Customer Reviews

Dying Room Only [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The year 1973 redefined fear in its many different guises: from the shock-tactics of The Exorcist, a classic that mixed horror with religion for disturbing results, to the slow-building, art-house creeper Don't Look Now. Just alone these few films could very well mean that 1973 can be considered as one of the most diverse and pivotal times there ever was for the fright genre. Do know that there is also a pattern here.

These films were actually all adapted from the page, as was Dying Room Only. While alike this same years' haunted house frightshow, The Legend of Hell House, Dying Room Only was previously in print from a Richard Matheson story, and both of these screenplays were adapted by Matheson himself. While Hell House went theatrical, Dying Room Only was seen that year on television, having aired September 18th on ABC. The film now, however, only survives by VHS. As of this writing there are no known plans of ever releasing this gem on DVD.

The opening of the movie follows a couple, Jean and Bob (Cloris Leachman and Dabney Coleman,) who after a small argument while driving across the desolate desert stop at a run-down café. After they seemingly make up, the woman goes to the restroom, and when she comes back her husband has seemingly disappeared. Now all alone and afraid, Jean asks both the one worker ( Ross Martin) and the only customer (Ned Beatty, a year after his famous Deliverance role) at the café, who allegedly know nothing, saying he must have split out on her, yet these men are not eager to help. Jean suspects something terrible happened and the two men seem greatly suspicious to her, as well. How will she unsolve the mystery?

While this concept has been played out both before this film (1970's And Soon The Darkness,) and since (1988's The Vanishing,) many times this idea does not centrally take place in one small location, as it does here. The bulk of this short 74 minute film takes place in the diner or just outside of it, and this enclosed desert location, "In the middle of nowhere," as Jean tells her husband just before he goes missing, does create a hostile environment, as well as generate a sense of unease and dread.

Dying Room Only is terrifying because it feels so realistic. There is no monster here, this is not fantasy land. There is no grand conspiracy at the heart of it all, and there is no easy catharsis. Although the horror behind the mystery is not unexpected, that is not the point of the film, either. The resolution to the disappearance is not cinematic, but realistic. The characters in the film, both good and bad, are not caricatures of a theme, rather they are just people that make mistakes, and most of all, do what they want to in life that satisfies their need for personal fulfillment and survival. In this way, it may be illicit behavior, or it can be as simple as getting out of harm's way.

In the way of actual, artistic themes and metaphors in Dying Room Only, there are none. This is a film about fear. Although it is indeed emotional, suspenseful, scary, and even, disturbing, Dying Room Only has no such self-important comments to say about society or humans. Rather, it is emotionally moving because it "is" about humans: an animal that can be truly messed up, doing uncivilized, animalistic behavior. This any person knows: human kind can be utterly inhuman.

Director Philip Leacock gives a restrained feel to the film. This none-fanciful and just-the-facts approach to the photography is a big part as to why the film works on so many levels. Leacock just lets the tension, and suspense play out, thus capturing it, and then pulling away for introspection. As it is with Matheson's writing that creates the most sense of menace.

Although, Dying Room Only is a film about fear, it is not about violence. Rather, it is a film with a emphasis on dialogue, tension, suspense, and mystery to drive its narrative. As with the short runtime, not a scene and probably not even one dialogue exchange is wasted; yet Matheson's original short story was much smaller in narrative and the film actually lengthens much of the character interaction, as well as the mysteries resolution, and the final climax by a good amount.

The dialogue seems genuine, it too never gets cinematic. When what could be a contrivance or a narrative flaw seems to arise, Matheson's screenplay gives reasons for it, and this moves the plot along not artificially, but naturally. The actors are also phenomenal. Leachman is a revelation, as both an empathetic heroine or someone who is credible in their actions as an executer to finding out the mystery. She hits all the right emotional notes; whether it be with worry on her face, or tears in her eyes,

There are only two complaints I have with the film, both of which have probably more to do with Dying Room Only having been a Television movie.

First, the small amount of actual violence is not realistic, in other words, it seems polite. When the action does happen, it has more in common with an old cowboy movie, than a terror film and it almost takes you out of the film, letting you know that in this aspect it is catering to the "family" masses. The rest of the film is much less mainstream with its intention.

The other negative, is the way that Dying Room Only ends on "something" of a happier note. This viewer wanted it to go for the dark-side in both of these instances, much like the similar film, The Vanishing, a film that was done exactly fifteen years later, and may be better, but that is again mostly due to that bleak end note. It did not have to go all the way and make the closing scenes depressing or more disturbing, but it would have been nice for the film to not feel like it is a Sunday Afternoon movie in which the hero goes into the sunset.

Yet, when the final credits role, Dying Room Only is a gem. I would highly recommend it as a classic example of cinema as both a terror ride and a finely made work of art.


