Alfred Hitchcock, el auténtico Sir Alfred, no sólo es un cineasta capital para la Historia del cine y del arte del siglo XX por la inmensa calidad de su trabajo, sino también por lo que su figura supuso para la industria del cine como creador capaz de cubrir todos los aspectos de la producción cinematográfica, desde la técnica a la escritura de guiones, desde la publicidad al control financiero, llegando a ser uno de los primeros directores capaces de convertirse en productor de sus propias obras, e incluso, cosa realmente insólita, en constituirse en propietario del negativo de sus propios films. Sin embargo, su audacia, su enorme capacidad, su talento, no estuvieron libres de fracasos, de proyectos que nunca vieron la luz, de frustraciones y derrotas creativas al intentar llevar a la pantalla historias que nunca salieron adelante. Repasamos las más importantes:

Number thirteen: en 1922 Hitchcock se encontraba dando los primeros pasos para superar su condición de rotulista y responsable de dibujos de los estudios filiales de la Paramount en Londres y poco a poco intentaba convencer a los productores de que era capaz de escribir guiones y además de dirigirlos. Su primera película, Woman to woman, vino precedida de un fracaso al rodar una historia escrita por una empleada de los estudios antigua colaboradora de Chaplin que no pasó de dos rollos de filmación ante el abandono del inversor norteamericano de los estudios. La película, inacabada, durmió para siempre el sueño de los justos.

Titanic: en 1939 los últimos éxitos de Hitchcock en el cine británico y su proyección internacional le habían asegurado un contrato con el magnate David O. Selznick, productor de Lo que el viento se llevó, para su desembarco en Hollywood y el rodaje de una película sobre el hundimiento del famoso transatlántico. Hitchcock, nunca convencido del todo de lo ajustado de ese proyecto a sus intereses y métodos de trabajo, era más partidario de rodar Rebeca, sobre la novela de Daphne du Maurier cuyos derechos ya habían sido adquiridos. Durante el año que faltaba para su incorporación efectiva a Selznick International, Hitchcock, mientras rodaba Posada Jamaica para matar el tiempo, intercambió frecuentes comunicaciones con Selznick, y tras varios tiras y aflojas y un complicado intercambio de impresiones con un hombre tan controlador y temperamental como Selznick, con el que Hitchcock nunca se entendió, el Titanic se hundió. Hitchcock debutó en Hollywood con la más inglesa de sus películas americanas.

El naufragio del Mary Deare: en 1958, entre Vértigo y Con la muerte en los talones, Hitchcock coescribió con Ernest Lehman una historia sobre un carguero que es descubierto con un solo tripulante a bordo en medio del Canal de la Mancha. La historia, inspirada en el hecho real de un yate encontrado en pleno Atlántico sin un solo pasajero pero con señales evidentes de estar tripulado e incluso con comida humeante recién servida en los platos nunca fue rodada por el recelo de Hitchcock ante la idea de empezar un film con una intriga en un punto tan álgido que el resto del metraje no pudiera estar a la altura.

La pluma del flamenco: delirante intriga sobre un grupo de indígenas adiestrados por agentes rusos con fines indescriptibles, Hitchcock abandonó la idea de rodarla justo después de haber cancelado El naufragio del Mary Deare cabreado ante la serie de contingencias que le impedían realizar sus propósitos: la falta de población indígena para sumar un número importante de figurantes, la falta de vestuario adecuado (curioso que la vestimenta tribal "típica" de los indígenas sudafricanos hubiera de ser transportada desde Estados Unidos), los exteriores similares a los californianos que le evitaban rodar en África...

Los tres rehenes: primero de los proyectos tras Marnie, la ladrona (1964), se basaba en otra obra de John Buchan, el autor de 39 escalones, llevada al cine por Hitchock en 1935 y tenía que ver con el mundo de la hipnosis. La trama enfrentaba al gobierno británico con un grupo de espías que secuestraba a los hijos de varios mandatarios para chantajear al Estado. Richard Hannay, el personaje protagonista de 39 escalones que encarnó Robert Donat, sería de nuevo quien hubiera de salvar la situación junto a Medina, un tipo sombrío que en realidad sería un doble agente y estaría tratando de hipnotizar a Hannay, quien, dándose cuenta de la argucia, se haría el hipnotizado incluso imitando a perritos en situaciones cómicas. La trama llevaría a Hannay desde los barrios pobres de Londres a los fiordos noruegos. El proyecto nunca salió a flote por la dificultad de mostrar la hipnosis en la pantalla. Según Hitchcock, no era posible separar visualmente lo que era una hipnosis cierta de una fingida, y por tanto sentía que el público creería que se le tomaba el pelo. Hoy en día se echa mucho en falta este grado de respeto al público.

