Horror Movie Reviews
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Title: Wait Until Dark (2003) |
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Review of Wait Until Dark
- A photographer's blind wife, trapped in her New York apartment by an evil trio who are ready to murder to retrieve a heroin-filled doll hidden in her apartment, cleverly outwits them. Music by Henry Mancini. Based on the long running Broadway play by Frederick Knott.
Description
- Audrey Hepburn's last Oscar nomination was for this adaptation of Frederick Knott's famed stage thriller about a blind woman, a con man (Alan Arkin), and a doll full of heroin. Thanks to Hepburn's husband, a photographer who does a good deal of traveling, she's unknowingly come into possession of said doll, which was given to him on a plane by a comely young drug runner who winds up dead. The murderous Arkin, aided by sympathetic henchman Richard Crenna, will let nothing stand in the way of his obtaining it, even if it comes down to assaying multiple "personalities" in order to visit and terrorize Hepburn; Crenna is unwillingly enlisted to help. However, the "world's champion blind lady" (as Hepburn sardonically states) is more than up to the task of defending herself in her basement Manhattan apartment in a heart-stopping climax that to this day still defines the way horror movies with jack-in-the-box psychos are made. Despite the obvious staginess of it all (the entire action takes place in Hepburn's apartment), it still works magnificently, thanks to Hepburn's steely will and Arkin's deadly, sadistic madman. A helpful hint: turn out all the lights when you watch it; theaters back in 1967 did so, killing the guiding lights during the film's last 15 minutes. We can't tell you why, but trust us, it's worth it. --Mark Englehart
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Comments for Wait Until Dark
- Posted on 2008-06-23
Implausible but engrossing thriller
The thrills of "Wait Until Dark" have diminished somewhat through the years. The thriller, released in late 1967, is still impressive for Audrey Hepburn's Oscar nominated performance as Suzy Hendricks, a blind woman terrorized in her apartment by a trio of thugs searching for a child's doll stuffed with heroin, as well as for Alan Arkin's snake-like Mr. Roat, the leader of the termites. But the nightmare she experiences could have been avoided if she had simply locked the door and called the police. When watching it recently, I kept asking myself, "Why doesn't she lock the door and call the police?"
Did Frederick Knott, the author of the play on which the film was based, ask that question when writing it?
Did Fred Coe, who staged the original Broadway production, ask that question before or during the show's run?
Did Mel Ferrer, who optioned the film rights when the play was still in galley form, question the character's lack of common sense in this matter while showing such courage and intelligence otherwise?
Did Audrey Hepburn, then married to Ferrer, wonder why her character never simply bolted the door to prevent the intrusion?
When viewing the film at a private screening, did Jack L. Warner ever question the implausible scenario?
Somehow or other, it still works, though less effectively than it did when I was an 11-year-old watching the creepy goings on while munching popcorn, licking my buttered fingers, and sipping a then reasonably priced Coca-Cola.
Despite the claustrophobic setting, the film avoids appearing like a filmed play. Much of the credit for that probably belongs to Terence Young, whose greatest claim to fame was, and remains, as director of three of the first four James Bond movies ("Dr. No," "From Russia With Love," and "Thunderball"). Accustomed to, and proficient at, action and adventure, he keeps the film moving.
Brian W. Fairbanks
Score: 4
- Posted on 2008-04-25
Best Audrey Hepburn Drama
She is one of the few actors/actresses who portray a realistic blind person. If Al Pacino saw this movie, he could had played a better character in "Scent of a Woman".
The plot/story of this movie is even better. A blind woman defending herself alone against three hoods, where one of them, slowing becomes a highly strung psychopath. This movie has elements of the real world: living with blindness, drug trafficing, the relationships between sight and non-sighted people, how a bad person can have a conscience, and death.
This movie is what I called a mordern suspense, crime, thriller of the 1960s'. This is the movie Audrey Hepburn was nominated for an Oscar.
Score: 4 - Posted on 2008-03-15
Wait Until Dark
Wait Until DarkMy wife appreciated this DVD as a valued favourite addition to her library.
Score: 5
- Posted on 2008-03-06
A classic thriller, truly one of a kind
Wait Until Dark is hands down one of my very favorite thrillers of all time, while not a horror movie the final act plays out in horror movie fashion and it's quite obvious many horror filmmakers were inspired by it. If I were to rate my favorite horror movies Wait Until Dark would appear even if not a true horror movie. This is one of those movies that once the suspense and tension kicks in it never let's up. Wait Until Dark has this great eerie and dreadful feeling and the fact almost the whole movie is set in a house it can possibly get boring due to that. One primary setting is very tough, and the makers of Wait Until Dark pull it off to near perfection.
The screenplay written by Robert & Jane-Howard Carrington was excellent one of the finest screenplays for any suspense/thriller. They take their time and develop the character of Susy Hendrix played by Audrey Hepburn. The rest of the characters are excellent as well. All the characters are develop well you get a feel of what they are like, but a little more could have been done with a couple. The one complaint I normally hear is why the villains didn't just rip the place a part for the doll. Granted that would possibly make more sense since Susy is blind not much she could do.
