonist, perhaps the minimalist approach is all that's really needed.
Beautifully-shot but esoteric journey without a strong narrative pull...
moonspinner5529 May 2017
Joseph Losey directed this handsome but rather ponderous adaptation of Barry England's book about two British soldiers escaping imprisonment in a Latin America country, doggedly pursued by a helicopter armed with a sniper. Screenwriter and co-star Robert Shaw reportedly completed the final draft of the script while the film was in mid-production (he receives sole on-screen credit). Shaw omits the military backgrounds of the characters, instead making the exhausted, griping men an anonymous duo, which has led some to believe this an existential adventure. It certainly has more aerial and explosive action than any other Losey film (the helicopter stunts are often hair-raising), but the men (Shaw and a young Malcolm McDowell) are angry blanks--and this seems entirely deliberate. The dazzling on-location work in Spain of the three cinematographers, Henri Alekan, Peter Suschitzky and Guy Tabary, is worth-seeing, and the picture's puzzling, downbeat finale is intriguing, but this trek from the jungles to the mountains is mostly an unrewarding journey. ** from ****
Slow and endless
Wizard-822 April 2018
"Figures in a Landscape" was a major studio production, but it only got a limited and brief theatrical release stateside, and was pretty much forgotten until it was quietly released on DVD a couple of years ago. It doesn't take long to figure out why the people who held the rights to the movie had such little confidence in the movie finding an audience. I have no idea what the novel that inspired this movie is like, but in this movie, there is very little to make the 110 minute slog particularly compelling. It seems to have been designed to be relatable to any viewer from any country - the country the events of the movie take place in is anonymous, and we learn little about the backgrounds of the two protagonists. But with so little detail, there's little that makes us care about what's going on. As a result, the movie becomes quite boring and just seems to be spinning its wheels again and again. Not everything about the movie is below par, I admit. The photography is good, there are some very scenic locations, and the helicopter stunt work is exciting. But in the end, the movie can be compared to a prettily wrapped-up box that has nothing inside it when you open it.
Metal Vs. Flesh
cultfilmfreaksdotcom12 November 2012
Warning: Spoilers
In a brief encounter with Malcolm McDowell, upon the mention of this particular 1970 film he rolled his eyes in amazement (that such an obscure cinematic curio would be remembered?) and spoke bluntly of his working stint with Robert Shaw – how it was a grueling four month shoot since the very unpredictable actor had a penchant for the bottle
Then McDowell finished with: "But I loved him." Well this sort of love/hate relationship exists between Shaw's coldblooded, experienced MacConnachie and McDowell's naïve yet wily young Ansell
two escaped convicts on the run in an unnamed country. The first thirty minutes have both characters with hands tied behind their backs as they trudge up and down craggy mountainsides like desperate billygoats while a helicopter (described by MacConnachie as "the black skeleton") soars above: playing a hectic game of cat and mice.
Whether hiding behind rocks, entering stealthy into villages, tramping through soldier-saturated paddies or shooting up military compounds, the two "figures" always return to their match against the antagonist copter – more of a meddling crow than bird of prey.
The Arial shots are as gorgeous as the picturesque landscape; the edgy violin score is reminiscent of future suspense films THE FRENCH CONNECTION or THE EXORCIST; and the performances by both (now iconic) cult favorites are topnotch: Shaw with a cunning edge while McDowell slowly loses his sanity.
The actors really shine during sporadic pockets of downtime: The veteran either goading the youngster into becoming more vicious or sharing sullen memories of his dead wife. All timed neatly with the intense action sequences: built around a taut climate of primal perseverance by two men who've become human animals to survive against a metallic one.
For More Reviews: www.cultfilmfreaks.com
Whether hiding behind rocks, entering stealthy into villages, tramping through soldier-saturated paddies or shooting up military compounds, the two "figures" always return to their match against the antagonist copter – more of a meddling crow than bird of prey.
The Arial shots are as gorgeous as the picturesque landscape; the edgy violin score is reminiscent of future suspense films THE FRENCH CONNECTION or THE EXORCIST; and the performances by both (now iconic) cult favorites are topnotch: Shaw with a cunning edge while McDowell slowly loses his sanity.
The actors really shine during sporadic pockets of downtime: The veteran either goading the youngster into becoming more vicious or sharing sullen memories of his dead wife. All timed neatly with the intense action sequences: built around a taut climate of primal perseverance by two men who've become human animals to survive against a metallic one.