María Rosa: segundo proyecto tras Marnie, era una historia sobrenatural sobre un soldado que descubre, gracias a los padres de su prometida, que ésta desapareció de niña por unos días en una isla de Escocia, que no recuerda nada de su experiencia, pero que nadie supo qué pasó ni dónde estuvo. Cuando una vez casados, ella le sugiere ir a esa misma isla de vacaciones, él cede por temor a refrescarle un recuerdo traumático olvidado, y ella vuelve a desaparecer, y su familia, tras años de búsqueda y de espera, termina por olvidarla. Años más tarde, aparece de nuevo en la isla sin que el tiempo haya pasado por ella. Cuando regresa a casa, su marido es un anciano y sus hijos son mayores. Fallecida, su fantasma habitará la casa familiar. Es el componente sobrenatural lo que hizo a Hitchcock desestimar el rodaje de la historia.

R.R.R.R.: tercer proyecto tras Marnie, escrito en colaboración con los guionistas italianos Age y Scarpelli, trataba de un emigrante italiano a Estados Unidos que, empleado como ascensorista de un hotel, lograba llevar con él a su familia siciliana. Compuesta ésta por ladrones, él intentaba evitar que su propia familia desvalijara el hotel y a sus huéspedes. Hitchcock abandonó la idea por la negligencia de los italianos en cuanto a la estructura cinematográfica. Un poco severo, Sir Alfred, más si cabe viendo los grandes genios que el cine italiano ha dado al cine.

Frenesí; primera versión de 1967: aunque luego titularía de este modo su película londinense de 1972, seis años antes concibió Hitchcock una modernísima y revolucionaria película sobre un estrangulador de rubias en Nueva York que, de haberse rodado, hubiera sido sin duda otra de las grandes obras maestras del mago del suspense. Hitchock la dejó de lado porque contenía ciertos puntos de conexión con Psicosis: joven traumatizado por su difícil relación con su madre estrangula chicas; una de ellas es una mujer policía utilizada como cebo para capturarlo. Sin embargo, los fotogramas descubiertos hace algunos años y sobre todo, algunos metros de película rodados por Hitchock nos revelan lo grande que pudo ser este proyecto: inteligente uso del color, escenas de sexo y desnudos integrales ¡¡¡¡en cine comercial de 1967!!!! Su posterior tratamiento en 1972 no lo desmereció en absoluto, pero siempre quedará la duda de en qué hubiera quedado tan excelente material.

The short night: Catherine Denevue y Walter Matthau primero, y Liv Ullman y Sean Connery después, sonaron para interpretar la que hubiera sido última película de Alfred Hitchcock en 1978 si su salud se lo hubiera permitido. Basado en un hecho real muy próximo a la historia que narra la hitchcockiana El hombre de Mackintosh (John Huston, 1975), la historia, que se habría situado en Finlandia, trataría de un espía inglés al servicio de los soviéticos que huiría de su prisión en Londres y se encaminaría a Moscú tras recoger a su familia en una isla del Báltico. Un espía norteamericano, enviado allí para capturar al doble agente, se enamoraría de su mujer y el drama giraría en torno al amor y el sentido del deber que culminaría en una persecución en un tren en la frontera de la URSS. La película nunca pasó de la pre-producción. Alma Reville, esposa de Hitchcock, había quedado impedida tras el rodaje de Frenesí seis años antes. Hitchcock apenas podía moverse ya por sí mismo, y aunque había hecho un viaje a Finlandia para rodar exteriores y una segunda unidad rodó varias escenas y planos por la costa, la película se perdió en los despachos, en la burocracia y en la eterna reescritura de un guión, de nuevo con Ernest Lehman, y nunca salió a flote.

