It's definitely worth viewing, but does it deserve a second watch. Considering this film is part of the cult genre, it has a straightforward plot. Similar stories typically have a heavy amount of mystery and often spiral into horror by the end. Split Image.......not so much.
The first three acts do a fine job of establishing the theme. The simplistic journey we are taken on is not too dissimilar to what we've seen before in these types of plots. I think this honest approach to cultic mind control is very intriguing as it gives the viewer a more accurate glimpse into communal living that is a reality. It was especially familiar to viewers in the early 1980s, after a decade of cults being in the headlines.
The reason that the film falls short for me is basically the same reason that it may excel for other viewers. Where others like the toned down evil rhetoric so that we get a more realistic view of nonfictional cult behavior, I sort of feel that the lack of a legitimate threat disconnects me from the conclusion. There's always a possibility for harm to befall the protagonists, but it isn't looming......it isn't creepy......it's not life-threatening. James Woods is the creepiest character in the film(as usual)! Again, this may be the brilliance of the film for many.
The film being a study of "control", it's important that the last act leaves no question in the mind of the viewers as who is the final victor. The battleground is the mind and independence of Danny(& Amy). He must defeat any desire to be Joshua, but must also find the "Real" Danny.
I think if the last act(last 20 minutes) would have been slightly different, this film could've jumped 2-3 points for me. It could do this without betraying its narrative. As Danny begins to settle back into his former reality, he is surprised to learn that Charles(J. Woods) is trying to convince his parents (E. Ashley & B. Dennehy) to release his story to the public. A family argument ensues after Kevin(Dennehy) asks Charles to leave. Danny's mother is coming down heavy on him. Danny grabs his mother and Dad threatens Danny. There is a heavy atmosphere of hopelessness that begins to change the viewers opinion of the parents......."Maybe Danny would be better off with the cult." I like this scene because it displays that the parents desire to control Danny and it calls into question if they really care about him as much as they think they do. The last scene of the parents are the two of them staring out at the pool mumbling some jibberish......I don't like that. They should have been on site when Danny stood up to Neil(P. Fonda). In fact, Charles(Woods) should have been present as well. This climax would have of improved the film. When Neil slaps Danny it is out of his frustration to control him(Neil basically gave into his carnal image and sinned.) Danny is the victor! He controls himself. He and Amy run away together. It would have been so much better if Danny's parents were left behind also as the two go running and laughing to freedom from those that want to control them.
The icing on the cake would be Charles(Woods) and Neil(Fonda) having words that gave us some insight of why Charles hated him so much. Maybe a glimpse into a backstory. Even have a few of the cult followers not reentering the van after witnessing Neil's outburst, Danny's concerned parents, Charles's personal testimony of why Neil is dangerous and the scene of Danny and Amy running happily away. That would have stuck, and could have been so climatic that I might would watch the film a second time.
The first three acts do a fine job of establishing the theme. The simplistic journey we are taken on is not too dissimilar to what we've seen before in these types of plots. I think this honest approach to cultic mind control is very intriguing as it gives the viewer a more accurate glimpse into communal living that is a reality. It was especially familiar to viewers in the early 1980s, after a decade of cults being in the headlines.
The reason that the film falls short for me is basically the same reason that it may excel for other viewers. Where others like the toned down evil rhetoric so that we get a more realistic view of nonfictional cult behavior, I sort of feel that the lack of a legitimate threat disconnects me from the conclusion. There's always a possibility for harm to befall the protagonists, but it isn't looming......it isn't creepy......it's not life-threatening. James Woods is the creepiest character in the film(as usual)! Again, this may be the brilliance of the film for many.
The film being a study of "control", it's important that the last act leaves no question in the mind of the viewers as who is the final victor. The battleground is the mind and independence of Danny(& Amy). He must defeat any desire to be Joshua, but must also find the "Real" Danny.
I think if the last act(last 20 minutes) would have been slightly different, this film could've jumped 2-3 points for me. It could do this without betraying its narrative. As Danny begins to settle back into his former reality, he is surprised to learn that Charles(J. Woods) is trying to convince his parents (E. Ashley & B. Dennehy) to release his story to the public. A family argument ensues after Kevin(Dennehy) asks Charles to leave. Danny's mother is coming down heavy on him. Danny grabs his mother and Dad threatens Danny. There is a heavy atmosphere of hopelessness that begins to change the viewers opinion of the parents......."Maybe Danny would be better off with the cult." I like this scene because it displays that the parents desire to control Danny and it calls into question if they really care about him as much as they think they do. The last scene of the parents are the two of them staring out at the pool mumbling some jibberish......I don't like that. They should have been on site when Danny stood up to Neil(P. Fonda). In fact, Charles(Woods) should have been present as well. This climax would have of improved the film. When Neil slaps Danny it is out of his frustration to control him(Neil basically gave into his carnal image and sinned.) Danny is the victor! He controls himself. He and Amy run away together. It would have been so much better if Danny's parents were left behind also as the two go running and laughing to freedom from those that want to control them.
The icing on the cake would be Charles(Woods) and Neil(Fonda) having words that gave us some insight of why Charles hated him so much. Maybe a glimpse into a backstory. Even have a few of the cult followers not reentering the van after witnessing Neil's outburst, Danny's concerned parents, Charles's personal testimony of why Neil is dangerous and the scene of Danny and Amy running happily away. That would have stuck, and could have been so climatic that I might would watch the film a second time.