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Post by morrisondylanfan on Mar 29, 2021 18:39:38 GMT
Hi all,having seen it over the weekend,I was wondering what do you think of Wait Until Dark (1967)? Thanks. 
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Post by mikef6 on Mar 29, 2021 18:56:43 GMT
A wonderful movie. I saw it multiple times when it was released, taking any number of people to see it on different occasions. I own it on DVD and watch it as least once a year. A triumph for Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin. This was a major break for Richard Crenna who was trying to get out of his typecast as a TV sit-com actor. And, of course, when has Jack Weston been anything but welcome in any cast. As for Efrem Zimbalist Jr., let's just say I am happy that he gets sent off on business early and doesn't return until late. You might say that "Wait Until Dark" has a lot to answer for because of its (in)famous "audience scream" moment which is still being used 53-years-later in every slasher movie ever made. But I let the movie off the hook because it intended just this one big thrill this one time and could not have predicted how tiresome it would become. To be explicit: when you think the killer is dead and it is all over he suddenly jumps back up alive. A thriller with real heart and soul and a strong woman protag well before they became more numerous. Susie Hendrix, world champion blind lady. Roat: May we have weapons on the table? Talman: May we have Geraldine on the table? Roat: No, we may not. Talman: Why the hell not? Roat: Because she's the referee. [snorts a laugh]  |
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Post by Isapop on Mar 29, 2021 19:00:45 GMT
You might say that "Wait Until Dark" has a lot to answer for because of its (in)famous "audience scream" moment which is still being used 53-years-later in every slasher movie ever made. But I let the movie off the hook because it intended just this one big thrill this one time and could not have predicted how tiresome it would become. To be explicit: when you think the killer is dead and it is all over he suddenly jumps back up alive. I love this movie, and I was just about to comment on the same thing. And I venture to say that "Wait Until Dark" was the first movie to pull that stunt, which, as you say, became an oft repeated gimmick.
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Post by OldAussie on Mar 29, 2021 19:41:38 GMT
a literal JUMP scare.
Most enjoyable. Audrey great. Arkin even greater.
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Post by timshelboy on Mar 29, 2021 19:45:39 GMT
Yes - 8/10 very strong thriller - one of two good ones Audrey bowed out on (TWO FOR THE ROAD as good)
I think Lee Remick did it on stage to great reviews but obvs Hepburn a bigger name, There was a 4/10 TV version from 1982 with Katharine Ross.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Mar 29, 2021 21:15:26 GMT
A wonderful movie. I saw it multiple times when it was released, taking any number of people to see it on different occasions. I own it on DVD and watch it as least once a year. A triumph for Audrey Hepburn and Alan Arkin. This was a major break for Richard Crenna who was trying to get out of his typecast as a TV sit-com actor. And, of course, when has Jack Weston been anything but welcome in any cast. As for Efrem Zimbalist Jr., let's just say I am happy that he gets sent off on business early and doesn't return until late. You might say that "Wait Until Dark" has a lot to answer for because of its (in)famous "audience scream" moment which is still being used 53-years-later in every slasher movie ever made. But I let the movie off the hook because it intended just this one big thrill this one time and could not have predicted how tiresome it would become. To be explicit: when you think the killer is dead and it is all over he suddenly jumps back up alive. A thriller with real heart and soul and a strong woman protag well before they became more numerous. Susie Hendrix, world champion blind lady. Roat: May we have weapons on the table? Talman: May we have Geraldine on the table? Roat: No, we may not. Talman: Why the hell not? Roat: Because she's the referee. [snorts a laugh] A great post Mike. As the credits rolled, it hit me that 90% of the film had taken place in one location,but I never got the feeling of it being "stage-bound", thanks to Terence Young bringing his skill for staging suspenseful Action set-pieces,to the Thriller (after earlier doing Charade (1963), cinematographer Charles Lang teamed-up with Hepburn again here, with the splinters of light coming from the blinds heightening the tension.) On "That ending",I can see why WUD is used as a prime example of the " Hitchcockian Thriller" (De Palma attempted for years to make the "Mission Impossible meets Wait Until Dark" Terrordome, which got stuck in development.)
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Post by bravomailer on Mar 29, 2021 21:47:06 GMT
To be explicit: when you think the killer is dead and it is all over he suddenly jumps back up alive. Yes. Tiresome now but it worked very well then. The scene became part of the word of mouth supportive of the film. Roat is one of the great bad guys in film. And Jack Weston and Richard Crenna do well cast again type as his goons. "I let them do it their way, right up to the very end. And then, topsy-turvy. Me topsy and them turvy."
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Post by mikef6 on Mar 29, 2021 21:58:09 GMT
Yes - 8/10 very strong thriller - one of two good ones Audrey bowed out on (TWO FOR THE ROAD as good) I think Lee Remick did it on stage to great reviews but obvs Hepburn a bigger name, There was a 4/10 TV version from 1982 with Katharine Ross. Yes, you referred me to the video of the Ross play, performed at some university with Stacy Keach as Roat and I thank you for it. What I learned was that although the movie follows the play's story almost point for point, all of the dialog has been rewritten and compacted so the film is about 30 minutes shorter than the play. The play script is quite talky. To paraphrase a famous line from "Amadeus," there are too many words. Further, Keach takes Harry Roat, Jr. from Scarsdale in a very different direction which might not appeal to lovers of Alan Arkin's Roat.