For More Reviews: www.cultfilmfreaks.com
Unique
bernie-1225 July 2009
Warning: Spoilers
Alternately baffling, shocking and irritating, this film is remarkable in a lot of ways. It shows that Malcolm McDowell is a really talented actor who went to waste after being typecast as a sleazebag; he never got any decent roles after that.
What's unusual about this film is that we are never given more than scant information about who these guys are, why they are running and from whom, or where on earth this is all supposed to be taking place.
You might think that all this, plus the almost nonexistent plot would make this film supremely forgettable, but this is far from the case. My only complaints were that Robert Shaw's character kept bursting into screaming and cackling fits at inappropriate times and the ending, for me, almost ruined the whole thing. Why did Mac feel he had to try to finish off the helicopter just when he had finally reached safety? Other than that, this is an extraordinary film. I would have given it a 9 except for the above issues.
What's unusual about this film is that we are never given more than scant information about who these guys are, why they are running and from whom, or where on earth this is all supposed to be taking place.
You might think that all this, plus the almost nonexistent plot would make this film supremely forgettable, but this is far from the case. My only complaints were that Robert Shaw's character kept bursting into screaming and cackling fits at inappropriate times and the ending, for me, almost ruined the whole thing. Why did Mac feel he had to try to finish off the helicopter just when he had finally reached safety? Other than that, this is an extraordinary film. I would have given it a 9 except for the above issues.
Best job is done by the helicopter way above the other helicopter.
mark.waltz13 January 2021
Warning: Spoilers
If you like scenes of majestic natural settings, then this is the film for you. The Sierra Nevadas in Granada, Spain makes for a gorgeous cineramic view that must have been stunning on a big screen and even on a big TV in widescreen is certainly resplendent. Unless you've read the book, you are never aware that the two escaped prisoners played by Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell were British soldiers in an unknown country, but here, you just see them as handcuffed men managing somehow managing to get out of their cuffs, gain some weapons and end up in a less mountainous region where they are chased by a black helicopter and eventually a group of soldiers resulting in some fierce gun battles.
During The quiet moments between the two, they reveal little about themselves in their infrequent conversations and some of these sequences are completely silent, only on occasion interrupted by a musical background. it's interesting to see the helicopter being filmed from above by obviously another helicopter, and at one point, that helicopter seems to be shooting at the other one. a lot of ground catches on fire during the film so it is obvious that much of the lush greenery you see was destroyed or greatly damaged.
Shaw and McDowall pretty much need to just react to everything going on around them, so they are basically figures in a war game rather than characters you can empathize with. Exhaulted director Joseph Losey's presence indicates that this was more of an art experiment than one destined for big box office so perhaps you can catch the metaphors. As for this writer, I enjoyed what mountainous scenery they show as well as the action, but somehow the point of it all escaped me.
During The quiet moments between the two, they reveal little about themselves in their infrequent conversations and some of these sequences are completely silent, only on occasion interrupted by a musical background. it's interesting to see the helicopter being filmed from above by obviously another helicopter, and at one point, that helicopter seems to be shooting at the other one. a lot of ground catches on fire during the film so it is obvious that much of the lush greenery you see was destroyed or greatly damaged.
Shaw and McDowall pretty much need to just react to everything going on around them, so they are basically figures in a war game rather than characters you can empathize with. Exhaulted director Joseph Losey's presence indicates that this was more of an art experiment than one destined for big box office so perhaps you can catch the metaphors. As for this writer, I enjoyed what mountainous scenery they show as well as the action, but somehow the point of it all escaped me.
wahet ever happened to this movie?
rbbbb16 July 2002
I saw this movie for the first and last time on Dutch television in the late 70's / early 80's. I was 9 or 10 years old at that time. I remember it gave me the creeps. Especially the helicopter... that could show up at any time. This film has been in my head for a long time (not remembering the title) Since I know the title (recently) i can't wait to see the movie again but unfortunately this films isn''t available on tape or DVD. I wonder what happened to it and i would like to ask anyone involved in making this film to blow the dust from the original print and release it very soon. Then I can judge the film again and maybe come to the conclusion that it is a terrible movie after all ;-)
Rob (The Netherlands)
Rob (The Netherlands)
If you don't have a great story, it's a failure!
