Rating: 
Summary: Play that Funky Jazz White Boy....
Review: Clint Eastwood made an impressive directorial debut with 1971's Play Misty For Me. He plays a popular Carmel, California disc jockey named Dave Garver who keeps getting requests to ' play Misty for Me" (as in Errol Garner classic Misty)--from an extremely sexy voiced female listener. After a fight with his girlfriend Tobie (Donna Mills), D.J. Dave meets Evelyn (Jessica Walter) in a singles type bar. She's the woman who's been requesting Misty. They wind up in bed with the understanding it's not going to lead to a relationship. But Evelyn is a very disturbed and psychotic woman. Even when Dave patches things up with Tobie, Evelyn won't leave him alone. Yes, you might call this the original Fatal Attraction. It's a much better film though. Eastwood's Dave Garver is a Smooth Operator, a selfish womanizing cad. It's worth noting that Eastwood the director does not give Eastwood the actor vanity project type starring roles. Often he plays quirky, somewhat dark and flawed characters in the film's he directs. While his DJ character in Misty doesn't deserve an almost murderous psychotic woman stalker in his life, he is certainly partly responsible for how the situation began. In contrast, the character Michael Douglas plays in Fatal Attraction is mostly exonerated of wrong doing when he is portrayed by a psycho. Several scenes are almost identical in both films (both women wind up slitting their wrists as a ploy for sympathy and understanding). . Family values are over-emphasized in the ridiculously overly political correct Fatal Attraction. Play Misty for Me is not a perfect film and there's a couple of awkward sequences that simply don't work at all in the film, but Eastwood recovers from such scenes and makes some very good, and mature directorial choices as the film progresses. In a nutshell: Eastwood's performance is a little stiff and un-even; Carmel locations are beautifully photographed; there's a scene set at the real Monterrey Jazz Festival, The taught direction, the beautifully photographed Carmel locations ; a scene set at the real Monterrey Jazz festival, Jessica Walter's harrowing, memorable performance and the tasty jazz on the soundtrack more than make up for Eastwood's un-even performance. Roberta Flack's The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face quickly moved to the top of the charts after the film was released (it's featured in the film). Look fast and you'll see director Don Siegel appearing as a bartender. In fact the story is that the first scene Eastwood shot as a director was the one with Siegel (who directed Eastwood in some of his best films including Dirty Harry, Escape from Alcatraz, Coogans Bluff and the Beguiled.) and supposedly after 11 takes he then told the cameraman to put film in the camera. The idea for the script was by a former Malpaso production company secretary (Jo Heims) which was turned into the shooting script by Dean Riesner who worked on the Rawhide tv series and Coogan's bluff. Eastwood finished the film ahead of schedule and about $50,000 under budget. ON DVD Play Misty for Me is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. The film does show some tell-tale signs of it's age and there are a few noticeable blemishes and visible grain on the print. The colors look slightly over-saturated in a style that's more late 1940's then 1970's but it's a very warm intentional look. As with most 1970's films, close-ups in particular are not crisply detailed and have a slight soft focus look to them. This is often the fault of older film-stock. Black levels have been adjusted but some blacks appear grayish during night scenes and colors get washed out. Over-all this DVD version of the film is much improved over previous video versions, with sharpness increased and graininess decreased throughout it's presentation. Yes the audio on the disc is presented in 2.0 mono. It is one of the best sounding mono-soundtracks I've ever head and the Monterrey Jazz Festival sequence sounds so clear and crisp it's as if it was in stereo. There's very little distortion or noise. Some of the dialogue was obviously looped and has a different sound quality in some scenes than in others but that has to do with how it was originally recorded. This was a very low budget film remember.
