32 out of 36 people found the following review helpful:

Look Now!

JimH from Cambridgeshire, 9th February, 2004

If you haven't then do, if you have then do so again. Watching this film is to watch a master at work, Nick Roeg knits together time strands and imagery that challenge the viewer and produce a truly pioneering film. Defying us to categorise this film Roeg has not made a classic horror or thriller, "Don’t Look Now"’s horror is internalised and only becomes horrific when seen as a whole. Don’t expect a building sense of horror, instead experience tension a plenty and a continuous and uncomfortable sense of doom.

A psychological examination of intense and ongoing grief set within a strained relationship and the claustrophobic back routes of Venice. Don’t Look Now could easily have suffered from style over substance, but, although Roeg could give David Lynch a few pointers in the surreal, the actors manage an incredible depth of emotion that forces the viewer to care about them. Donald Sutherland is on top form and the heart wrenching opening scene will leave even the hardened viewer contemplating the unfairness of life and the love of a parent. And the oft commented on sex scene; this really should be compulsory viewing for all new directors... this is how it should be filmed, people.

Although "Don’t Look Now" is rated and ranked highly by just about every critic, and rightly so, this film is not easy viewing. A must see to complete your personal top 100, but not sure the average viewer will rank it in their top 10.

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17 out of 19 people found the following review helpful:

Do Look Now

lindsayg from Strathclyde, 2nd February, 2004

The words 'a classic thriller' have been so desperately overused that you may not believe me. But this is.

For all its claims to be terrifying, I'm afraid it's not (or not anymore, anyway). But it's well woven together, with characters you'll believe in, and a setting (out of season Venice) which is genuinely unnerving.

I found myself unable to just switch off and walk away, so I immediately watched the DVD's extras; a short documentary (which is actually rather well done and very interesting) and trailer (which gives away the ending), and even flicked through a couple of the indexed scenes. By that point, I'll admit, I had had enough...

Overall this film manages to be two things at the same time. It's a fascinating piece of film making, which anyone with an interest, or who works in the business, will find themselves picking over again and again. And at the same time, it's a terrific story, well told, strongly acted, and lovely to look at. Gosh.

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17 out of 20 people found the following review helpful:

A film to watch - in other words, do look now!.

A Customer from Wales, 5th August, 2004

This a film that requires, but rewards, close watching. It?s a film really about coincidence and fate, about the significance of little things in the greater course of lives, and whether, with hindsight, events are predestined or, well, just accidental.

It is not a horror film or thriller in any conventional sense, but it does makes effective use of a semi-deserted, out-of season Venice to create an edgy and disquieting, atmosphere. Against this backdrop, a young couple are forced to revisit the loss of their young daughter by an eccentric pair of middle aged ladies, one of whom claims to be blessed with second sight, and to have seen their dead child sitting happily with her parents as they dined.

The events that flow from this (or perhaps this meeting is just a preordained part of events already in flow) build with an increasing sense of doom towards the bitter-sweet conclusion.

The parents are exceptionally well played; the sceptical, existentialist Sutherland contrasted with the eager-to-believe, open-minded Christie. Frequently at odds, they nevertheless convey brilliantly the minutiae of a genuinely loving couple drawing comfortably together again after the emotional withdrawals occasioned by their bereavement. I believe the pair were actually having an off-screen affair at the time, and this could well explain the natural cosy intimacy they convey on-screen.

The film makes use on occasion of a non-linear style, with scenes often inter-cut. There are also frequently repeated visual motifs. And this in a sense makes the whole film constructed a bit like a puzzle, where you can see all the pieces of a jigsaw, but can?t quite understand how they fit together, or what the picture is. It is only at the very end, once the conclusion is know, that you can think back over the film, and everything that has gone earlier suddenly makes sense, and all the pieces fall into place.

But it?s still up to the viewer to decide if events are in some way mystically preordained, or all our lives are simply buffeted along a course by accident and coincidence.

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10 out of 16 people found the following review helpful:

Don't watch now!

stuart3 from Oxon, 9th June, 2004

I was very disappointed with this film, it was very slow and very dated, this normally would not have stopped me watching the whole movie, but the soundtrack is extremely poor, it causes speaker distortion and in places is hard to actually hear the speech.

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Time has not been kind

bazm from , 15th March, 2010

I saw this on general release 30 odd years ago. I rented this after my recent first trip to Venice. Time has not been kind to this film but even that can't account for the appalling quality of the soundtrack, overblown and clipped to the point of distortion through out. Perhaps I'm more critical now (or was it that films in the 70s were generally poor). The acting is wooden, the camera very dodgy (slow jerky panning and shaking). Some shots I like such as the reflections in the water but a lot reminded me of my dads holiday 8mm films! Best to avoid and keep the memories intact.

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I had to look

spaceagemessiah from , 31st January, 2010

The fashion of the period is well depicted I can't believe i used to dress the same, only the second film I have watched from this director and he really does have his own style, I wish that I hadnt read the review of this film in my book '1001 films you must see before you die' because it totally spoilt it for me.Still an interesting film to see probably much better if you just watch it.

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A Dark Delight

Peter1980 from , 6th January, 2010

'Don't Look Now' is Nic Roeg at his absolute best. Chilling performances by Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie make this a superb film with some amazing photography. A must-see for all film lovers.

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