After watching that video, I began to wonder a lot about The Joker. Was it only me who found him strangely attractive in that video? And in cartoon form? Or who really really wanted to dress up as The Joker? I think I would look pretty awesome with the green hair and the suit. This was mainly after I did a quick wikipedia check because I couldn't remember The Jokers background story. He quits his job to become a stand up comedian, with no support from his wife (who later dies along with his unborn child), but nobody laughs! I don't know why this makes me so sad. Maybe it is because it that one panel there will always be (awful it may be cheesy) suffering. Then you know, he falls into a vat of chemicals and turns insane and begins to kill people with cyanide pies (pies: yays!. cyanide: connected in my mind to web comic cyanide and happiness and therefore funny, also connected to poisoning doctor who so cyanide pies=awesome!!!) and Joker venom which causes you to painfully laugh to death. I so want to give him a hug. He seems like he needs someone, has a more interesting character, unlike superheroes who are generic and squeaky clean (generally, unless a tv show wants to revamp them as all dark and broody), he would have some excellent conversational topics, you would always have the moral high ground and he has a wicked sense of humour.

You would have to get over the whole killing people evil thing though. I can forgive him because it is imaginary. Just like I can still be in love with Julius Levy (The Progress of Julius by Daphne Du Maurier), who is so unfeeling and calculating. There is one scene which disturbed me at the time where he has to abandon his hometown (due to the Prussian invasion of France) and his family tells him he can't take his beloved cat, Mimette I believe she's called, so he ties a handkerchief with a stone it in round the poor thing's neck and chucks his cat off a bridge. I believe he is about...nine maybe when this happens?  But just like Elsa (oh go read the book, its good!), I can't help but be attracted to this cold-hearted, horribly stereotyped (money grabbing jew. how original) character.

You know who isn't a murderer and is just amazing? David Tennant. Though staring at pictures of him whilst listening to Baby got Back and trying to revise Stalin's rise to power is slightly hard. It may have creeped out my grandparents because I was just sitting there laughing and they would ask me what was so funny and i would go "oh nothing, I'm revising The Purges". They must think I'm disturbed. Also because I was sitting around in the dark (not for any reason, it was just a hassle to turn on the light). Fortunately I have received only positive comments about the way I look in my man shirt and tie. I like this tie. I like the feeling of wearing a tie, it seems purposeful. It's also silk so you can just rub it all over your face when no one is looking and be all "mmm...silky".

(Foto de Daquella Manera, con algunos derechos reservados)

Sugiere algún amigo de este blog que todos, aún los más críticos, somos hijos del colonialismo cultural. A veces sin darnos cuenta, como cuando nos ponemos la americana o la rebeca. ¿Por qué no la chaqueta o el jersey de punto abierto, que era lo que en realidad se echaba encima la malograda esposa invisible del acaudalado señor De Winter? Entre la descripción de Daphne du Maurier, el suspense de Hitchcock y en encanto bobalicón de Joan Fontaine nos lo colaron impunemente. El caso es que ardió Manderley y las chicas españolas no volvieron a cubrir sus hombros con la chaquetita de punto, sino con la rebeca. Colonialismo inocente ese, por cierto. Más ofende que nos haya conquistado el sandwich cuando el conde de Sandwich lo que en realidad se inventó para aplacar la gazuza de sus cacerías era algo tan conocido por estos pagos como el bocadillo. Será que comiendo esa palabra, aunque se engorde igual, se parece más fino.

El Duende, tan puntilloso él generalmente, fustiga las modas importadas innecesariamente. Pero si uno mira atrás se da cuenta de que todo, desde el lenguaje hasta los hábitos de vida se han impregnado siempre de costumbres extrañas. Y no siempre para mal, ni mucho menos. En SU primera empresa, el Duende trabajaba aún los sábados por la mañana. En el lenguaje popular, el sábado libre se decía sábado inglés. Algo bueno pues aprendimos de la pérfida Albión, como desde la derrota de la Armada Invencible denominábamos a la Gran Bretaña.

Bueno para la decoración o malo para nuestros bosques, contra lo que ya no vale oponerse es contra el árbol de Navidad. No tiene nada que ver con raíz cristiana de la pascua que nos contaron de niños. Pero desde Navidades blancas -primero la famosísima canción de Irving Berlin y luego la película que protagonizaron Bing Crosby y Dany Kaye- su encanto parece irresistible. Tan incrustado está en nuestra cultura doméstica, que a una maestra contumaz cristiana le oyó el Duende entronizarlo en la natividad que describe san Marcos para que sus alumnos no lo vieran como un simple adorno caprichoso. Según ella, y probablemente para santificar la tradición pagana, del árbol sacó san José la madera para hacerle la cuna Jesús. Difícil que lo encontrara en los aledaños de Belén, pero si non é vero é miracolosamente trovato...