Rating:
Summary: Eastwood's Debut Behind The Camera
Review: Clint Eastwood made his directorial debut with this 1971 suspense/thriller, "Play Misty for Me," in which he also stars as Dave Garver, a late night radio disc jockey for a small station in Carmel, California. During his show, he opens the phones to take requests, at which times a frequent caller-- a woman named Evelyn (Jessica Walter)-- always asks for the same tune, "Misty." Her obsession, it turns out, is not with that particular record, but with Garver, who is currently sorting out a relationship gone bad with a young artist, Tobie (Donna Mills), but which may be on the mend in light of the fact that Tobie has just returned to town after a lengthy absence in the wake of their breakup. In the interim, Garver has become entangled with Evelyn, a fan he soon discovers gives new meaning to the term "fanatic." Eastwood invades Hitchcock territory with this film, which it turns out was indeed a harbinger of the course his career would take from this point on, that of directing and starring in his own movies. With this one, it's apparent that he had that special touch from the beginning; he knows unequivocally what he likes, what works and how to deliver it. The only weakness in the film (if you can even call it a weakness), would be the use of longshots during a couple of scenes between Garver and Tobie that take place on the coast. It adds a scenic vista for a backdrop, but listening to the dialogue with the actors in the distance gives it a dialogue-added-later feeling. It's a minor flaw, however, that takes nothing away from the overall impact of the film, especially as Eastwood establishes a deliberate pace that allows the tension to mount throughout. It would seem that for an actor to direct himself would be a monumental undertaking, especially the first time, but Eastwood proves here what has been corroborated over the years and with his films since, that he is his own best director. And it's a club to which few actor/directors belong, which puts him in the elite company of Welles, Branagh and most recently, Ed Harris (with "Pollock"), just to name a few of the select. As Garver, a minor celebrity whose biggest fan turns out to be his worst nightmare, Eastwood is thoroughly convincing, and though this may not be one of his most memorable roles, it is certainly well acted, and delivered with that subtle Eastwood charm. Jessica Walter combines just the right amount of beauty, charm and menace for her role of Evelyn, which just may be her most memorable performance ever. She creates a character who is smoothly confident, if slightly vulnerable, and prone to instantaneous bursts of psychotic anger. It's an honest portrait of an extremely disturbed individual with the ability to conceal the true nature-- and danger-- of her mental state. Exceptionally well realized by Walter, Evelyn could be the older sister of Stephen King's Annie in "Misery," a role for which Kathy Bates received an Oscar for Best Actress some twenty years after Walter inhabited the body of Evelyn. The supporting cast includes John Larch (Sergeant McCallum), Jack Ging (Frank), Irene Hervey (Madge), James McEachin (Al Monte), Clarice Taylor (Birdie) and Don Siegel (Murphy). A film that will have you on the edge of your seat by the end, "Play Misty for Me" withstands the test of time and works every bit as well today as when it was originally released. A tale from the dark side, it's engrossing entertainment that may give you second thoughts about that casual acquaintance you've just invited to your house for dinner. Eastwood chose a perfect setting for his film, using one of the most beautiful spots along the California coast as a background against which to contrast the grisly events of the story. It all adds up to a wild ride for the audience, and an auspicious debut for Eastwood as the Man Behind the Camera.
Rating: 
Summary: Still suspenseful after all these years!
Review: Clint Eastwood starred and directed this '1971 fatal attraction.' Eastwood is a late-night DJ that has one fan that just can't get enough of him. The film is based on a true story of a women stalker whose flair-ups are scarier than Glenn Close in Fatal Attraction. Watching this film I found myself wishing she would just go away. She drove me crazy! The character of Evelyn Draper was develop and portrayed very well by Jessica Walker. She is very suffocating and what a temper. The way Walker stalks Eastwood would frighten anyone! There's enough suspense for any viewer. It's not the caliber of Fatal Attraction (#15 on my Top 20 Films), but if Fatal is the benchmark, and there are a lot of similarities like, girl meets guy in bar, girl stalks him, girl cuts her wrists, the restaurant scene, man's regret for crossing the line and the confrontation. What's the best line in the movie? When Eastwood turns to the police sergeant McCallum and said, "what she needs is psychiatric help," and McCallum replies, "really!" Play Misty for Me is an excellent film. This film is rated R, due to graphic violence and sex.
Rating:
Summary: Classic Film
Review: Clint Eastwood stars and makes his directorial debut in one of
the best thrilers of the 70's. Eastwood plays Dave Garland a night jazz DJ Who has penchant for womanzing gets involved with a
woman who is a big fan of his radio show and keeps requesting the
classic tune "Misty" almost every night. Everything was innocent
when they first met at dave's faverite bar then after one night of passion Dave decides to break off the affair not knowing this
woman has delvloped quite a fixation him and makes his life one
living nightmare. Everything from showing up at his home at
unusual hours tauntiing him over the phone slashing up his housekeeper and nearly stabbing him in bed. The ending was a blast when dave goes one on one with the psycho after finding out she has his girlfriend held hostage. After being cut several times with a knife dave give her a solid right cross to the face that sends the woman over the guard rail falling to her death over rocks and water. Clint Eastwood does a remarable 2 jobs
in both acting and directing you can see clearly why the man is legend in contemporay filmmaking.
Rating:
Summary: Stylish thriller
Review: Clint Eastwood stars as radio disc jockey Dave who has an obsessed fan named Evelyn (Jessica Walter). She calls the station every night and asks Dave to "play 'Misty' for me." They meet and have a one-night stand, and then Dave is ready to return to his old girlfriend, Tobie (Donna Mills). Evelyn has other plans, however. Obsessed with Dave, she begins stalking and threatening him.
