Eyes of a Stranger
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Gwen Lewis, Jennifer Jason Leigh, John DiSanti, Lauren Tewes, Peter DuPreBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); French (Subtitled); Spanish (Subtitled); English (Original Language); French (Dubbed); Spanish (Dubbed)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Dubbed, DVD, NTSC, Subtitled, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 84 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2007-09-25
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Warner Home Video
Movie Reviews of Eyes of a Stranger
Movie Review: I Really Don't Know HOW this has Managed to Stay So Far Under the Radar for So Long
Summary: 5 Stars
I stumbled upon this movie completely by accident, and it was an extremely pleasant surprise. Anyone who has glanced at my reviews knows that I am a big fan of slasher movies. This one is more of a traditional psychological thriller, but made much better by featuring elements from the slasher, mystery, and suspense genres. It's all in how you do it. The basic premise is similar to other thrillers. But I feel it's substantially superior because they choose to shroud the proceedings in mystery. Eyes of a Stranger succeeds by building an ambience that is all its own.
While it is set in the heart of a big city, the film always maintains a sense of extreme intimacy. It centers relentlessly around a few key characters, and, as the action unfolds, you are left with the sensation that they are the only people on the planet. One other key point-while the setting is urban, the movie does not suffer from that squalid look that some films had during the 70's and 80's. The bulk of the movie takes place in various apartments(the heroine's, the villain's, one of his victims').In other words, you don't wind up feeling as if you have spent two hours cruising a slum. Even when the story does venture into the uglier parts of town, things are still presented with class and a degree of taste that could easily have been missing from something dealing with this type of subject matter. This is a visually appealing film.
There is a moment, near the opening of the film, where we are shown an empty phone booth on a dark, deserted street. A typical psychological thriller would omit such a scene-it contributes nothing to the plot, after all. We all knew he HAD to leave the phone booth eventually.
But this movie takes the time to show you that empty phone booth. A moment like this, trivial though it might seem, goes a long way to build a sense of dread and mystery. And this makes all the difference.
There are three main characters, and each is, oddly enough, quite visually arresting, although in wildly divergent ways.
The primary character, played by Lauren Tewes, is a tv anchor lady. I suppose she is best known for her role on the Love Boat. Her physical dimensions are striking in the most obvious way-and my personal favorite-in that she is a gorgeous blonde. Plus, she is the best kind of gorgeous-she retains an everyday quality about her. She doesn't look as airbrushed or pencil-thin as many of today's sexpots do. And she's better in her part than you might anticipate from someone whose major accomplishment hitherto was floating around the ocean on a cruise ship.
Her little sister is quite attractive, as well. However, what makes her so interesting is that her character is deaf-mute, as well as blind. She has minimal facial expression,and no spoken lines, and yet she still manages to exude something. I can't really put it into words. It's something of an intangible thing. I suppose you'd have to see it to appreciate what I'm saying. But the girl really does hold her own, and manages to be a strong presense in the film, even considering the limitations that are built into her role.
Now, the villain is also visually arresting, but in a completely different way. The man is a rapist-serial killer. And he looks the part. He is a bit of a throwback. While he dresses well, and his apartment appears clean and neat, there is a definite caveman quality to the guy. He's got a powerful, brutish look about him. As I said, he's a throwback to the days when people associated muscles with actually doing something, as opposed to serving as ornaments for pool-side frolics, a la Mario Lopez or somebody. There's absolutely nothing pretty about this guy, but you can believe him in the role. He's got a back and torso like a weightlifter. But when they show him tucking in his shirt, he's got virtually no gut. When a man's shirt bulges out in the BACK, not the his back is wide, and his trapezius muscles are extremely that's typically a sign of a brutishly strong man.
The story is straightforward. A newslady suspects her neighbor is a serial killer. She investigates. And when he realizes her intentions, he decides to take it out on her handicapped sister. And it is HERE that the visual dimensions of the characters make the most profound difference. The climax of the movie finds the teenaged girl being stalked by the killer. You look at her, and see the small frame, the delicate features, the utter vulnerability. And in him you see someone so much bigger, so much and so unabashedly sadistic and depraved.
Her helplessness does nothing to arouse any sense of pity in this man. And her age and disability do nothing to diminish his craven sexual appetites, either. You can tell, from the expression on his face, that having a beautiful young blind girl at his disposal is probably his idea of heaven. She's healthy enough for him to enjoy sexually, but unable to fight back in a consistently effective fashion. She's right next door to being helpless, but not quite......which I think adds to his enjoyment. She can move, and she can put up a token fight, but that's about as far as it goes. Check out the look on his face when she grabs that knife to try to defend herself. That's a happy man. He wouldn't mind if this went on forever.
Watching the two of them not sure I've ever experienced a more striking sight, in terms of sheer physical and moral opposites. The dynamic between the two of them is probably the most effective dimension to this film. This is one final cinematic confrontation that really stands out.
It's an outstanding movie. And for traditional slasher fans, like myself, some of the stalking scenes are exceptional, as well. The opening segment, where he hunts down a waitress in her apartment, is classic. Very nicely crafted. This segment is as strong as most of what you'll find in the more traditional slasher movies. The musical score for Eyes of a Stranger is also very good. There is something very moody and understated about it.The relationship between the two sisters is handled well,also, and serves as a nice contrast from the more sinister aspects of the story. The two have a real warmth between them. They add a gentleness, a softness, and a humanity that is often lacking in movies such as this.
I really like this movie.
Summary of Eyes of a Stranger
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