Le magnetiza al Duende el otoño porque pinta éste el crepúsculo de la vida vegetal en colores maravillosos. Viene de ver en los bosques asturianos y leoneses cuadros naturales que serían impagables si se subastaran en Sothebys. Desde la misma ventana del cuarto donde escribe se divisa un Madrid otoñal parapetado tras los ocres, amarillos, rojizos y verdes de distintas tonalidades que le ofrecen chopos, plátanos, liquidámbares, pinos, cipreses, cedros, olmos y cianamomos de un parque que espera plácidamente la caída de la hoja.

Llegará el invierno con sus barbas blancas y sólo permanecerán vestidos los de hoja perenne. Algunos de ellos, como el perfumado naranjo y el bravo madroño, con la propina excepcional de un fruto que pronto será de vivos colores. Está muy bien que hoy reproduzcamos en plástico el tannembaun o el christmas tree, porque así no deforestamos y, pese a ello, nos sentimos como en un cuento de Dickens. Pero el naranjo y el madroño no necesitan en esta época ni un adorno, porque se llenan de bolas rojas o naranjas y se ponen preciosos. Podíamos habernos fijado en ellos antes para que los copiaran los chinos. Así, en lugar de ser colonizados por la estética del norte, podríamos sorprender a todo el mundo con la gracia natural que tienen en España nuestros auténticos árboles de Navidad.

Dizem que os seres humanos se elevam pelo sofrimento, e que para progredirem neste ou em outro mundo hão de passar pela prova de fogo. Assim nos sucedeu ─ e com que ironia! Ambos conhecemos o medo, a solidão e a grande, a grande tristeza. Suponho que sobrevém um momento de provação na vida de todos nós. Cada um de nós tem o seu demônio, que nos instiga e atormenta, e a quem temos que dar combate. Eu e ele vencemos o nosso, ou pelo menos assim me parece".

. Daphne Du Maurier in Rebecca .

Rebecca is a gothic classic with the wonderful traditional macabre elements: murder mysteries, gruesome death, young-girl-old-man relationship, incest, big mansion with dark secrets, obsession, and (in the gothic tradition of Jane Eyre) a dark brooding elderly husband tormented by a dark past. I had this book for few years and somehow never read it...damn what was I thinking!? The early chapters were a bit slow but soon after it became a very addictive and thrilling page-turner. It's been awhile I came upon a book I found hard to put down. Now I understand why it's such a beloved timeless classic and a MUST read for anyone who loves this genre.

Story: A shy, timid and awkward young girl hastely married the elderly but handsome and wealthy widower Maxim, whom she barely knew. Back at his beautiful mansion, the young bride was disturbed by the cold and sinister housekeeper, Mrs. Danvers, who was fiercely and chillingly devoted to Maxim's first wife, the beautiful and beloved Rebecca. Rebecca died ten months ago in a drowning accident: she sailed alone in her boat one night and never returned. Her body was washed ashore days later and was battered unrecognizable by the rocks. Even though she was dead, Rebecca's presence continue to haunt the mansion as though she was still alive. The young bride's inferior complex further fuel the misunderstanding between her secretive husband. Mrs. Danvers persisted her mind games that driven the heroine into the blink of insanity. Then one day a shipwreck occured nearby and the rescue team found Rebecca's capsized boat deep down at ocean. A corpse was found in the locked cabin. Who was the person who died with Rebecca at the accident? Was it really an accident or cold-blooded murder? More sinister development to come and a surprising twist revelation that led to a powerfully devastating ending.

From what I read, there's a dispute on the nature of the relationship between the housekeeper Mrs. Danvers and Rebecca. There seems to be a lesbian overtone between the two, though it's more of a one-sided zealous devotion from Mrs. Danvers. She worshipped Rebecca like a goddess and insisted Rebecca despised all men and "above" things like relationships with men.

