Rating: 
Summary: Don't Look...Buy Now
Review: Don't Look Now is first and foremost a director's film. And not any director, but one of the few original, talented and visionary filmmakers who have made a lasting mark on British Cinema to this day, with a cinematic language that benefited greatly from the freedom many directors had before the age of agents,and studio executives took over.
Ken Russell, Derek Jarman, Ken Loach, Robin Hardy, the late Lindsay Anderson, and Nic Roeg, directors whose style and experimentations was not to everyone's liking at the time, but certainly much appreciated later as classics of cinema.
Whether a political statement,a musical biography or a horror story,these directors made films that are different, original and daring, both in their subject and style.
Don't Look Now, Nic Roeg adaptation of Daphne De Maurier's ghost story was one example of this creativity unfolding.
His third film, after the experimental Performance and the masterpiece Walkabout, Don't Look Now invited the wrong type of controversy at the time,the famous,or should I say infamous sex scene between Sutherland and Christie. Did they or didn't they? a question that preoccupied many, and imprinted itself on the film to this day, but on that scene later...
Grieving parents escape to Venice to rebuild their lives after the drowning of their small daughter, on the premise of a church restoration job. Life seems to take a slow but assured return to normality, helped by the change both parents sorely needed, when a blind and creepy clairvoyant/psychic (with her sister) drops a chilling bomb on still emotionally very vulnerable mother: I have 'seen' your daughter sitting next to you and she was happy!.
This is when everything steadily changes..not only for the parents whose world slowly collapses around them,but for the viewer as well.The blind psychic has another surprise up her sleeve, one that will turn hope into a chilling warning: Your daughter has warned me,the father is in danger and he must leave Venice at once!
Venice that magical Italian city, turn from a beautiful romantic place that helps couples rebuild their lives, to one with its maze like dark alleys and lanes that is sinister and uninviting. This is the genuis of Roeg in visually showing this slow change, while keeping the both dreamy and eerie mood constant from the first scene until the twist at the end.
So the sex scene, which is one of the best ever filmed, can be see as a passion reignited between a couple who has been through a lot. It is a sort of sexual affirmation of their slow return to normality ..this is why it is so believable and natural and never gratitious or voyeuristic.
Roeg, as he himself admitted in the making of documentary, could not have chosen a better cast than Sutherland and Christie. He had only these two fine actors in mind for his film, Sutherland at the peak of his career, an actor with whom great directors like Fellini and Bertolucci had had great faith in, and Julie Christie , in my opinion a very much underrated actress with a classic beauty and classy personality.
I will not spoil the ending for those who have no seen it, save to say, Don't Look Now while can not be pigeonholed into a specific genre, be it horror or thriller, it is rather a film that manages to capture your senses from the first scene and take you on a journey that is full of grief, passion, guilt, false hopes, sinister secret, and a city that can be both welcoming and deadly..
Films like these are rarely made these days, until of course studio executives give back the total artistic freedom to talented directors to do what they know best, and forget the debacle of Heaven's Gate which was responsible for stifling many talents in cinema.
Don't Look Now is a must buy for any serious lover of cinema as an art form of the most sophisticated kind.
Rating: 
Summary: Chilling gothic masterpiece.
Review: Firstly, 'Don't Look Now' is not a horror film, so if you're in the market for scares and thrills, then steer clear of it. However, it is one of the most affecting and melancholic films of the early 1970's, on a par with 'The Exorcist' for atmosphere and suspense. Director Nicholas Roeg's interpretation of a tortured couple (played exquisitely by Julie Christie and Donald 'Buffy' Sutherland) stuck in Venice, to escape the memories of their dead child is central to the creation of this tension. Peter Katz's excellent production beautifully frames the desolation of the piece, using almost monochromatic shots of one of the most beautiful cities in the world. Seen through the eyes of a grieving parent, Venice becomes something silent and menacing, and is complemented by a score that is reminiscent of 'Mildred Pierce' in its perfection. John and Laura Baxter (Sutherland and Christie) are staying in Venice after the accidental death of their little girl. John is restoring an old church, while his wife befriends two slightly sinister elderly British ladies, one of whom is a blind psychic. They tell Laura that their daughter is still alive, and through a series of enigmatic half-appearances (beautifully shot by Roeg, in a surreal and hazy fashion), the movie reaches a bizarre and jarring conclusion that leaves us deeply moved. It's the contrast between the realistic portrayal of a parent's grief and the otherworldly quality of Venice and the psychic woman that is arguably the driving force behind the film. The beauty of 'Don't Look Now' is that manages to seamlessly couple the realistic, almost mundane, with the supernatural. Stellar performances from Christie and Sutherland complement the Oscar-worthy direction by Roeg, and bring us a deep sense of melancholia and isolation. A highly-recommended movie that will remain with you long after it's finished. Current Hollywood powers take note: surely this is the point of a thriller?
