Horror Shorts: Don't Look Now
Considered to be one of the best films in British
history, Don’t Look Now is a slow burn thriller that keeps us wondering whether
something supernatural is going on or not. Based on a story by Daphne du
Maurier (famous for Rebecca and The Birds), the film is the story of British
couple John and Laura who, after the tragic death of their daughter, go to
Venice to work on a church. A pair of women who claim to be psychic and
sightings of a small figure in a red coat that matches the one their daughter
wore have them questioning whether she could still be with them.
The film is very
elegant and slow paced, only reaching its thrilling conclusion near the very
end. The dark, maze-like streets of Venice form an atmospheric setting, full of
weird noises, dead ends and a mysterious murderer. As the main couple, Donald
Sutherland and Julie Christie’s love and frustration feel quite real, while the
psychic sisters keep us guessing on whether they are up to something or not
until the very end. It is a film that plays with perceptions.
Don't look now plays with the concept of predestination, with visions from the future leading us to question whether everything is preordained or whether we can change fate. The colour red is a recurring symbol throughout the film. Water and reflections are another strong theme. The film is very artistic and beautiful and plays with symbolism and an eerie soundtrack rather than the jump scares and gore many modern films utilise. Strangely, it was panned at the time of its original release and only later came to be considered a modern classic. It is definitely a film that can be watched over and over again.
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