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35 of 39 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
When "widescreen" isn't really..., September 27, 2004
"Eyes of Laura Mars" may be a flawed picture to some degree, but it's a great semi-kinky period piece [only "semi" by today's standards], the actors are good and paranoid and appropriately overwrought, and there is an atmosphere that holds this well-directed/well-edited film together.
The only faults are a couple minor quirks in the script-- like you can tell whodunit almost right away.
Irvin Kirschner, the very intelligent director who guided this (as well as "Empire Strikes Back", etc..), provides a non-stop commentary track which is interesting.
My main complaint with the DVD: as a double-sided disc, you have the option of watching it on the square "full screen" shaped for TV, or the ALLEGED widescreen--- but the widescreen here is actually the square TV-version only with the 'heads and feet' cut-off in letterbox style... In other words, you're not only missing the SIDES of the picture [as you do in a standard square TV print, of course] but they've lopped off the top and bottom to create a pseudo-widescreen version, which means you're missing a major part of the picture from ALL FOUR SIDES! (As a result, the standard, square TV version has more visual data.... but neither side of the disc gives you the actual original widescreen theatre version.)
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19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Great Glitzy 70's Thriller, August 17, 2004
Yes, I also remember when "Eyes of Lara Mars" came out with comely star Faye Dunaway arrayed in some of the best fashions of the 70's as a fashion photographer who sees murders before they happen. "Eyes of Lara Mars" is fantastically put together from the dynamic opening song by Barbra Streisand to the last frame -- it's a feast for the eyes and a great mix of glitzy 70's fashion icons and suspense. At that time, with the paint not yet dried on the women's movement (dig Dunaway's bralessness in tribute to the bra-burning times), there was an apparent backlash in the fashion world. In fact, so effected was I by this, that I still have a clipping on the subject from TIME MAGAZINE, which shows the disturbing violent imagery cropping up in many fashion magazines at that time, particularly from uber-photographer Helmut Newton who specialized in dark, kinky and dynamic images featuring some of the supermodels who star in this film. It is Newton's photographs, in fact, which are used as Lara Mars' images.
Anyway, the film is loads of fun with the suspense intact and yet enough unintentional camp to keep things entertaining. As many reviewers mentioned, the scenes of Dunaway running (in stylish tartans), screaming the next victim's name are really worthwhile alone. It is especially amusing because Dunaway is required to run in knee-high, stiletto-heeled (very stylish) suede boots -- and on none-too-even pavements on the mean streets of New York. What a hoot! (How did her ankles survive it?)
It's a good cast with aside from Dunaway, Raul Julia, Tommy Lee Jones as a detective on the case (he and Dunaway in one scene become a study in Gothic bone structure, both with their hollowed cheekbones and hooded eyes), and the flamboyant Rene Auberjonois (who rather annoyed me but was nonetheless fun) as "Donnaaaaallllld." It all works and it looks mah-velous! Faye looks mighty fetching, too; with her own high-fashion-glamour elegance, she's a perfect choice for the role. Oh, the beautiful people! And dig Dunaway's boudoir in this!
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7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Surprisingly Good Supernatural Thriller, November 13, 2001
I was surprised at how good this film was and how creepy it was in parts. Faye Dunaway gives a fairly polished performance as the renowned but fragile photographer Laura Mars who has the uncanny ability to recreate (using live models) violent crime scenes that have taken already place. This ability does not escape the attention of a local police officer, John Neville played by Tommy Lee Jones in an early acting role. The relationship between John and Laura is both tender and brittle. Both are damaged people with secrets to hide and both fear exposure of the truth behind Laura's gift of second-sight. There is a good cast, such as Rene Auberjonois and Brad Dourif but they have minor roles, these were days before Deep Space Nine and Star Trek - Voyager. A spooky, thoughtful little movie with good camera work, vivid splashes of color and a funky 1970s sound track to accompany it. There's also a neat twist at the end of the film that took me by surprise but I won't spoil it for everyone by revealing it in this review!
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