Dead of Winter

Rating:
Summary: A Gripping Thriller!
Review: "Dead Of Winter" is a great movie to view on a dark, lonely night. Steenburgen is marvelous as a would-be actress trying out for the part of her life in an old house in upstate New York. She soon finds herself a pawn in a blackmail plot, and later, she realizes that her captives have no desire to let her live to tell of her experience. During the entire movie, a blizzard swirls and the wind moans outside the old house where she is being held, and this erie atmosphere together with the plot will definitely make your skin crawl.

Rating:
Summary: A Gripping Thriller!
Review: "Dead Of Winter" is a great movie to view on a dark, lonely night. Steenburgen is marvelous as a would-be actress trying out for the part of her life in an old house in upstate New York. She soon finds herself a pawn in a blackmail plot, and later, realizes that her captives have no desire to let her live to tell of her experience. During the entire movie, a blizzard swirls and the wind moans outside the old house where she is being held, and this erie atmosphere, together with the periodic plot twists will definitely make your skin crawl.

Rating:
Summary: A brilliant Thriller!
Review: A great thriller with extraordinary actors. A very interesting plot...can't stop watching it until the end! Wonderful performance by Mary Steenburgen (who plays the main character called Katie McGovern) and an outstanding one by Roddy McDowall (who plays Mr Murry - helper of a guy called Dr Lewis). YOU HAVE GOT TO WATCH IT!

Rating:
Summary: A must see if you love thrillers!
Review: I can't say enough about this movie. From the very first scene all the way to the very end. It pulls you right in from the start and doesn't seem to let go. I think the snow storm really adds to the mood. The house is just the perfect setting. I love Roddy McDowall - he is perfect for his part. Actually everyone in it is. Jan Rubes who plays Dr. Lewis is spectacular! It is a movie that could really happen. The first time I saw it was during a snow storm in 1991 (which really added to the mood) and I taped it from tv, I have watched it at least a dozen times and now own it on V.H.S. and D.V.D. Just when you "think" you know what might happen the unexpected does. I wish they would come out with a sequel to this although I don't know how they could top it. If you have not seen this movie - I am not even going to say rent it, BUY IT! You won't be disappointed!

Rating:
Summary: A Real Thriller
Review: I fell in love with Steenburgen when I first saw her in TIME AFTER TIME during its initial theatrical release, owned it in VHS and Laser form, and was so glad when it arrived on DVD beautifully done, both picture and sound. DEAD OF WINTER is an eerie, suspenseful film earning its R rating from the opening scene to the truly horrifying ending. Our leading lady plays three roles, and does so with great skill. Regardless of the editorial reviews, Roddy McDowell actually plays the loyal, psychopathic servant (terrifyingly) to the millionaire who masterminds the plot(s). The climactic scenes (and some others) are not for the faint-hearted, and the tension mounts when Steenburgen tries to pass herself off as one of the characters she is playing. If that sounds complicated, it is! Just received my DVD copy of this film. Not bad. A little adjustment takes the heavy grain out, and the 2-channel stereo is adequate, since the movie derives its impact from the script, the actors, and the good direction. A real treat for lovers of thriller films!

Rating:
Summary: Dead of Winter
Review: I shouldn't like "Dead of Winter" as much as I do. It has some faults, a few of them glaring. But, however many faults the movie has, it still grips me, and evokes the fear and suspense necessary for it to qualify as a taut thriller. You have a claustrophobic setting, disturbing older men, a woman in distress, and murder. These ingredients come together to make for a very interesting hour and a half. At the very least, I found myself entertained.

The film starts out with the murder of a woman in an abandoned parking lot on a snowy winter's night. Next we are in New York City, where we are exposed to the struggling actor's life of Katie McGovern (Mary Steenburgen). She is just looking for that one good role (with good pay, of course). After she does well at an audition, the man hosting it, Mr. Murray (Roddy McDowall), invites her upstate to an isolated country house, in order to do some test screening. Katie agrees. She tells her boyfriend she will call him once there, and is off. Once Katie arrives at the house, she is introduced to the man in charge, Dr. Joseph Lewis (sinisterly portrayed by Jan Rubes). Uneasy things begin to occur (the phones lines go dead, and the car won't start), and soon Katie's world turns upside down as the two older men begin to unveil their frightening plan upon the unsuspecting actress.

There are things to knock about "Dead of Winter". Many of them involve aspects of what film critic Roger Ebert has termed "The Idiot Plot". This is where characters are in certain situations that go on for far too long because, instead of doing the sensible thing, they act with fairly bad judgement, thus enabling the movie to exist and continue on. A few examples: Why go hours upstate to an isolated house for a screen test? Why believe that an old *doctor* is in charge of casting a movie? Why, when you see that the two men whose house you are in have thrown your driver's license in the fireplace, do you act casually, as though nothing is wrong? I won't go on, as I don't want to give away too much of the film. Suffice it to say, you will need to suspend some disbelief, and just go with the flow.

There are many good elements about "Dead of Winter". The direction by Arthur Penn is steady, and moves along at a good pace. The casting is great. Mary Steenburgen, Roddy McDowall, and Jan Rubes are all perfect in their roles. The setting is superb - an old, wood interior, victorian style house in the middle of the countryside. A fierce blizzard snowing-in the hapless actress. All of the elements come together very well.

Some night, when the wind is howling outside, the snow drifts are accumulating around your house, and you're feeling just a wee bit isolated, decide on a good night of suspense, and watch this movie. Watch it, in the "Dead of Winter".

Rating:
Summary: Must see thriller!
Review: This is an excellent thriller, complete with a good cast (Mary Steenburgen, Roddy McDowall) and tense atmosphere (courtesy of veteran director Arthur Penn). It is very low key, but eerie, and has good twists and a good resolution. This film is not well known, which is a shame because it is a masterful thriller. You have to at least check it out once!