Don't Look Now (1973)

A married couple grieving the recent death of their young 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) (as Alan Scott)

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.

---

Plot Keywords:

sex scene | female frontal nudity | venice italy | murder | church | 

---

Taglines:

Pass the warning.

---

Genres:

Drama | Horror | Thriller

---

Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

UK Italy

Language:

English Italian

Release Date:

January 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Inverno de Sangue em Veneza

Filming Locations:

"The Canals", Venice, Veneto, Italy

Box Office

Budget:

$1,500,000 (estimated)

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

Adelina Poerio was cast as the fleeting red-coated figure after Nicolas Roeg saw her photo at a casting session in Rome. Standing at only 4'2" tall, she had a career as a singer.

---

Goofs

When John climbs the scaffold, the camera follows him from the priest and up to the top of the church and he has gloves on the entire way. However, when the camera briefly switches from him to the workers below and back to him, his gloves are gone and do not return for the rest of the scene.

---

Quotes

Heather: Fetch him back! Let him not go!

---

Connections

Referenced in Das Superweib (1996)

---

Soundtracks

Lu Primmo Ammore
(uncredited)
Traditional
Arranged by Giorgio Gaber, Umberto Simonetta and Enrico Vaime

User Reviews

A classic in every sense of the word.

I think it is bad luck that "Don't Look Now" was released in the same year as "The Exorcist", or else this might be a better known and more appreciated one of a kind masterpiece.

"Don't Look Now" is an horror movie but not one like you would expect it to be. It isn't a movie that scares you with some scene's, it is a movie that gets into you and just won't let go and builds up a nightmare like tension. The atmosphere is fantastic and gives the movie a haunting feeling. Venice really works as the perfect backdrop for this movie. The best movie set in Venice ever? Even though there aren't any scary sequences in the movie, the ending is really horrifying, it really freaked me out the first time I saw it, I think 5 years ago. On my second viewing, not too long ago I was prepared for the ending but it still was a very scary thing to watch!

The storytelling might seem slow but it works perfect for the movie and its tension. There are some brilliant moments in the movie that all come together once the ending approaches. The editing and cinematography are perfect, as are the performances by the cast.

And what is a decent comment without mentioning the famous love scene? Ah yes, the love scene, it really is one of the best love scene's ever. It is brilliantly filmed and even more brilliantly edited. Quite Stylish, as is the entire movie.

This classic masterpiece certainly deserves more recognition!

10/10

http://bobafett1138.blogspot.com/