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Post by timshelboy on Mar 29, 2021 22:07:39 GMT
Yes - 8/10 very strong thriller - one of two good ones Audrey bowed out on (TWO FOR THE ROAD as good) I think Lee Remick did it on stage to great reviews but obvs Hepburn a bigger name, There was a 4/10 TV version from 1982 with Katharine Ross. Yes, you referred me to the video of the Ross play, performed at some university with Stacy Keach as Roat and I thank you for it. What I learned was that although the movie follows the play's story almost point for point, all of the dialog has been rewritten and compacted so the film is about 30 minutes shorter than the play. The play script is quite talky. To paraphrase a famous line from "Amadeus," there are too many words. Further, Keach takes Harry Roat, Jr. from Scarsdale in a very different direction which might not appeal to lovers of Alan Arkin's Roat. Yes it was serviceable no more - I couldn't even recall who played Roat. The obscurity value was through the roof though and I'm a Ross completist so was glad to see it. Shame that site still out of action. Off topic but if you or anyone else can point me towards a subbed or dubbed version of her 74 LE HASARD ET LE VIOLENCE/CHANCE AND VIOLENCE/THE SCARKET ROOM with Yves Montand I'd be grateful   
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Post by bravomailer on Mar 29, 2021 22:32:13 GMT
There was a film with a very similar premise called See No Evil (1971) with Mia Farrow.
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Post by timshelboy on Mar 29, 2021 22:37:08 GMT
THE SPIRAL STAIRCASE 46 and MUTE WITNESS are good disabled women in peril thrillers.
THE NEXT VICTIM, (an episode of TV series THRILLER but sold as a movie in USA) and EYE OF THE CAT feature respectively Carroll Baker and Eleanor Parker menaced in wheelchairs
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Post by Isapop on Mar 29, 2021 22:47:06 GMT
And give due credit to Henry Mancini's masterful score - eerie and suspenseful.
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Post by bravomailer on Mar 29, 2021 23:23:55 GMT
Hi all,having seen it over the weekend,I was wondering what do you think of Wait Until Dark (1967)? Thanks. Reminds me of this scene in Charade (1962). 
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Post by politicidal on Mar 29, 2021 23:57:06 GMT
Excellent thriller with a great climax. 9/10.
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Post by morrisondylanfan on Mar 30, 2021 3:14:44 GMT
Yes, you referred me to the video of the Ross play, performed at some university with Stacy Keach as Roat and I thank you for it. What I learned was that although the movie follows the play's story almost point for point, all of the dialog has been rewritten and compacted so the film is about 30 minutes shorter than the play. The play script is quite talky. To paraphrase a famous line from "Amadeus," there are too many words. Further, Keach takes Harry Roat, Jr. from Scarsdale in a very different direction which might not appeal to lovers of Alan Arkin's Roat. Yes it was serviceable no more - I couldn't even recall who played Roat. The obscurity value was through the roof though and I'm a Ross completist so was glad to see it. Shame that site still out of action. Off topic but if you or anyone else can point me towards a subbed or dubbed version of her 74 LE HASARD ET LE VIOLENCE/CHANCE AND VIOLENCE/THE SCARKET ROOM with Yves Montand I'd be grateful Hi Tim,I've been searching round for LE HASARD ET LE VIOLENCE. Sadly,no current sign of a dubbed/subbed print, but I might be able to get hold of a the film (without subs or dub.)
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Post by timshelboy on Mar 30, 2021 8:46:04 GMT
Yes it was serviceable no more - I couldn't even recall who played Roat. The obscurity value was through the roof though and I'm a Ross completist so was glad to see it. Shame that site still out of action. Off topic but if you or anyone else can point me towards a subbed or dubbed version of her 74 LE HASARD ET LE VIOLENCE/CHANCE AND VIOLENCE/THE SCARKET ROOM with Yves Montand I'd be grateful Hi Tim,I've been searching round for LE HASARD ET LE VIOLENCE. Sadly,no current sign of a dubbed/subbed print, but I might be able to get hold of a the film (without subs or dub.) but I'll hold out for a subbed/dubbed one - Some movies I can watch without but this a thriller and plot points likely to be missed. I caught the French Language version of PIGALLE ST GERMAINE DES PRES (1950) last week - its a swing musical set in a nightclub so dialogue not really a major factor. The English language release came on the back of Jeanne Moreau's success in LES AMANTS - trailer for this version - rechristened NO MORALS  - on youtube
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Post by timshelboy on Mar 30, 2021 9:29:35 GMT
Apols for going way OT but I think classic fans should be told! - Here's NO MORALS trailer - Looks like we get 1958 "porn" inserts!!!! I don't recall all that lingerie in the version I watched last week - I described film as a "swing musical" above  . Damn - now I have to add the subbed NO MORALS to my WANTED list! 
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Post by TheOriginalPinky on Mar 30, 2021 11:36:19 GMT
Wonderful thriller! Great cast! It keeps you on your toes. Arkin was great as the maniacal killer.
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Post by Isapop on Mar 30, 2021 11:52:34 GMT
As for Efrem Zimbalist Jr., let's just say I am happy that he gets sent off on business early and doesn't return until late. Absolutely. I just wish I could replace him with another actor. In his small early scene we only need one thing from her husband - that we believe he really, really loves her. Instead, Zimbalist only comes across as a cold, stern father, more suited for James Dean's daddy in "East Of Eden".
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Post by mattgarth on Mar 30, 2021 12:38:49 GMT
Yes - 8/10 very strong thriller - one of two good ones Audrey bowed out on (TWO FOR THE ROAD as good) I think Lee Remick did it on stage to great reviews but obvs Hepburn a bigger name, There was a 4/10 TV version from 1982 with Katharine Ross. And Robert Duvall portrayed 'Roat' in the original stage play opposite Lee Remick.
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- on youtube 
. Damn - now I have to add the subbed NO MORALS to my WANTED list!