"Misty" was quite a unique thriller back in 1971 (It was the inspiration for the movie "Fatal Attraction") and is still effective today. The story is believable, intense, and fast-paced, with a few very violent moments that are guaranteed to make you jump. Walter is outstanding as the deranged woman, Eastwood is convincing as the sexy DJ, and Mills does a good job as his romantic interest. The movie was filmed in lovely Carmel with its secluded beaches and crashing surf, and features the song, "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face."
This was the first film that Eastwood directed and it is really good. The DVD has some very interesting commentaries by the three stars. I recommend it to those who like romantic thrillers with mature stars, a compelling script, and lots of creepy atmosphere.
Rating:
Summary: The Original Fatal Attraction
Review: Done before Fatal Attraction and done better by Eastwood. Unfortunately, this film has not withstood the test of time as well as Fatal Atraction albeit the 70's slang, clothing, music, etc. Still, one feels much more sympathetic with Eastwood's character then Michael Douglas because he doesn't have a wife and child in tow. I remember seeing this when it first came out as well as another great film that Eastwood starred in: The Beguiled. Play Misty for Me is a great thriller for a Saturday evening. Check it out!
Rating:
Summary: Talk About Your "FATAL ATTRACTIONS"
Review: Eastwood may be the star but Jessica Walter has a field day as one really loony lady! So much of this film parallels the Michael Douglas/Glenn Close hit that the viewer might consider their movie a REMAKE. That said, the movie is worth a look if only to compare the two. An added plus is the use of Roberta Flack's "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" during a romantic moment between Eastwood and Donna Mills. I don't remember anything like that in "Fatal."
Rating:
Summary: The First Time Ever I Saw This Film
Review: Eastwood stars and directs this psycho/stalker thriller about a radio DJ who has what he thinks is a no-strings attached sex encounter with one of his callers (who always says "Play 'Misty' for me" when she calls him up, hence the title) which turns out to be more than he bargained for. The movie kept me on the edge of my seat, and despite (or maybe because of) the hysterical performance of Jessica Walter as the woman scorned, it did manage to create and sustain a mood of suspense. One thing: what the heck were the two montage sequences doing in the film? They were so out of place and really detracted from the atmosphere. The movie could've really done without them, although I didn't mind seeing a nekkid Clint Estwood pawing away at a nekkid Donna Mills in a forest while Roberta Flack sings in the background. Classic scene: psycho-woman Jessica Walter gets into one of many fights with Eastwood's character and screams at him "You're nothing! You're not even good in bed! I just felt sorry for you!"
Rating:
Summary: Makes Me Misty
Review: Eastwood's debut film is rich in horror and in scenery. As he follows and anticipates the wake of destruction wrought by a narcissictic sociopath, the director/actor captures California's Monterey Peninsula in all of its pristine beauty. Jessica Walter puts Glenn Close to shame as a gal who won't hear "no" (Evelyn Draper). Eastwood is perfectly distant as the anti-establishment jazz-radio DJ, Dave Garver. The best jazz music of the early 70s, along with Roberta Flak's soulful rendition of "The First Time Ever I Saw Your Face," accompany beautiful shots of beaches, sunsets, and cypress trees. If you've been looking for a film version of those groovy orange-and-brown photographic greeting cards from the 70s (the ones where the gal with a shag haircut is standing on the beach in her poncho holding a daisy, and her beau is wearing striped bell bottoms and a paisley poet's shirt) with a twist--a very scary twist--then this is your movie. Special Bonus Scene: a swingin' lovefest at the Monterey Jazz Festival.
Rating:
Summary: Eastwood's Time Capsule
Review: First I'll tell that this is a very entertaining movie. Great plot, acting, suspense and so on. Jessica Walter's performance deserved an oscar. I still see her in my sleep - waving that knife around - just like she looks on the video jacket cover. The reason I really enjoy this movie is it just wreaks of 1971. I just love looking at the hair, the clothes, the decore. Not to mention the music. From Roberta Flack's "First Time Ever I Saw Your Face" to the cool jazz of the Monterey Jazz Festival. This film totally reflects what was up in Carmel, California in the early 70's. This film was very much overshadowed by another Eastwood film that also came out in 1971 called Dirty Harry. Maybe you've heard of it. In Dirty Harry, during the opening bank robbery scene, Clint walks in front of a movie theatre playing, you guessed it, "Play Misty For Me." This is a somewhat forgotten movie these days, so if your sitting home on some rainy Saturday night, just do me a favor and Play Misty For Me.
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