By Jack Shanley

Almost 50 years after it was made, Nicolas Roeg’s ‘Don’t Look Now’ remains to this day one of the great horror masterpieces in cinematic history. Not only is it frightening but it pulls you in and makes you feel as lost as the two main characters while they wander the streets of Venice. The must-see 1973 classic was adapted from Daphne du Maurier’s book of short stories ‘Not After Midnight’, released in 1971. Very skilfully made (cinematography, sound, writing, editing), we’re treated to devastatingly good performances from Donald Sutherland and Julie Christie. We really feel their pain and intense sorrow which is essentially the core of the film. ‘Don’t Look Now’ delves into the interesting topic of the psychology of grief and how the death of a child can have a massive effect on a relationship. It is set in this mesmerising dark dream-like city of Venice. In a way the dark look depicts how the couple feel after the loss of their daughter. Devastating, poignant and beautiful all in one, ‘Don’t Look Now’ is very highly regarded by film critics around the world and by some of the greatest directors we’ve seen over the past 30 years, influencing the likes of Academy Award Winner Danny Boyle (Slumdog Millionaire, Trainspotting), Academy Award Winner Steven Soderbergh (Erin Brockovich, Traffic) and the great Christopher Nolan (Inception, Interstellar). The film is so highly regarded that in 1999, the British Film Institute acknowledged the importance of Roeg and his filmography by naming ‘Don’t Look Now’ the eighth greatest British film of all time in its Top 100 British films poll. Synopsis: Following the death of their daughter, John (Donald Sutherland) and his wife Laura (Julie Christie) head to Venice where John is commissioned to restore a church. There, John and his wife Laura meet two sisters (Hilary Mason, Clelia Matania) who claim they are in touch with the spirit of their daughter. Laura believes them, but John doesn’t until he catches sight of what looks like his daughter running through the streets of Venice. I’d give this film a score of FIVE stars. * You can buy ‘Don’t Look Now’ on DVD at Tower Records for €14.99. Director: Nicolas Roeg - Rating: R - Genre: Mystery, Thriller - Run Time: 1h 50m - Language: English, Italian