There's another character named Frank, who is Maxim's manager. He's a lovely character, very gentle, shy and awkward, just like the male version of the heroine (maybe that's why Maxim liked and trusted him as well). Frank is just as devoted and loyal to Maxim as Mrs. Danvers to Rebecca. Even the heroine remarked how much Frank loved Maxim. Though not as homoerotic overtone as the pair above, I did considered him a prime suspect (of whatever mystery there would be) at the beginning because he was just 'too good to be true.' ^^;;;

Then there's the question whether Maxim loved the heroine or not. On surface he treated her like a pet (an inferior companion he liked to pat, and ignored when he didn't feel like to). Then as revelations revealed he seemed to use her like a 'protective charm' of innocence to fend off the haunting evil presence of Rebecca, and see her worth as a temporary remedy to the demons inside of him. Later he admitted that she's not very 'effective' afterall. And he ruined her innocence by his 'confession' forever (and her reaction followed was even more 'amazing')...geez... ^^;;;

Mrs. Danvers is very convincingly written. Like the heroine I too shivered and felt threaten whenever she appeared on pages. Even though readers never meet Rebecca, the little glimpse of her from other character's descriptions suggested a very complex and interesting wicked character. Was she really evil? Rebecca is merely a name in the story, but she is the most prominent figure that ruled the course of actions and events. Her lingering presence affected every character's life from beyond the grave. While the heroine remained nameless the entire book. It was a clever literary device depicting the lost of self-identity. She's more of a shadow than the dead Rebecca.

Daphne du Maurier is a wonderful writer. Her prose is classy, easy-to-read, and good at character analysis. Rebecca was adapted into the Oscar-winning film by Alfred Hitchcock in 1940 (ironically it's the only Hitchcock film to win an Oscar. Hitchcock never won Best Director!! o_0). As a Hitchcock-phile I never watched this film because I've always wanted to read the book first. Lawrence Olivier didn't seem fit my image of Maxim at all (not old enough!). And I heard that the ending is different due to some censorships. Hitchcock adapted two more stories by Daphne du Maurier into films: Jamaica Inn (haven't seen this one either) and the very famous The Birds. I rent a movie called Don't Look Back this week that is also based on a short story by Daphne du Maurier, comment later. Her other works all seem very interesting, but they're mostly out-of-print, shame.

Anyway, tilbake til "The Host". Stephenie Meyer er en mester i å skrive spennende avslutninger, og slutten på "The Host" er helt nyyydelig... Og spennende helt til siste setning! (Hun er også en mester i å unngå å skrive om sex, og om andre intime ting. Kan dette komme av at hun er mormon?)

Evolving Thoughts science blog : Basic concepts : A List

If a non-scientist mostly reading fiction but wanting some science, then this might be the place to start.

Even Tierra Fuegans Do IT

The Uncashed Metaphor of Natural Selection

Long essay by Justin E.H. Smith

How Daphne du Maurier wrote Rebecca Telegraph 19 April 2008

Featuring ten days of talks, music, comedy, theatre and film in the Festival Village plus guided walks, boat trips and a whole programme of community events. In addition to Lady Tessa Montgomery (the eldest daughter of Daphne du Maurier) guests appearing in the Festival Village this year include: Tim Smit, Rick Wakeman, Gloria Hunniford, Helen Taylor, Justine Picardie, Helen Doe and Martin Bell - to name a few!

We are offering a special 3 night break during the du Maurier Festival. The prices are as follows:
Standard Inland facing room: £195 B&B per person for 3 nights
Select Sea View room: £240 B&B per person for 3 nights
Premier Sea View room: £270 B&B per preson for 3 nights

To include dinner in our award winning restaurant simply add £20 per person per night to the above rates. Early Bird dinners can be booked for those attending evening events.

