In looking up Mia Farrow's cinematic slew on IMDb, it struck me how it must suck to go from playing fully-realized characters in the 60s and 70s with real names like Rosemary Woodhouse and Daisy Buchanan, to the nondescript "Granny" she's billed as now. (Then again, at least the actress is still working.)
It's a great pleasure to see her in her prime (just a couple of years after doing the classic Rosemary's Baby), discovering another side of her ability, in the essentially unknown British gem, See No Evil (aka, Blind Terror). I wasn't aware of this film until recently, when doing a set visit on the A Nightmare on Elm Street remake, one of the filmmakers mentioned the movie as inspiration. Now that I've seen the correct version of Blind Terror (the alternate title See No Evil is emblazoned on my copy), I have to say I have no clue as to how it could have influenced the look or feel of a Freddy Krueger story… but I'm intrigued. Without any supernatural aspect, dream sequences, or past trauma haunting a character's sleep, See No Evil is a straight ahead gothic chiller and sports a very stiff British upper lip.
See No Evil starts building apprehension and tension right from the opening frames, as it focuses on an ominous pair of cowboy boots and follows them as they walk and stalk. Low camera angles are exquisitely framed, enhanced by seamless dolly work, ambitious crane shots, super-wide masters, and extreme, claustrophobic close-ups. Farrow's character, Sarah, is recently blind, and so there are lots of looks into her unseeing eyes and terrified expressions — she's boyish beauty personified, but she can also act properly overwrought and it's a pleasure to behold. (Thank goodness the DVD is available in widescreen with lavishly restored color and pin-drop perfect sound!)
Aside from the accomplished woman in front of the camera, there's a lot to like about the men behind it. As I watched the story unfold, it reminded me a bit of another little-known UK made spine-tingler, And Soon The Darkness …. and sure enough, both films share the same screenwriter, Brian Clemens. See No Evil is directed by Richard Fleischer, who, by 1971, had already an impressive body of work (and would go on to do much, much more in a variety of genres). The music (Elmer Bernstein) and editing (Thelma Connell) are spot-on perfect as well, but as far as I'm concerned, the real superstar of this movie is cinematographer Gerry Fisher. His potent command of the visual — from slow and steady, to wild and disoriented — is awe-inspiring.
Even though the action takes place in modern day, there's an old-fashioned gothic feel to the suspense… but to say a lot about the plot, or to lament the somewhat disappointing finale, would be doing a disservice to the film — and to you, if you haven't seen it yet. The less-known the better. See See No Evil and enjoy!
= = =