By Ray Walton

Don’t Look Now (1973) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐.5

After the death of their child, a couple moves to Venice, where the husband has an assignment of restoring a church. There, they meet a sister who claims their kid is trying to warn them of a danger.

Watch on: Prime Video, Apple TV

Don’t Look Now isn’t just known for its eerie atmosphere, it’s also celebrated for its groundbreaking editing. Director Nicolas Roeg and editor Graeme Clifford designed the film to mirror the fractured way grief impacts memory and perception. Scenes jump through time, space, and emotion with little warning, creating a disorienting, dreamlike effect that reflects the psychological aftermath of loss. Roeg called it “emotional logic”, less about what happens next and more about what feels true in that moment.

I watched this for the first time back in October of 2022, and I definitely got more of this during a second viewing. I don’t really consider it so much a horror movie and more of a drama about grief that has elements of horror. Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie have great chemistry, but it’s truly Sutherland’s movie. I feel like I can relate to John’s denial in a way since I had a near death experience when I was 18, and I just really wanted to move on with my life and pretend that nothing happened, despite the fact that it was evident that I was super sick. The movie is up there with Suspiria was one of the most beautiful horror films you will find. As for the finale, I honestly don’t find it scary, but with the camerawork, the color palette, and the editing, it truly is a feast for the eyes. The author of the short story, Daphne Du Maurier, also liked this adaptation. That alone makes this movie worth checking out.

Ray Walton

Neurodivergent movie lover. Here to share reviews for horror and non horror movies that fall into the “Dark Cinema” category.