For further information or to make a reservation please call 0844 50 ASK US (275 87). or email reservations@thefoweyhotel.co.uk

Visit the website at www.thefoweyhotel.co.uk

Reparto principal:
Tippi Hedren ... Melanie Daniels
Rod Taylor ... Mitch Brenner
Jessica Tandy ... Lydia Brenner
Suzanne Pleshette ... Annie Hayworth
Veronica Cartwright ... Cathy Brenner

Fotografía:
Robert Burks

Música original:
Bernard Herrmann

Montaje:
George Tomasini

Palabras clave:
Animal Attack, animal-attack, Based On Short Story, Binoculars, Bird, Bird Attack, Bird Cage, birds, Birthday, Birthday Party, Blindfold, Blockbuster, Bodega Bay California, Brother Sister Relationship, Burned Alive, California, Child In Peril, Children, Convertible, Corpse, Creepy, Crow, Cult Favorite, Death Of Friend, Deliberate, Deputy Sheriff, Diner, Director Cameo, Dock, Drama, Evacuation, Exploding Gas Station, Eye Gouging, Eyes Pecked Out, Face Slap, Family Relationship, Fantasy, Farm, Fear, Fireplace, Flashlight, General Store, Gift, Horror, Houseguest, Humorous, Island, Lawyer, Love Triangle, love-triangle, Man Against Nature, man-vs-nature, Menacing, Mother Son Relationship, Mothers and Sons, Motorboat, Nail-biters, Natural Horror, No Ending, No Music, Old Flame, Ominous, Paranoia, Paranoid, Pet Bird, Pet Shop, Playground, Practical Joke, Questionable for Children, Romance, Rotoscoping, San Francisco California, School, Schoolteacher, Single Mother, Small Town, Small Town Life, Socialite, Talky, Teacher, Telephone Booth, Thriller, Violence, When Animals Attack, Widow

Das kann man nur bestätigen und insofern gewissermaßen von einem Horrorfilm sprechen, der subtil, ohne Monster oder Aliens, doch ein beklemmendes Gefühl erzeugt. Neben diversen Auszeichnungen kam der Film aber auch aufgrund des ganz besonderen Schauspiels ins Gespräch.

Ich bekam den Film über die SZ Mediathek, wobei ich jedoch zuerst durch das Institut für Theater-, Film- und Fernsehwissenschaften an der Kölner Uni "TheFiFe" darauf aufmerksam wurde. Details und interessante Rezensionen bspw. in amazon.de - http://www.amazon.de/Wenn-die-Gondeln-Trauer-tragen/dp/B000059X0F/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=dvd&qid=1203119851&sr=1-1

H. G. Wells - The Plattner Story
Michael Joseph - The Yellow Cat
Daphne du Maurier - Escort
Washington Irving - The Specter Bridegroom
Algernon Blackwood - Keeping His Promise
Lady Cynthia Asquith - The Corner Shop
Gerald Kersh - The Brighton Monster
Robert Louis Stevenson - The Body-Snatcher
M. R. James - Casting The Runes

Have you ever felt, in the soft, eerie blackness of the night, the presence of that other world, moving and dwelling around us, but not with us? Woken suddenly, perhaps, to become shudderingly aware of its ghostly proximity? Visit now this swirling domain of clammy terror with this deliciously hair-raising new collection of stories of the uncanny, the fiendish, and the macabre, specially selected to grip and chill you.

Here are some of the finest tales of mystery and imagination ever written .....

Thanks to Andy the nightreader!

What a coincidence, I watched 2 movies and finish 1 book on the same weekend that were all made in 1973. Don't Look Now was a beautifully filmed British horror/thriller directed by Nicholas Roeg, based on a story by Daphne du Maurier (Rebecca, The Birds) and starring Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland (he has same magnetic deep voice as his son Kiefer). It was a well-made creepy film loaded with symbolism for someone who loves the feeling of getting lost. ^^;; It's good for multiple viewings and film classes analysis.

Sypnosis: A couple's daughter died from a drowning accident while playing outside in her little red mackintosh coat. They escaped to Venice to deal with their pain and grief. There they were approached by two elderly sisters: one was blind and claimed to have psychic power. She told the wife she saw the spirit of their dead daughter sitting with them happily. The wife believed them and started to content with the tragic incident. The architect hushand refused to believe such mumbo jumbo and tried to numb his grief with the works on church restoration project. All these while a serial killer on the loose terrorize Venice. The wife met the sisters again and this time the psychic gave a ominous message to warn them to leave Venice at once because there will be some great danger upon the husband. The husband dismissed them as bluffs. The psychic suggested that the husband might have the gift himself (such as he felt something was wrong and ran outside when the daughter was drown) but he was in denial.