RodrigAndrisan2 February 2019
It's always a pleasure to see Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell, both great excellent actors. Joseph Losey was himself an exceptional director. But this
"Figures in a Landscape" is boring, has no salt, it has no pepper, it's incredible, repetitive, monotonous. Only 2 stars, one for each, for Shaw and Malcolm, only for their presence and their effort.
A Vague, Odd But Interesting Existential Allegory
Afzal-s200716 December 2007
Figures In A Landscape could never be more than a minor work. And I can't see it being made in any time other than the 1970's. It is existential, Beckettian. Two escaped men make an attempt to escape to a bordering country, pursued by a black helicopter with a malevolently playful pilot, and faceless soldiers on the ground directed by him. Along the way, they encounter some villagers, but mostly they are on their own, coping and not coping with escape. Robert Shaw plays the older, gruffer, working class Mac, McDowell is the young, higher class Ansell. But though they at first seem to play to type, this does not prove to be the case.
I personally think there should be more odd films like this. There is a real interesting sense of humour and character study contained within the script, and evinced by the acting. The performances by Shaw (who also wrote the script) and McDowell are excellent. Shaw seems at first a gruff, experienced older tough guy, but soon reveals a very strange underside, and McDowell is wonderful as the young, confused, hunted Ansell. Moreover, Losey's direction is stunning, and a brave departure from the suffocating interiors of his more typical films like The Servant (even though there are some horrors in the editing). But, at the same time, I also feel that Figures In a Landscape is too vague in its allegory.
I personally think there should be more odd films like this. There is a real interesting sense of humour and character study contained within the script, and evinced by the acting. The performances by Shaw (who also wrote the script) and McDowell are excellent. Shaw seems at first a gruff, experienced older tough guy, but soon reveals a very strange underside, and McDowell is wonderful as the young, confused, hunted Ansell. Moreover, Losey's direction is stunning, and a brave departure from the suffocating interiors of his more typical films like The Servant (even though there are some horrors in the editing). But, at the same time, I also feel that Figures In a Landscape is too vague in its allegory.
Disappointing experience
Rodrigo_Amaro2 September 2021
"Figures in a Landscape" had plenty of chance to develop and become a great film but it fails to become so due to its insistence in making the
audience having to figure everything for themselves. This is a movie where nothing is answered and when we have to fill in the blanks about who are the
characters, where they are and why they are running from a mysterious black helicopter that follows them the duo Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell while
crossing the desert of an unspecified country. The source novel establishes they're soldiers on a South American nation but writer Robert Shaw left
everything for us to solve and in a movie as simplistic as this one such idea doesn't work at all, less mystery would benefit more the story and it would
help director Joseph Losey's direction.
I was intrigued and fascinated by both characters even though they barely speak and spend the majority of the film hancuffed and running all the time while surviving in the wilderness, amazingly photographed by Henri Alekan, Guy Tabary and Peter Suschitzky. You'll be mesmerized by the locations and also the way the helicopter sequences were filmed. Shaw plays the smart and dangerous one while McDowell plays the introspective and timid prisoner, and for reasons unknown they were the ones who escaped prison and are on the run against a persistent helicopter that follows through long distances.
The settings coming from a sort of "The Defiant Ones" retelling works for quite some time but as the movie progresses the more it finds itself lost in emptiness, lack of a higher purpose and meaning and after a certain time we are bored, restless and far from being helpful of seeing a good movie. It's not the worst, it has plenty of qualities (the acting is fairly good and there are inspired moments) but it's weak and undeserving of its talents. You can skip "Figures in a Landscape" without reservations. 5/10.
I was intrigued and fascinated by both characters even though they barely speak and spend the majority of the film hancuffed and running all the time while surviving in the wilderness, amazingly photographed by Henri Alekan, Guy Tabary and Peter Suschitzky. You'll be mesmerized by the locations and also the way the helicopter sequences were filmed. Shaw plays the smart and dangerous one while McDowell plays the introspective and timid prisoner, and for reasons unknown they were the ones who escaped prison and are on the run against a persistent helicopter that follows through long distances.
The settings coming from a sort of "The Defiant Ones" retelling works for quite some time but as the movie progresses the more it finds itself lost in emptiness, lack of a higher purpose and meaning and after a certain time we are bored, restless and far from being helpful of seeing a good movie. It's not the worst, it has plenty of qualities (the acting is fairly good and there are inspired moments) but it's weak and undeserving of its talents. You can skip "Figures in a Landscape" without reservations. 5/10.