8.5 / 10 (In 0.5 Increments)

This is a great mystery thriller starring Cloris Leachman about a married couple driving on a deserted road and stopping at a run down diner when the husband goes to the bathroom he never returns suspecting foul play!!It's an eerie must see movie!!

I first saw "Dying Room Only" when it was originally released on ABC in September, 1973. I eventually saw it many times again during the seventies as a late-night or early afternoon movie (known here as "Midday Matinee" on one of our local channels). So I was very surprised to discover this lost television movie was available on DVD as it hasn't been shown for decades and most TV films never see the light of day on home video releases.

The film is extremely good for a television movie from the early seventies. The plot deals with a man and woman who stop at a dingy roadside cafe in Arizona on their way back home to Los Angeles where they encounter some of the locals. They go into the restaurant to have a bite to eat only to discover the people there (low-life trailer trash types) have an issue with people who have class and a bit of money. After coming out of the restroom the woman discovers her husband is missing and it is entirely up to her to find him.

The movie is suspenseful, nerve tingling and extremely well written and acted with a cast of some of the best actors from this era. Cloris Leachman, fresh off her Oscar-winning role in "The Last Picture Show" and her Emmy-Award winning performance in "The Mary Tyler Moore Show", heads an all-star cast. Dabney Coleman, best known for his work in "9 to 5", plays the unfortunate husband while Louise Latham (in a scary performance as the night clerk), Ned Beatty (fresh from doing "Deliverence") and Ross Martin do superb work in supporting roles.

The movie was produced by Lorimar, known for their impressive work on "Dallas" in the eighties.

Several years later Cloris and Dabney would work together again in the theatrical remake of "The Beverly Hillbillies".

Back in the 70's, there were actually good made-for-TV movies, and this is one of the best. I've waited for years to upgrade from my fuzzy VHS tape (recorded from a TV source), but unfortunately, Warner Bros. is sticking it to the fans with their 'Archive Collection' overpricing, so I'll pass. Still, this Richard Matheson story is a taut, well-acted and suspenseful little flick, and a precursor to many other similarly-themed movies, most particularly Kurt Russell's excellent "Breakdown". A perfect cast, featuring the great Dabney Coleman, a subdued and terrified Cloris Leachman, along with the always-dependable Ned Beatty, and an against-type Ross Martin (Artemus Gordon from the "Wild Wild West" series) as a very bad guy, makes this above-average TV fare, right up there with Spielberg's "Duel", which was also an ABC movie-of-the-week. Maybe Netflix will pony up and pick up a few copies of this fine little thriller. But, the fact that they even released this on DVD means it's at least available for those who don't mind the price. Now if they would only release Patty Duke's "You'll like my mother"!!

what a sleeper!! this is the type of tv movie that made the golden days of this genre the 70's & 80's. check it out, it won,t disappoint.

This was a made-for-TV movie from back in the 1970's. They don't make these type films anymore and it is a shame because this was one of the best mystery movies. The cast is superb and the acting is wonderful. Nice guy Ned Beatty acting as a tough guy is worth watching. The plot is interesting because not until the very end you see why the characters were behaving the way they were in not helping Cloris Leachman's character. It all comes together at the end. And it may seem to plod along until the end whereas a lot of action happens spontanously. Good film.
Worth the price. Buy this and stay home and watch it. It beats anything in the cinema today.

alot of these made for tv movies from the 70's are really good. They are simple good story telling without the need for special effects or vulgarity.
I enjoyed this movie and Cloris Leachman who does a great job.

I agree with the first reviewer that this title is overpriced, but you can find it cheaper like I did, if you use other online resources.

I am grateful however for Warner's for finally making this film available. Their M-O-D program is great for those rare titles that would otherwise be unavailable to the general public. The picture quality is as good as any factory-pressed DVD.

Besides the 1984 mini-series "Lace", this was the only title I was very eager to own, since I had heard good things about this film and always wanted to see it.

While it is not anything outstanding, Cloris Leachman fans will want to get this to see her in her prime, doing something besides playing Phyllis Lindstrom.

Speaking of Phyllis, Cloris wears a pair of white pants in this movie and there's a scene where she's being chased through the woods and it reminds me of the opening credits of "Phyllis" as she runs to jump on the cable car!

The script itself is kind of muddled and we never really get a clear understanding of why the Ned Beatty and Russ Martin characters are so hostile.

Louise Latham provides stable support as always, but was sadly underused, as was Dabney Coleman. He and Cloris have great chemistry in the early scenes as a bickering couple on vacation who's frustrations escalate. When they stop at a run-down diner in the desert to take a breather, Coleman's character seems to disappear into thin air and Cloris spends the rest of the movie trying to found out what happened to him, while the unfriendly locals have her questioning her own sanity.

An above-average but not great '70s TV movie that survives on the strength of Leachman's performance. Worth a view!