The Day of the Locust
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Actor: Burgess Meredith, Donald Sutherland, Geraldine Page, Karen Black, William AthertonBrand: SUTHERLAND,DONALD
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Subtitled); English (Original Language)
Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Digital Sound, Dolby, DVD, NTSC, Restored, Subtitled, Surround Sound, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.77:1
Running Time: 144 minutes
Published: 2004-06-01
DVD Release Date: 2004-06-08
Audience Rating: R (Restricted)
Studio: Paramount
DVD Reviews of The Day of the Locust
DVD Review: Horror in Hollyweird
Summary: 4 Stars
[This review is part of my 31 Days of Hallowen series.]
I first saw this movie an aeon ago after reading the book. I don't think I appreciated it so much back then--but I do now. In order to really appreciate the ending, I suggest not reading the book first (if you haven't already.)
One of the reasons I appreciate the film more today is that at the time of the initial viewing, I hadn't seen Karen Black's work as an actor. In hindsight now I can really appreciate what a great actress she is. The horror/suspense movies she participated in during the 70's earned her the position of (at least) Princess of Horror (Betty Davis being the Queen--deserving the title for Whatever Happened to Baby Jane?--not to mention the string of B Horror Flicks she is also remembered for.)
The movie is all about the decadence of Hollywood--and it was pretty damn decadent--much more so than today. People didn't bother to go to rehab in those days & the studios controlled the media (Elsa Maxwell & Hedda Harper were to change all that in the 40's & 50's--and the 60's gave rise to the paparazzi.)
The characters include producers, writers, actors...and all the people who catered to their every need & whim. There's even a group of Mexican toughs who run an illegal chicken fight racket. It looked to me that this particular scene was for real--and it was pretty darn graphic. It did "artistically" fit into the plot--and the movie was made prior to any humane oversight--but I can't defend the nauseating inclusion in the film. It is what it is & I closed my eyes--and deducted a star in response.
Burgess Meredith turns in an outstanding performance as Black's door-to-door salesman/vaudevillian father. This is one of the few times I've actually seen Meredith's full stature in a movie & it came as a surprise to me to see how short he was (and I'm not confusing him with the actor Billy Barty who actually is a midget--and is powerful in this film.) One of the most striking scenes in the movie is Meredith's funeral. The wax like figure in the casket is such a shocking contrast to Meredith's almost maniacal portrayal of the living person. Even in death the character makes a rather frightening statement.
Donald Sutherland plays Homer Simpson (that's right, namesake of The Simpson's dad--and the similarity ends there.) His character is so bottled up & repressed, that it's gotta break out--and it does in an incident of graphic homicide.
The most striking scene for me is the one where Karen Black's aspiring actress character is arguing with her father over something--it really doesn't matter what. The full damaged, schizophrenic nature of her character comes into play: She simultaneously shakes her boobs at her father, cries, screams and laughingly leers. It is a grotesque display of a woman coming apart at the seams--and Karen Black plays it to the hilt.
This film is definitely NOT for the kiddies.
Here's a little tip: Keep your eyes on the gender-bending, professional "child" actor.
I will not give the ending away--I just couldn't be that cruel.
Heh-heh...
Description of The Day of the Locust
A young Hollywood art director gets a taste of the seedy, decadent underbelly of the movie industry.Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: R
Release Date: 8-JUN-2004
Media Type: DVD
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