Boasting possibly THE most unbelievably convoluted - yet singularly ingenious - plot of any psychological horror flick ever released, this Swedish thriller-chiller has proved [now that I've finally watched it in full, having done the old 'walking in halfway through it from the pub' trick several months earlier] to be one of my most pleasantly surprising viewing experiences within recent memory. In fact, it's brilliant.
Filmed and spoken entirely in English [and in the case of my copy, confusingly subtitled in Spanish] it cleverly pits noted local talents Max Von Sydow, Per Oscarsson and Liv Ullmann against revered expat Brits Rupert Davies, Andrew Keir and the less-well-known but no less convincing Jim Kennedy: Gretchen 'she was in bloody everything back then' Franklin and the great Trevor Howard [playing a grumpy copper for what wouldn't be the last time over the ensuing twelve months] round off what is undeniably one of the finest ensemble casts of the early 70s per se, and the entire central conceit of the plot is one that really DOES have to be seen to be believed. Trust me, within half an hour, you'll be going "how the bloody....oh come on, he doesn't REALLY, does he?" But yes, amazingly, he does. Well, you know what they say, willing suspension of disbelief and all that {"I'm not having anyone staring in disbelief at MY willy suspension!!" - Rowan Atkinson, 1989]
Trust me, if I gave any more away, you'd be laughing out loud already. But, all joking aside, THE NIGHT VISITOR really is an impressive piece of work: if you want to see a near-perfect juxtaposition of evocative locations, sublime photography, deft acting and nail-biting suspense, set to a storyline which really stretches the law of BISSITS [Because It Says So In The Script] to the utmost limits of credibility, then this is the film for you. And, Brucie bonus, it's aired quite regularly on Talking Pictures TV over the last year or so: as a result, it's now a lot easier to see than once 'twas, although sadly only in its hoary old VHS format. DVD and blu, anyone? Or are there perhaps rights issues at play? Either way, watch it: it's quite the journey [literally, in the case of one character] and stands up to many repeat viewings. In fact, it demands them.
Despite the recent proliferation [polite word for 'overkill'] of 'dark detective dramas' set in the Arctic Circle, Scando genre cinema still doesn't get nearly enough respect. However, on this showing, I think maybe it's time I broke that barrier and investigated further. I shall report back with my findings in due course...
Filmed and spoken entirely in English [and in the case of my copy, confusingly subtitled in Spanish] it cleverly pits noted local talents Max Von Sydow, Per Oscarsson and Liv Ullmann against revered expat Brits Rupert Davies, Andrew Keir and the less-well-known but no less convincing Jim Kennedy: Gretchen 'she was in bloody everything back then' Franklin and the great Trevor Howard [playing a grumpy copper for what wouldn't be the last time over the ensuing twelve months] round off what is undeniably one of the finest ensemble casts of the early 70s per se, and the entire central conceit of the plot is one that really DOES have to be seen to be believed. Trust me, within half an hour, you'll be going "how the bloody....oh come on, he doesn't REALLY, does he?" But yes, amazingly, he does. Well, you know what they say, willing suspension of disbelief and all that {"I'm not having anyone staring in disbelief at MY willy suspension!!" - Rowan Atkinson, 1989]
Trust me, if I gave any more away, you'd be laughing out loud already. But, all joking aside, THE NIGHT VISITOR really is an impressive piece of work: if you want to see a near-perfect juxtaposition of evocative locations, sublime photography, deft acting and nail-biting suspense, set to a storyline which really stretches the law of BISSITS [Because It Says So In The Script] to the utmost limits of credibility, then this is the film for you. And, Brucie bonus, it's aired quite regularly on Talking Pictures TV over the last year or so: as a result, it's now a lot easier to see than once 'twas, although sadly only in its hoary old VHS format. DVD and blu, anyone? Or are there perhaps rights issues at play? Either way, watch it: it's quite the journey [literally, in the case of one character] and stands up to many repeat viewings. In fact, it demands them.
Despite the recent proliferation [polite word for 'overkill'] of 'dark detective dramas' set in the Arctic Circle, Scando genre cinema still doesn't get nearly enough respect. However, on this showing, I think maybe it's time I broke that barrier and investigated further. I shall report back with my findings in due course...
statistics: Posted by Wyngarde — 3:09 AM - Today — Replies 0 — Views 81