Review of The Conversation (1974) by Jess K — 20 Mar 2011
No other filmmaker has had or probably will have as successful a decade as Francis Ford Coppola in the 1970's. Even a quick, low key character drama completed between cinematic masterpieces (Godfather Part I & II) is executed as a suspenseful, innovative, paranoid thriller.
Rather than relying on a solid lead performance, interesting and evolving characters, or a even taut, twisting story, The Conversation is almost entirely built through sound editing. The sounds, the way they are uncovered and how they impact the viewer's understanding of the film's pivotal scene, make this film worth seeing.
As a narrative, Coppola pulls off an astonishing feet in placing the single most important event directly at the beginning of the film and revisiting it throughout, changing its meaning with very listen, until the very end.
It's only due to the strength of Coppola's other 70's work that The Conversation could possibly become forgotten.
This review of The Conversation (1974) was written by Jess K on 20 Mar 2011.
The Conversation has generally received very positive reviews.
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