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Summary: Unforgetably artistic fairy tale of violence, good and evil.
Review: This film will stay with you the rest of your life. The concept of the evil preacher, the good fairy godmother, the innocent children and the hypocritical adults all blend into the kind of tale Bettleheim describes in his psychological works. Laughton did not know how ahead of his time he was when it premiered at theaters. He hung his head and refused to direct again. What a pity!
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Summary: an important staging post in the history of film
Review: Charles Laugton was denied (in hindsight) a distinctive role as a film director. Like Welles (who exhibited more bravery in persuing -through belittling acting parts- funds for his cinematic vision) Laughton preferred the dirty side of film-making. As recognised now he cleverly sutured myths together; drew upon Grimm, German Expressionism and DW Griffith. However to me Bertold Brecht (a big influence on the stage Laughton) looms larger as an inluence than the afforementioned. He seems to coninuously (in the parlance of our times) deconstruct the identificatory methods of the "hollywood system". It is so very two dimentional (cartoon murders, out-to-audience speeches, knives that we don't see the result of, etc. etc.) that we are watching a myth, a shadowplay (think of the refuge-in-the-barn predeeded by the mother singing to her loved children signified visually by a bird cage). This is a film that is brave, artistic and very well rendered (in the strong sense. The one and only film was a beautiful piece of cinema, a film that has greatly affected this viewer. If only he had had Welles's entrepeneurial spirit we might haver seen more of his creativity. But that's in hindsight...
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Summary: still one of my favorites
Review: I first saw this movie back in the early 60's when I was in high school. It riveted me then and still does every time I see it. I highly recommend this stark and fascinating look at dementia in the form of "love" and "hate". The animalistic sound that emanates from robert mitchum when he just misses catching the kids as they make their escape in the boat stayed with me for many years. A first class thriller not to be missed.
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Summary: Poetry in motion
Review: A sure sign of a great movie is that it polarizes opinion: people either love it or hate it - few are ambiguous with their opinions. That seems to be the case with "Night of the Hunter". I know people who think that "Citizen Kane" and "Casablanca" are "boring" and "cliched". The problem is that these were movies that inspired the generations of movie makers that followed. "Night of the hunter" is not a film to be taken literally. Its narrative is no match for its visual power...but what visual power! I'll never forget the image of the children watching the preacher on his mule, silhouetted against the horizon, singing that bizarre religious song as he closes in upon his prey. Magical! Poetic, even! A wonderful film, to be seen more than once!Chris Charles.
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Summary: Thank God, someone else with good taste
Review: Glad to fine out some other discriminating viewers found this movie to be embarrassing for everyone involved, the actors, i.e, Mitchum and Winters as well as the script writer, Mr. Agee.
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Summary: A movie not easily forgotten......
Review: Mostly everything has been said about this movie by others listed below, still can't figure out why someone could possibly give this great movie one star (Friday the 13th must be on their "best of lists"). I was totally unprepaired for this movie the first time I had seen it. So many elements of starkness,very bleak, fantasy with so much style. The acting even seemed to be in a dream state that matched the movies flow. I loved this movie, very rare with todays standards. Sublime.
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Summary: Mitchum is terrific
Review: Robert Mitchum gives one of the best, creepiest performances ever put on film. His role as a preacher with the words "love" and "hate" tatooed on his knuckles is unforgettable. Best scene: Mitchum confronts John by the staircase. "We don't keep secrets, now do we boy?"
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Summary: A masterpiece
Review: I saw this movie many years ago on cable. I had never heard of it. When it came to the scene with Shelley Winters' hair floating in the current at the bottom of the river I knew I had another movie memory that would never leave me. Imagine how terrible it would be for two small children trying to escape some psychopathic killer with "LOVE" and "HATE" tattooed across his knuckles. Films like this aren't made anymore.
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Summary: GOD AWFUL TERRIBLE
Review: BAD ACTING. BAD DIRECTING. BAD SCREENPLAY. i left the room laughig histarically at this JOKE of a movie.
Rating:
Summary: Can't be beat
Review: Mitchum gives the best performance of his career in Laughton's only film as director.(A real shame) In the top five American films, don't miss it.
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