Starring: Katharine Ross, Sam Elliot, Roger Daltry, John Standing, Ian Hogg, Margaret Tyzack, Charles Gray.
Director: Richard Marquand.
Picked this up today on a whim as well. I feel like I've heard of it, but I don't really know when or in what capacity. Looks neat enough. There's a kitty on the box. The credits say Sam Elliott is in it. So, let's go for it, shall we?
Wow, so, Sam Elliott's Mustache is clearly some sort of an immortal being and clearly the source of his power. In fact, I don't think there IS a Sam Elliot: this is only the mustache. Now, and forever.
This is VERY Seventies. It's kind of delightful.The credit sequence of Hippies Katharine "I bleed, do you bleed" Ross and Sam Elliott milling about England on their Motorcycle while flower child music dips along is just fantastic stuff. I do love that it does one of my favorite things older movies do: quick set-up (they love each other and have some weird job), montage of them having fun, and then the credits are over and the plot kicks right in. No fuss, no muss.
England does seem like a nice place, except for the evil that always happens there in horror movies. This is why I don't travel much: horror films have me convinced that my next vacation will almost certainly end in me being killed by something: after all, how many horror films have the set-up of "Person goes someplace unfamiliar and gets screwed with."
Katharine Ross was really radiant, though. That bright, shiny face and engrossing eyes and bewitching smile. I mean, by saying "was" I mean in this film: not saying she isn't still radiant. Actually, her outfits in this movie: it always amazes me to watch old movies and see how styles come back around. She could literally step into any movie today and you wouldn't think anything of it.
Speaking of things coming back around (or rather not changing): Sam Elliot is kind of an asshole, as most Men are in horror flicks. He hurts himself in the shower (I mean, HE gets a shower scene and not Ross? The Seventies were NUTS), his Wife (Girlfriend?) comes in concerned-after he called out to her, mind you-and he basically just yells at her that he's fine and she needs to stay away from the class.
How is it that I haven't seen this before? It utilizes one of my favorite set-ups: Couple ends up at a country manor with a bunch of people who are obviously keeping secrets-there is obviously some sort of nefarious supernatural scheme afoot-and find themselves kind of out of their element. I love those tropes.
Is there any wit better than the dry, british version? One character is mocking the others-telling how all of them started from humble beginnings and became successful-and one of them says "Yes, we all achieved our wildest dreams." Then one of the old british guys says: "Except Clive: He wanted to be a proper british gentleman!" It's not a great line, but the dry delivery just made me crack up. I honestly don't know why.
The first kill was simple but effective. Somehow the swimming pool water turns solid, trapping her inside, and she drowns. It was the simplest thing. I dug it. It really worked well.
I love seventies action music. Wickita-wickita-wickita-wickita-bwow-bwow-bwow...but, seriously, you gotta love two leads who will punch servants and steal horses to get away from a situation that find mildly annoying and slightly sinister. They are charming leads, I gotta say.
How many ways can they say "Sam Elliot, you're totally doomed because you're unnecessary" before he catches on?
Really great choking death! I'm very impressed. All the death scenes have been pretty rad, actually. Elliot is bringing some nice intensity to his interactions, too. Everyone is offering some strong performances here, actually. Charles Gray is trying a little too hard to Brando, but it's cool.
There is such a simple. seventies elegance to all of this: it's definitely a classy movie. Elliot brings some wonderful smoldering intensity, the plot is pretty direct and basically a fun locked door horror movie. It's understated in a lot of ways, and actually pretty engaging.
I'm honestly surprised that Elliot isn't dead yet. We're likely well into the last act and I was certain he'd go at least at the beginning of the end, but he's still here returning rifle fire with a crossbow, as you would expect Sam Elliot to do. There's a lot of cool shit in this movie. I still think there was something of a crossed wire when it came to horror vs. action in some ways...or maybe they just wanted to do something rad with it. Not a bad climax, truth be told.
I think when I die, I'm going to gather six people and make 'em fight it out over my legacy, too. I mean, said Legacy is gonna be,like,forty bucks and a collection of horror movies, but it'd be funny. The rings could be ring-pops or something.
Huh. Interesting ending. No twist or anything just...happy with Satan, I guess? Works for me.
Final Thoughts: This is clearly something of an underrated flick. The fact that I hadn't really heard of it means it just doesn't get the respect it deserves. It's by no means a classic, especially compared to a lot of the great work to come out of that era, but it's definitely an enjoyable little locked door Satan movie that knows what it wants to do pretty well and manages to execute it in a strong and competent manner. The two leads are excellent throughout, the plot maintains an elegant simplicity, and while the intrigue doesn't quite last throughout-a somewhat awkward second act kind of slows down the proceedings-it manages to never be boring. Strong stuff. Wish I'd seen it sooner.
Final Rating: Three Stars.
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