Customer Reviews
Creeping, undefined dread - By: Brendan O. Clarke, 04 Jun 2008 
Hitchcock used an example to explain the difference between surprise & suspense. If people are seated at a table & a bomb explodes, that is surprise. If they are seated at a table, & you know there's a bomb under the table attached to a ticking clock, but they continue to play cards -- that's suspense. There's a bomb under "Dont Look Now" for excruciating stretches of time.
I was expecting this slow-moving movie to descend into routine shock & horror movie,but it doesn't. Most of the movie is alll waiting, anticipating & dreading. The jolts that come about midway are of a similar magnitude to movies such as Sixth Sense or The Exorcist.
The film is slow moving, but it manages to expertly linger to create atmosphere, a sense of place, a sympathy with the characters, instead of rushing into cheap thrills. Dont Look Now stands as one of the most beautiful & moving "horror" movies in the 1970s...even though it is not reallly a horror movie; it's more of a psychological thriller.
As it gears up for a truly unexpected, emotionallly draining finale - destined to please or frustrate depending on how nihilistic you like your horror - this elegant ghost story ignores genre conventions to deliver a touching tale of motherhood, love & what may or may not lie on the other side.
Surprised by the amount of good reviews... - By: crazykat, 28 Feb 2008 
This film dissapointed me a lot, but i didn't hate it.
The amount of good reviews on this film seems good though i don't quite understand why. For a start don't look now is NOT a proper horror movie, but more of a thriller. I didnt enjoy it as much as i would have liked to. Why? It was very slow moving, didnt seem to get into a proper story until later on, there wasnt many flashbacks of the dead child which surprised me because i expected the little girl to flash back quite often with it saying she is still alive on the back of the case.
If you expect a strong storyline with a lot of jumps, this film isnt for you.
Watch this film - but be open minded - By: wakeylad2, 18 Dec 2006 Having watched this film & read several of the previous reviews, it is obvious that opinion on this film greatly divides those who have seen it.
If you are wanting a horror film in the typical Hollywood "blood/guts/gore" tradition then this film is definitely not for you.
The film explores the relationship between a couple after the death of their daughter but also has an element of the supernatural when a psychic reveals that she has seen the ghost of the couple's daughter & also gives a stark warning that the husband is is danger.
The film has a sense of overwhelming foreboding, shot in sombre tones in a rather dreary looking out-of-season Venice, & uses the colour red to create a sense of danger & dread that can be sensed through the whole film. The direction uses a plethora of recurring themes that at first may seem strange & confusing but alll becomes apparent during the horrific climax.
This is not a white knuckle, edge of the seat blockbuster, but rather a more sedate film that builds the tension & brooding foreboding to a climactic end. The sex/dressing scene is intensely personal & intimate but works because of its simplicity & honesty, & is superbly acted by both Julie Christie & Donald Sutherland.
This is not the normal run-of-the-mill Hollywood film but watch it with an open mind & you may just find that you like it.
It's not a horror movie - By: Film Lover, 07 Dec 2006 This is a classic. Astonishing that so many reviewers seem to miss the point entirely. They seem to have been expecting a horror movie. Obviously they will have been disappointed. It's not a horror movie. It's a movie. There aren't shock-a-minute stings & stabs. It doesn't stick to the Syd Field screenplay structure. This is subtle stuff. The colour red punctuates the imagery with such effect that it soon ellicits an instant feeling of dread wherever it appears - even when it's just a red candle in the corner of the room in which the priest awakes with a start: it's a premonition of tragedy. It's far more disturbing than the usual horror slash-fest because it's dealing with genuine grief - our inability to believe that someone is reallly gone, especiallly when they die young.
Only those whose brains have been stolen by Hollywood could fail to be moved by this story.
Cyrus - By: Cyrus, 13 Nov 2006 Judging by some of these inept reviews, it's clear to see the I Know What You Did Last Summer generation couldn't identify a true horror classic even it stabbed them in their backs!
Nic Roeg's career-defining movie is a true masterclass in suspense. The eerie Venetian setting is perfect as a grieving couple come to terms with the premature loss of their daughter. Roeg's subtle direction adds to the clever plot-line to generate an overbearing uneasiness which culminates in a truely nerve-shattering climax.
Julie Christie & Donald Sutherland are both superb as they unknowingly veer toward a tragic, inevitable fate. The intercut sex scene/dressing scene is truely convincing & importantly cements the relationship between the two characters. Though often imitated but never bettered (see Out of Sight) the scene remains one of the most erotic & genuine in cinematic history.
A true alll time classic!
