chesterfilms Blog

I love this film for so many reasons. Great opening, amazing cinematography, and very good performances. Like Hitchcock's Lifeboat, the feeling of being on the boat for most of the film gives a very claustrophobic feel and builds tension. It's a dark film, and the cloudy skies, and rain add to the suspense. It's Polanski's first feature, and one of his best.

Early Miyazaki, and it is weird! I guess all of his stuff is strange, but I absolutely love his work. I did not love this. I did not hate this, but love was not in my experience. Completely different than any of his other films. Reminded me of some strange 80's spy/fantasy video game. Did I just create a new genre?

First off, I LOVE Herzog. Now that I have said that, let me say this. Watching this film for me was like someone had mixed the reels from Wizard Of Oz, One Flew Over The Cuckoo's nest, and Lord Of The Flies together. Of course it's not nearly as good as any of those films. Weird. Very Weird. I sometimes feel like Herzog is exploiting these people, but I guess it's hard to make a film like this and not have it come across like that.