At that night, the couple got a called from England saying their son had hurt himself in school. Brushing it off as minor injury, only the wife flew back to check on their son. The next day the husband narrowly escaped an falling accident at his work site. Could that be the great danger from the warnings? Shortly after, the husband caught a glimpse of the pair of weird sisters together with a woman who looked very alike his wife on another boat. Shouldn't she be on flight aboard England? The husband worried the sisters might have brainwashed his wife into some cult, or worst, they happened to be the serial killers!? He contacted the police and arrested the sisters. Then turns out his wife did arrived safely at England and it was all a mistake. As he walked home, he saw a little girl in red mackintosh coat running ahead. Could it be the spirit of his daughter? [spoiler warning ahead] He immediately ran after her into the church. When he finally reached her, this little red coat figure turned around and revealed to be a old, grotesque and horrible looking dwarf, she stabbed him and he died. THE END! o_0!!!

So when he saw the sisters and his wife on the boat (a funeral boat!), it was actually a vision he had of the his own doom future. And it's safe to assume the dwarf was the serial killer). btw see the picture of the dwarf at the link below, UK Guardian voted it on Top 20 Best Film moment in history, and she still freak me out in picture! http://film.guardian.co.uk/features/apicturestory/0%2C6412%2C132241%2C00.html. [end of spoiler]

My mom told me about this movie. She said there's this wicked, HORRIBLE film disturbed and haunted her till this day. She didn't remember what movie was it. She only remember the ending, "you know, I was so glad he finally found his daughter, but then (the spoiler), it was horrible! What's the point!? What's that suppose to mean?" So I was totally spoiled with the ending, but it sounded awesome so I have to check it out. And after a bit of research (you can find anything on internet!), I found out the name of this movie. :D When the moment came, it was totally worth it. ^^;;

It is definitely an artsy type of horror that is more about building atmospheric labyrinths and feeling of lost and confusion, as a metaphor of the characters' state of mind. The techniques and visual elements the film engaged reminded me of a bit of David Lynch and Hitchcock (and M. Night). The shots are beautiful, especially the Venice scenery. There was one long intimate love-making scene between the couple inter cut with the afterward dressing up, seems like it's quite famous (got rip-off by 90s movie Out of Sight). There are many odd 70s zoom-in on objects with no apparent reason, lots of 'setup' with no paid off, and lots of strange editing that enhance the obscure and surreal feeling of the film. There are usage of hand-held camera to create the growing paranoia and tensions.

The repeating imagery of eyes, windows and mirror are core symbols of the heart of the story: a deluded perception. Pay attention to the wrong things and and its fatal consequences. The husband was too caught up in his own grief that he was unable to look at what is important and what is not, and clouded his judgment on reading some obvious signs. His wife was much happier and moving on when she believed the psychic sisters. He failed to see the critical awakening from his son's injury: the right thing to do was simply just to fly back to his son and be grateful his son is still alive. And he ignore the rational and obvious signs on his wife's whereabouts and made the wrong speculations that'd eventually led to his doom. He indulged in the wrong things, and chased after the phantom of that little red coat. I think many of the unexplained weird scenes in the movie (such as abrupt cut showing the two sisters laughing in their room, zoom in a statue they called "Argus") are put in to confuse the audience, whether we'd pay attention and try to make sense of the wrong things and miss the right clues, feeling very much like the husband.

The old and decaying city of Venice, full of rivers and confusing, complicated small dark alleys, is clearly used as a labyrinth metaphor of the husband getting lost and trapped by his grief. Like Fellini's Toby Dammit using Rome's dark alleys and roads as labyrinth metaphor of Toby's mind trapping in madness. So now I'm totally convinced of the nightmare-ish quality of Italy's cities. ^^;; We as the audience also get lost psychologically in the weird editing, odd juxtapositiong of visual sequences and skewed camera angles as we tried to make sense like the characters did in the city.

The bright red color is strikingly used throughout the film against the muddy dull color palette of the rest of the visuals. (hey M. Night Shyamalan, who's also obsessed with color red and mirror)

Colors, eyes and windows are favorite elements of Hitchcock as well.

The architect husband's "restoration of medival church" was clearly a metaphor of 'restoration of his faith." But the accident fall in church almost killed him.

The psychic elements illustrated Fatalism, how one's demise to avoid/escape the prophecy actually led to it.

The movie was a bit slow at times, and could be made creepier and more sinister. it'd be the kind of film that stays with you (like it did to my mom ^^;;).