Rating:
Summary: One of the more original horror/suspense films of the 70's
Review: Don't Look Now-This Nicolas Roeg film, adapted from a Daphne Du Maurier story, typifies thoughtful, artistic, 1970's horror. The film is beautifully shot, and takes full advantage of the sunny winter light and offbeat musical scores so popular in the 1970's. Symbolism in the film is also extremely rich, from 1) the use of the color red to 2) the abundance of arches (and other circular or curved forms), to 3) the emphasis on water (and glass).
Also strong are the acting performances, particularly from the sometimes wooden Christie. Here we catch her suspended on the brink of mental collapse from grief; yet she is nevertheless vibrant, strong and vital despite her vulnerability. I also like the depiction of her and Sutherland's love for each other. While they have suffered a great loss, we feel that their love remains intact, and may in fact in some ways have grown stronger. The famous erotic scene captures that. It is about tenderness and love in a way not usually depicted on film. We see complex characters dealing with complex emotions based on events which unfortunately could happen to any of us. A quick aside: It is worth noting that, for better or worse, films are not getting racier or more violent every year; if anything there has been a retreat since the mid-1970's. (Depiction of violence--and sex for that matter-are becoming more calloused and gratuitous though, IMO.) But this is a horror/suspense film, so we must ask if it ultimately delivers. There is plenty of suspense throughout, but we experience so many 'false alarms' and (apparent) clues throughout that by the end our expectations of closure are high. And while the ending is frightening and exciting, it unfortunately does not tie together all the disparate threads. Some are tied together nicely (like the role of Sutherland's vision), but lets face it: the director's use of flashbacks at the very end mostly reveals a lot of red herrings. I'm not saying a movie needs to be totally literal and linear. Many strong horror movies today are following the lead of movies like this and introducing an element of subjectivity and perspective (see Identity) for example. The problem is that by using all these literal clues throughout, Don't Look Now engages in some false advertising, trying to be two things at once. Sure, you can say that the movie is about the characters' trying to make sense of a world in which their fears and guilt are clouding their vision. But the director for the most part gives us an outsiders view (looking over the detectives shoulder at the mysterious photos on his desk, for example), so I feel we have a right to expect more. And I don't mind the idea that death is unpredictable, and might as well be attributed to a devil; again though: why all the clues throughout? If you enjoyed this movie, you might consider The Wickerman, Rosemary's Baby, The Omen, The Tenant, and the Exorcist.
Rating:
Summary: Enjoyable, artsy spook fest
Review: I love this film. First of all, it's set in Venice. I warn you it's a slower paced, oddball sort of scary movie. But the story and interesting film making were I think way ahead of their time. My only complaint is that it's a little long. Diehard classic horror buffs should enjoy this.
Rating: 
Summary: sorry, not a masterpiece
Review: I guess in the 70's filmmakers enjoyed smoking .... during their projects... sometimes the results are enjoyable other times they are not. I dont know who finds the sex scene in this movie to be significant for any reason other than it being way too long and not even remotely erotic. I would gladly have put up with that as well as the 70's style pothead ambiguity in this movie if the ending had been even reasonably interesting. Sadly it was not; in fact it makes the entire movie into a bad joke.Let's just say i would have expected the hero to suffer a gash on the knee at worst. Anyone who will try to claim this ending is scary is either suffering from a strange fear of short people, or just plain silly. (after reading their reviews it doesnt seem they were stoned while viewing the film so we cant excuse them on those grounds) I bought this dvd, and i wanted to like it but it would have needed a much better ending to justify the high ratings some have given it.
Rating:
Summary: Another Death in Venice
Review: I am writing this in response to another posted review that says the ending to this film does not make sense within the context of what has gone before. This could not be further from the truth. The entire point of this film lies in its last few minutes. Not just that one's inability to recognize your own gifts and a reality beyond the surface can lead to tragedy (isn't this what is going on in Kubrick's The Shining too?), but, more importantly, that one's death is what one's life is all about. The film shows in its stunning visuals, in its meticulous editing, that the mosaic of a person's life will only make sense at the moment of his death, that every splintered second that has led him to that point will only then make sense. The film postulates quite eloquently that our deaths are, in fact, the sum total and, in a sense, the "meaning" of our lives. Only then it will be too late for our new-found awareness to matter. Incidentally, I don't know if Paramount was aware of it, but the initial release of the dvd contains the uncut version of the film, rather than the version released in the US that was edited for an "r" rating, although there is no indication of this fact on the box.
Rating:
Summary: What is real?
