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Scott Ventura >> Movie Commentary >> December 2000 >> The Parallax View

The Parallax View

Movie Commentary by Scott Ventura

Details

Scott's Rating:
3 / 5
Times Seen:
1
Viewing Date:
December 2000
IMDB Name:
Parallax View, The (1974)
Director:
Alan J. Pakula
Keywords:
action, suspense
Made:
1974
MPAA Rating:
R

Obscured

There have been times when I wish recent movies would be more subtle. I'm starting to think that movies from the 1970s need to be more blatant. The Parallax View makes most of its points with significant camera shots unaided by dialogue. I missed the significance of enough scenes so that by the end, I had more than a few questions to ask. I now have a stronger grasp on the movie's message, and I feel a little dumb for having missed it. Producer/director Alan J. Pakula creates some interesting chase scenes to cut the little bits of research done by the Warren Beatty character. The most interesting segment, though, is a bizarre montage that had me thinking of Tron, THX 1138 and Stop Making Sense all at the same time.

Among the cast, only Beatty and Hume Cronyn really left a significant impression. It's funny to see Cronyn crotchety, because the last time I saw him was as a much younger man in Lifeboat. I couldn't really be expected to recognize William Daniels on sight, but I should have recognized the voice: K.I.T.T. from "Knight Rider"!

Consumer Note: The Parallax View makes no attempt to explain what a parallax is.




Copyright 2000 by Scott Ventura. All rights reserved.