DVD Release
An American architect is hired by a very rich man in England for a job but it turns out to be a lesson in genealogy instead as she slowly becomes aware that her family tree has very deep roots indeed.
You can’t ignore the talents of Katherine Ross or Sam Elliot for that matter in this darkly, sinister horror/thriller. It has its roots in the occult but the story really works in this case and it has a certain sense about it. There are some very memorable scenes in this film, like Roger Daltrey (lead singer of The Who) a chicken bone, a nurse and a tracheotomy. Really it’s worth a watch for some of these scenes alone but the movie as a whole is extremely well done. The tension is palpable and the English countryside makes isolation a real factor in it. The mansion is gorgeous with room upon room (including hidden passages) that feels labyrinthine at times and there is an indoor swimming pool that somehow seems so inviting, yet creepy. Add the beautiful buildings in the small, quaint town and you really feel far away from it all. The beauty of this flick is its creepiness. This all adds to the mystery that is well played out in this film. This film almost seems like the end of an era in this style of film making. Minimal on gore, though there is some but lots of atmosphere. The camera work has some really interesting angles and views with sweeping shots included. The look of this film unlike many of its contemporaries is not all dark. It has class, great actors abound and the director’s sense of style totally fits this tale. This director later made Jagged Edge, another film where he shows his undeniable predilection for suspense.
This well written story and Katherine’s acting seal the deal. Maggie’s character is sympathetic and of course you just want Sam Elliot to win. As a real life couple playing the pair in this film, their acting is totally natural and you really do believe them. You want them to be okay. Charles Gray as the German Karl is really kind of creepy and his character always made me uneasy as I watched him. In fact many of the characters in here made me uneasy and Nurse Adams is the creepiest of them all, adeptly played by Margaret Tyzack. I pretty much consider this classic suspense a must see if you love the genre.
For lovers of the atmospheric style of the seventies I don’t think you’ll be disappointed I think it’s one of the quintessential Satanic tales from that era. It has a leisure pace to it that some might find slow but all the while it’s dropping its clues for you to follow and follow I always do no matter how many times I watch it.