Review: I must say, this movie is not at all what I expected it to be. It was in Empire magazine's "Greatest Horror Films Of All Time" issue, but I don't know if I would call it a horror film at all. Even the box says "a psychic thriller", which it most certainly is. Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie are stupendous in their roles, but the best character in the movie is the Venice setting, helped out by the beautiful cinematography. The parallels between the slowly sinking city and Sutherland's downward spiral is made all the more real by the melancholy and dark feel of the scenery. This is a true masterpiece that transcends genres.
Rating:
Summary: Wow, now this is scary!
Review: You see the things I like about psychological horror films (ala The Exorcist, The Ring, Repulsion, and When A Stranger Calls) is that they are always unpredictable, they don't play by the rules of a typical horror film, and some manage to scarier after each viewing as more of the horror is understood. This is what people don't get about this film and The Blair Witch Project. It's what you don't see that scares you. Nicolas Roeg's Don't Look Now once seemed radically new with its kaleidoscopic imagery, dreamlike editing, and willingness to let mystery be mysterious on several levels of reality/illusion--plus art-house darling Julie Christie in a long, nude love scene! Nowadays, this 1974 adaptation of a Daphne du Maurier ghost story looks almost classical.Following the drowning of their child in England, Laura and John Baxter have come to dank, eternally dying Venice, where he is supervising the restoration of a moldering church and she is either slipping into or climbing out of madness with the help of a pair of creepy spinster sisters, one of whom can "see" even though blind. John may share this psychic power, though he resists accepting it as the canals fill with murder victims, surface realities turn shimmery as water, and a red-coated figure the daughter's ghost? Watch the flick to find out. This is one that must be viewed alone in the dark.
Rating:
Summary: Confusing masterpiece which might mean a lot... or nothing!
Review: This film is a masterpiece of mood, visual themes, cinematography, etc. etc. In fact, I'd go as far as saying that its reputation stems almost exclusively from its phenomenal capacity to create mood. The performances by Donald Sutherland and the gorgeous Julie Christie come straight from the gut, which I found somewhat startling, specially coming from Christie, such a classical and mannered actress. However, one gets the feeling that this film is intended to "mean" nothing, but merely to evoke, since the payoff is so famously jarring and flawed, keeping no rational relation to plausibility or even basic plot maintenance. After having seen this film for the first time, I originally thought myself incredibly stupid, for I could find no link whatsoever between the ending and the movie's plot and characters. Any sort of symbolism escaped and dodged me, which is strange, inasmuch as I am an English Lit major!! After further thought and consideration, however, I find that the film's "open-endness" is not a virtue, but rather a flaw. I read an interview with Roeg in which he himself seemed to be at a loss for words as to what the ending "symbolized"!!! Nevertheless, my 5-star review stems, as I've said before, for the movie's sheer capacity to flat-out shock and create mood. On a final note, mention must be made of the famous "love scene", intercut with post-coital shots of Christie and Sutherland dressing. This scene is, in my mind, the greatest sex scene of all time, and today's directors would be wise to review it: we never question the tenderness, "togetherness" and urgency of this couple's love-making, and the scene does not go for cheap hormonal thrills (as do inferior "thrillers", such as "Basic Instinct"), but rather fits in beautifully within the mood of the picture... Christie and Sutherland make love as an almost-cathartical release of pent-up grief. All in all, one of the greatest pieces of mood ever, yet one of the greatest flubbed endings in history, as well...!!
Rating:
Summary: Pain, Love, Lust, and Death In Venice
Review: "Don't Look Now" is a fortuitous result of a great story (Daphne Du Maurier); subtle and artful direction (Nicolas Roeg); superb acting (Donald Sutherland & Julie Christie as the anguished couple in love); dazzling cinematography; and a perfect musical score. I still remember the images and the impact from seeing this film in 1974-those images have been firmly planted in my brain for 29 years. This is a powerful, enigmatic film. It is interesting to watch this film back-to-back with "The Exorcist." Both are psychological thrillers. I feel that "The Exorcist" is the most frightening film ever made. But "The Exorcist" relies on gross visual effects to prompt the psychological horror; "Don't Look Now" is much more subtle. If you are a film maniac like me, it is also interesting to watch "Don't Look Now" with your sole focus being to observe the use of the color red. It is pretty incredible. And after this film, you can never think of "Little Red Riding Hood" in the same way. And then there is the much discussed and analyzed "sex scene." I prefer to think of it as the "making love" scene. The cuts between the "getting dressed" and "making love" segments are amazing; the "getting dressed" segments are just as erotic and convey the main characters' emotions just as powerfully as the "making love" parts. I adore Julie Christie, and she is amazing in this film. I place this film high on my list of "films that make an impact." I highly recommend this DVD. You will be moved!
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