The Bird has Come for its Prey...
James_Bond_007_2188 July 2005
Based on the novel of the same name by Barry England, and directed by Joseph Losey, Figures in a Landscape stars Robert Shaw and Malcolm McDowell as two convicts on the run.
The film takes place in an unnamed Latin American country where the two men fin themselves constantly followed by a menacing black helicopter that attempts to gun them down. As they try to evade the helicopter, they stop for rest and nourishment, meeting people along the way that share the same contemptuous nature towards the mysterious powers that be. During these moments, they share information about their lives with one another becoming more human. We never know what crimes they have committed or why the helicopter is after them, but their fate is eventually clearly revealed.
Figures in a Landscape is an interesting film and is a very rare film to come across.
If you are interested in purchasing a copy on VHS, I may be able to help. Please send an e-mail to: RobertShawFansite@hotmail.com Colour/110 minutes/1970
The film takes place in an unnamed Latin American country where the two men fin themselves constantly followed by a menacing black helicopter that attempts to gun them down. As they try to evade the helicopter, they stop for rest and nourishment, meeting people along the way that share the same contemptuous nature towards the mysterious powers that be. During these moments, they share information about their lives with one another becoming more human. We never know what crimes they have committed or why the helicopter is after them, but their fate is eventually clearly revealed.
Figures in a Landscape is an interesting film and is a very rare film to come across.
If you are interested in purchasing a copy on VHS, I may be able to help. Please send an e-mail to: RobertShawFansite@hotmail.com Colour/110 minutes/1970
Two convicts running since unknown sea shore to nowhere!!
elo-equipamentos17 December 2019
Looking the past when I was so young my early thoughts of cinema was at embryonic stage, Figures in a Landscape belong at this phase, it's surprise me, two convicts escaping since the seashore, passing by a dry land through of the mountains, valleys and rivers, pursued by a black helicopter, fighting against the Army on the ground, burning crops of sugar cane until they reach on the border at high freeze mountain, Joseph Losey won't make this movie, however needing money has no choice, Robert Shaw helps to developing the screenplay, previously planned to shooting at Morocco, it was quickly changes to Spain where the weather conditions was mild, a movie of two characters only, may us can introduce the helicopter as the third, there aren't a single explanation what is all about indeed, just an escapes of a point to nowhere, an imaginary country, just one info they are British inmates, fabulous and unusual picture!!
PS: I'd found it better on 1984 than now!!!
Resume:
First watch: 1984 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8
PS: I'd found it better on 1984 than now!!!
Resume:
First watch: 1984 / How many: 2 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 8
I quite liked it...
rachaeljanerobinson5 January 2015
Warning: Spoilers
I quite like this film but I think other reviewers may have missed the point. There's no need for us to know where this is set as it could in fact, be anywhere and it need not even be in this reality.
We're looking at the volatile interaction of three main characters two of whom seem to be two sides of the same person - Mac a probable psychopath with utterly twisted morals, the seemingly weak but rational and sympathetic Ansell and the catalytic helicopter.
The star of this show is undoubtedly the black helicopter endlessly and seemingly mindlessly track or perhaps even herd the protagonists into an area where they can be captured or killed.
The chopper is like a cat, playing with a mouse (life) without actually killing its victim. The gunman on the chopper is seen smirking as the helicopter threatens Ansell on the mountainside. The helicopter could in fact be death or something else like the balancing agent between rational and irrational thoughts.
I don't think this film gets the exposure it deserves. It's definitely worth a look.
We're looking at the volatile interaction of three main characters two of whom seem to be two sides of the same person - Mac a probable psychopath with utterly twisted morals, the seemingly weak but rational and sympathetic Ansell and the catalytic helicopter.
The star of this show is undoubtedly the black helicopter endlessly and seemingly mindlessly track or perhaps even herd the protagonists into an area where they can be captured or killed.
The chopper is like a cat, playing with a mouse (life) without actually killing its victim. The gunman on the chopper is seen smirking as the helicopter threatens Ansell on the mountainside. The helicopter could in fact be death or something else like the balancing agent between rational and irrational thoughts.
I don't think this film gets the exposure it deserves. It's definitely worth a look.
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