Reviews

Slow, but properly measured pace for this story. The Lovecraft material was taken seriously and the production mirrors the mounting feel of rot and gloom in the story. Quite good and worth a watch.

I disagree with most critics of this film. Is it Lawrence of Arabia? No. But it is well put together, if not original. Wagner is fine as a middle-aged professional. If the health and police were as efficient as they are portrayed in this film, we should be happy.

This is a better film than I expected. It was as good as I hoped. While I won't call it a masterpiece, it is definitely a B+.

Some think it drags. It does not. There are no long speeches and the dialogue is for the most part well-suited to the situation.

The realism here is impressive as is the detail. It doesn't look cold. It was cold. The interior scenes were shot in the cold to maintain verisimilitude and I for one appreciated that.

The character of John Ruth is melodramatic almost to the point of being cartoon-like. That is the one serious flaw I find with the writing. The narrative flashback to explain the setup is a bit out of place, but the choice not to begin at the beginning was the right one.

See it in 70mm if you can. The high resolution is impressive, especially obvious when faces are in view.

This film seems to be an attempt to write a screenplay that copies the feel of Touch of Evil. But it has insufficient acting, writing, directing and technical skills devoted to it. What results is a poor film-noir knock off. Particularly irritating are its lighting and sound track. Fill lighting is provided by bounce cards which are unsteadily held and too small to cover the subjects. The sound is both muddy and distant.

Others have commented about Tati's artistry and his sense of humour. I won't add to that.

One thing that many seem to miss is the physical setting for virtually the entire film, which is in and around international-style architecture. Tati continually pokes fun at it, demonstrating how inhumane much of it is in practice. Although idealistic and pure in some sense and appreciated for that (consider Philip Johnson's Glass House in New Canaan), it is often better looked at or visited than lived in.

From one viewpoint, the entire film can be seen as a criticism of that architectural school. It may be the only film that concentrates its energy on architectual criticism.

John Mortimer has a slightly wicked sense of humour, well demonstrated in this superbly written and acted work. Not likely to be enjoyed by the non-literate or younger adult, but a treasure for the middle-aged parent. Humor, conflict, sex and mystery are all here in pleasing proportion.

Gielgud plays a randy, pseudo-socialist grandfather. His character and lines allow him to steal the show. Susan Fleetwood as mother and grandaughter gives a standout performance as well, overshadowed only by Gielgud's wonderful material and skills.

Great television is alive and doing well in Britain. It is sad that so few people have had a chance to see this work. It appears to be unavailable for purchase. Those fortunate enough to have made a copy when it ran on PBS, please share it with your friends.