But where would the fun be in that? Either they find the doll or they don't find the doll. When dealing with movies like this you must suspend your disbelief some what. Actually that goes for almost any movie. If everyone did what they are supposed to it wouldn't nearly be as much fun. Bottom line is certain things happen and while they might lack some logic or happen to easy it doesn't hurt the movie one bit. When dealing with this type of flick you have to overlook certain things.
The only other complaint is why Roat played brilliantly by Alan Arkin always come back to the house in a disguise; since Susy is blind she wouldn't be able to tell what he looked like. Well common sense; he does that so nobody in the neighborhood would recognize him. I always thought it was fairly obvious why he would do that. The mental torture Susy is put through was well done and you can really feel for her. Wait Until Dark does move slightly slow, but not in a bad way. The writers take their time and develop the characters mostly Susy, so by the time the plot starts to go full force we have come to know Susy and that makes everything the more traumatic.
Director Terence Young does an amazing job; his scenes are all well paced and always moves the movie forward either in plot or character and once the suspense really starts to kick in it's actually one of the best I have ever seen. Several times while watching the movie I was on the edge of my seat. Even on multiple viewings it still holds up well. The final act is quite scary and horrific, which I'll touch upon later. This is very Hitchcock like, but dare I say better? The suspense is some of the best you'll find and Terence Young delivers big time. He had a clear vision and it works brilliantly.
Audrey Hepburn is one of my very favorite actresses; while I have seen a whole lot of her work I have seen enough to like her. Even before I saw any of her movies I was a fan. She was so beautiful and this charisma and charm that she has draws you to her and that's what makes what Susy goes through even worse. Seeing poor Audrey Hepburn terrorized makes it even more suspenseful. Audrey Hepburn was actually nominated for an Oscar for this movie. How she didn't win is beyond me. Her performance rates as one of my all time favorites.
The cast was top notch; Jack Weston as Sgt. Carlino and Richard Crenna as Mike Talman both provide excellent performances. I'm a big fan of both actors and they were a joy to watch. Hepburn may be the star, but Alan Arkin is simply amazing. He's calm and cool, but a total psychopath and plays 3 roles and it's quite clear he was having a blast doing it. Some people complain about Sam Hendrix played by Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. saying that he was too cold. I totally disagree; after an accident left her blind, all Sam is doing is trying to teach her how to be dependent. Instead of doing everything for her he wants her to learn. And by him doing that in the end that is what saved Susy's life by not depending on other people to take care of her despite being blind.
What I love so much about this movie is Susy who hasn't been blind very long and has to adjust to a new life. The villains think it's gonna be an easy task, but what she lacks in sight she makes up for in hearing and she's able to realize something isn't right. My only slight complaint is she's too trusting of Mike. Some people are very trusting and at first she has no reason to suspect him, but when she realizes something isn't quite right with Roat and Carlino she really should have suspected Mike, but it's an easy flaw to overlook.
The final act to this movie is actually quite terrifying, like I said this isn't a horror movie, but does have horror movie elements or what would later be horror movie elements. It comes down to Roat and Susy and the showdown is quite chilling. By this time we have come too really like Susy and the fact it's Audrey Hepburn I suppose even if she wasn't developed we would still feel for her. What I love is how she takes out all the lights and its total darkness. Roat is now in a sense blind as are we the viewer. The final act Susy is pretty much the final girl, which horror movie fans should know that term.
The showdown is downright chilling even though I already knew the outcome I was still on the edge of my seat. I kept moving around I couldn't sit still due to the suspense. Wait Until Dark also features one of the greatest jump scenes ever. I don't care how many horror movies or thrillers you have seen; even the most hardcore of fans are bound to jump. I won't give it away, but when it happens you'll know it. Even having seen the movie before I always jump at that, the first time I saw it I nearly had a heart attack. You know it's coming, but it still gets you.
In all the reviews I have read I very rarely hear anyone mention the score by Henry Mancini; the score is one of my favorites actually and really adds to the suspense and tension and in many ways helps elevate the movie to an even higher rate of suspense. The score is very chilling.
Wait Until Dark is one of the all time great chillers and still holds up well. Sure there might be a silly moment or two, but this movie is downright creepy and very suspenseful. It starts off a bit slow, but never boring as the characters are developed and once Wait Until Dark forges ahead the suspense never lacks and builds to a very chilling finale. This is a must see for fans of suspense/thrillers and horror flicks. Wait Until Dark truly is one of a kind. This movie has everything going for it, an excellent score, script and directing and some truly great actors.
Trivia time; Julie Herrod who played Gloria also portrayed the character in the stage play prior to the film.
Score: 5 - Posted on 2008-02-22
DANCING IN THE DARK?
THE definitive thriller of the late 60'S, this movie is timeless, because its theme is timeless. Arkin plays the role of an old style villain, using any and alll means to win back a drug filled doll. He partners with Crenna and the ubiquitous Weston, using murder first, intimidation second, then 2 more murders of his devious cohorts, before taking on Hepburn, superlatively playing a blind woman. Hepburn uses every trick in the book, trying to keep her antagonists from finding the doll, which her boy scout husband Zimbalist had had slipped into his possession on a trip to Montreal.This reviewer remembers the lights in the theater being gradually lowered to accentuate the shocking final scenes.One wonders why anyone at any age,with a decent heart,would not be brought back to this classic today, tomorrow, anytime.
Score: 5