Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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49 of 51 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Slow-Building Chiller, August 7, 2004
"The Other" portrays young twin brothers (Niles & Holland) in depression-era, rural Connecticut. The boys live with and are being raised by their large extended family (including a very young John Ritter) after the death of their father. Their mother (Diana Muldaur of "LA Law") is unstable and has become a near recluse in her attic bedroom. The boys are thus free to run wild and wreak havoc on their family and neighbors.
Released in 1972, "The Other" is rather eerie with supernatural overtones, including a magic ring and a strange "game" the boys like to play with the help of their grandmother (the talented stage actress Uta Hagen). The tone is helped immensely by the controlled direction of Robert Mulligan ("To Kill a Mockingbird") as well as uniformly good acting; the twins are played skillfully by Chris and Martin Udvarnoky - this movie was their only one.
On the negative side, the story builds very slowly, and some viewers may be put off by the languid first half. However, the movie definitely pays off: the last 20 minutes are tense and chilling. There are a number of twists -- mostly obvious but very effective nevertheless. Overall, "The Other" is a solid suspense film that will entertain viewers who enjoy atmospheric chillers. Hopefully, it will be released soon on DVD, as the cinematography is really quite beautiful.
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18 of 18 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Underrated Psychological Thriller, August 17, 2003
I watched this film late at night after having seen "Freddy Vs. Jason" and I don't need to tell you that "The Other" freaked me out more. I would say this is more on the line of M. Night Shamylam's films like "The Sixth Sense" than a slasher/supernatural devil child movie. The film has a beautiful bucolic, rustic setting and takes place in the 1930s and involves the story of twin brothers, Niles and Holland, one who is good and the other, evil. Elements of "To Kill a Mockingbird" with the dark side of humanity as portrayed in Shirley Jackson's stories. There are some surprises and plot twists in this film that I will not spoil but it does set up things nicely and you will find yourself thinking back and having it all make sense. As beautiful as the setting was, there is a sense of dread underlying the film and I found myself caring enough about the characters and what was going to happen to them to worry about what their fate would be. The child actors portraying the twins are very natural and believable and the realationship between good twin, Niles and the Nanny played by Uta Hagen is very believable and well acted. Good chemistry. I have heard of this movie but usually listed for late night TV but always saw that it had 4 stars which differs from most late night movies. Well made and acted movie which was scary, chilling and tragic. Sadly, I have to agree with some of the other reviewers that this type of movie wouldn't be shown at your neighborhood multi-plex these days. A lost gem that you should definitely check out to remind you of what a real thriller is. You will not regret it.
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9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A Favorite Spooky Movie Of My Youth, March 21, 2005
Well, regardless that most people do not see this movie as I do with regard to the plot, especially the climax, I still hold my own ideas that I've had since my first viewing of it, since I also read the novel a few times, whereas I must have seen this movie close to 100 times as a teen. Different people seem to hold what I consider very unusual ideas about the plot - they go on to say how "obvious" the plot is and yet go on to create a completely different plot than what I personally understand it to be! Perhaps you shall decide for yourself in watching this great film.
Without giving too much away, I hope, ask yourself about which boy is REALLY which and how do you really know - and why did the mother actually go mad? Was it because she was also concerned about what the surviving twin was claiming, which was actually wrong relative to who he really was? And if it was really the "evil twin" who dies, why does the horror continue? Seemingly, my own view of the plot is the exact opposite about what other reviews have claimed, which is why I'm putting in my own two cents, so to speak.
At any rate, this is an amazing movie no matter what you think the plot actually is, or what questions remain unanswered. The overall mood and the music is uncanny, and almost every line is delivered in a very memorable way that stays with you for years longer than the general flow of conversation in other movies. (Well, I suppose especially if you'd seen it as often as I have.)
Think about what you are seeing and hearing, since this movie does tend to demand more at least in comparison to modern movies which often demand little.
For example, one may ask if that "flashback" that "Niles" has(ANOTHER "accident" you should ask?) is what really happened or is just a pretending because of guilt at one level.
"I'm me - Niles Perry"
"Are you SURE?"
I'm really surprised people seem to have missed out on what that could actually mean. Ah well. Most assuredly recommended.
The book is a bit different in some ways since it does "explain" most things the movie doesn't seem to (at least based on how people interpret it), but also recommended reading.
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