Review of Don't Look Now (1936) by Roger T — 20 Mar 2011

This is a very highly regarded supernatural thriller, but it didn't thrill or chill me. I really like the "psychological horror" subgenre: "Is something otherworldly really occurring, or is it in the character's mind?" but I felt that the creepy things needed to be more focused and compact. "Rosemary's Baby" is one of my all time favorites - is that only as chilling or diffuse as I make it, or did Polanski pull something off that Roeg didn't?

It's interesting to see a film of the 70s packed with old artsy symbolism (red, water) and match-cuts that are rarely used these days (or maybe more subtly). It's also amusing to see one of those "gratuitous sex scenes" so self consciously thrown in and ostensibly cooled down with arty (pointless?) editing to scenes of the characters getting dressed afterwards.