First of all, let me say I'm a William Wyler fan -- while not being a "genius", he worked in a great variety of genres with passion, boldness and superior craftsmanship. He got us used to expecting first-rate films; because of that, "The Collector" is ultimately rather unsatisfying. It's not bad, of course but it's a long shot from WW's huis clos masterpieces like "These Three", "The Letter", "The Little Foxes", "The Heiress" or "Desperate Hours".
"The Collector" is at least half an hour overlong. The plot has become predictable after 40 years of so many films about psychopath serial killers and the screenplay is underdeveloped in terms of potential conflicts and twists. The music here is crucial due to the little amount of dialogue and the building of a growingly desperate atmosphere and Maurice Jarre's music simply lacks inventiveness and thrilling power, it's just ineffective -- the film asked for a score in the line of Bernard Herrmann to fill up the action. The cinematography of masters Krasker and Surtees is luxurious instead of stifling. The clash between Stamp's and Eggar's acting styles doesn't help their characters: Stamp goes "Method" while Eggar stays realistic, though they both look extremely attractive in their mid-20s.
All that said, this movie will be a nice choice for a rainy evening, although one has, through the years, been given the right to expect more from champ Wyler. My vote: 6 out of 10.
"The Collector" is at least half an hour overlong. The plot has become predictable after 40 years of so many films about psychopath serial killers and the screenplay is underdeveloped in terms of potential conflicts and twists. The music here is crucial due to the little amount of dialogue and the building of a growingly desperate atmosphere and Maurice Jarre's music simply lacks inventiveness and thrilling power, it's just ineffective -- the film asked for a score in the line of Bernard Herrmann to fill up the action. The cinematography of masters Krasker and Surtees is luxurious instead of stifling. The clash between Stamp's and Eggar's acting styles doesn't help their characters: Stamp goes "Method" while Eggar stays realistic, though they both look extremely attractive in their mid-20s.
All that said, this movie will be a nice choice for a rainy evening, although one has, through the years, been given the right to expect more from champ Wyler. My vote: 6 out of 10.