Review of Pretty Poison (1968) by Mike S — 21 Feb 2010
PRETTY POISON is a solid little film starring PSYCHO's Anthony Perkins. I had long been wanting to see Perkins in something other than the PSYCHO films, and he didn't disappoint at all in a role that is different from Norman Bates.
The strength of PRETTY POISON is the chemistry that is shared by the film's two leads, Perkins and Tuesday Weld. As the plot goes on and becomes more intricate and twisted, it doesn't become the least bit difficult to follow, and Perkins and Weld help to keep the viewers' attention throughout. Their characters' relationship is a very odd one, and it comes off as quite interesting and is really quite memorable, mainly for how odd it actually is, but also because Perkins and Weld are extraordinary in their roles.
Director Noel Black does a fine job of crafting this film, opting for a minimalist approach over something overblown and overdone. PRETTY POISON is a fairly low-key film, but it works here. It's excellently shot, with Black opting for more ordinary surroundings for his characters in an effort to show just how truly over-the-top they both are, even in spite of the grounded performances of Perkins and Weld, which only accentuates this point.
PRETTY POISON is an excellent film, one of the best I've seen in a while.
This review of Pretty Poison (1968) was written by Mike S on 21 Feb 2010.
Pretty Poison has generally received positive reviews.
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