Dreadful film....
I watched this one on cable earlier this evening. I hadn't seen it years, and it was even more dreadful than I had remembered.
One of Dunaway's worst performances ever.
yea it's bad
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MovieChat Forums > Eyes of Laura Mars (1978) Discussion > Dreadful film....
It´s a deeply silly film, but I suppose one can find it at least somewhat enjoyable in some trashy little ways; in these regards, it plays a lot like an Argento or a Verhoeven movie - with the exception that it seems to take itself far more seriously than something like Suspiria or Basic Instinct. I can very well live with plots that don´t make a whole lot of sense, but when it all comes with additional loads of poor acting and consistently preposterous dialogue that rivals the likes of Glen Or Glenda in the unintentional hilarity department, all the while striving to be "deep" in its psychology & social commentary... that´s a more serious problem. Apparently, Tommy Lee Jones got to ad-lib some of his monologues which turned out a highly unfortunate choice by Kershner because, in a film full of mangled language, he has the worst of it by far (he also seems to have been a terribly bland and boring actor when he was younger, based on this and Rolling Thunder). And, although the gist of Eyes´ problems lies firmly in the writing, Kershner´s uninspired direction doesn´t really do anything to improve the overall effect - not that there was any reason to expect as much from a guy whose best known directorial achievements consist of stuff like Empire Strikes Back & Never Say Never Again. What this sort of story would have needed, is someone like the DePalma in charge of thinks to inject some badly needed humor, playfulness and visual imagination. Eyes looks like something right up his alley.
But, I guess in the end the film does kinda sorta work as a window to the late-70´s chic in all of its decadent glory and, although terribly cliched not to mention convoluted, it´s never really dull. The score occasionally even strikes a few right notes to inspire a semblance of emotional resonance. 5,5-6/10.
"facts are stupid things" - Ronald Reagan
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There's something about it that makes me wish it was better than it was because it has the makings of an absolute classic. I'm not saying it's bad (heck, it's quite good, I gave it a 7/10) but it constantly seems to be lacking something. I'm not sure if it's the fact that Dunaway's performance starts off a little bit shaky (though improves vastly as the film progresses) or that the climax doesn't have enough backing or plot behind it, but it always seems to get really close to being chilling and brilliant and then slips into absurdity. I appreciate that some of the comedy is intentional and I aceept that some elements of it are somewhat satirical but it's almost like it's not a complete film. Another 20 minutes or so would probably have added enough to make it brilliant.
Having said that, I'm doing a dissertation on horror film audiences and their relation with horror films and this film is an absolute goldmine in that respect. The direction really is special.
This film has always been a bit of an anomaly.
When I first saw it as a kid I thought it was awful and wonderful. And today, it hits me exactly the same way.
Yes, it's got a crass, urban-sleaze vibe a la the late-'70s, which is both its weakness and its strength.
It's a definite period piece, and its perverse advertizing was almost prescient (Benetton, anybody?) but the identity of the killer was and is much too obvious much too early.
EYES is missing something, and that lacking made the then jaw-dropping kinkiness less acceptable at the time. But, ultimately, despite the elements that don't entirely work, the overall film just does somehow.
Film critic Janet Maslin said about it at the time, "...It's the cleverness of EYES that counts, cleverness that manifests itself in superlative casting, drily controlled direction from Irvin Kershner, and spectacular settings that turn New York into the kind of eerie, lavish dreamland that could exist only in the idle noodlings of the very, very hip..."
And George Lucas hired Irvin Kershner to direct THE EMPIRE STRIKES BACK on the strength of EYES OF LAURA MARS.
There's something about it that makes me wish it was better than it was because it has the makings of an absolute classic.That's pretty much it.
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>>> There's something about it that makes me wish it was better than it was because it has the makings of an absolute classic.
Totally agree.
It should be against the law to use 'LOL'; unless you really did LOL!
understatement of the year.
It had a lot going for it, I'll give it that. 70s new York looks great, the POV killer cam is a cool gimmick, and the direction is impressive in parts. But it just didn't work for me: boring and predicable until the last 15 minutes, cheesy, no suspense/shocks/scares. Twist ending wasn't that shocking considering there are about 4 characters. Oh yeah, bad music and a poor ending.
A generous 4/10
You can't be right all the time idiot. One of my favorite adult thrillers.
shareI think Faye Dunaway was very good in this. But all story a little bit ridiculous, although parts with Laura's fears were interesting, reminded me Dario Argento's films.
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