Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Superb Thriller and Character Study, August 20, 2004
From the opening frame to the closing shot, "Klute" is a compelling, adult thriller and character study. It seems to get better with every viewing. When Pennsylvania business executive and family man Tom Grunemann goes missing, friend and detective John Klute (Donald Sutherland) agrees to take on the case. His only clue is prostitute Bree Daniels (Jane Fonda) in New York who was associated with a prostitute Grunemann had known and who is at the brunt of harassment calls possibly from Grunemann. As Klute watches Bree, the killer is watching. Although Bree is struggling to leave "the life" (aspiring to act), she is simultaneously drawn to the money, autonomy and emotional control it provides. Klute is brought deeper into Bree's world of prostitution, paranoia and drugs and unexpectedly he penetrates her emotional walls.
"Klute" is definitely Jane Fonda's showcase and she is fantastic, netting the Oscar that year against the odds. This may have been her "breakout" role at a time when she was notoriously unpopular because of her involvement in Hanoi, but she has turned in numerous fine performances over the years in films ranging from "They Shoot Horses, Don't They?" to "On Golden Pond." As Bree Daniels, she has a complex character who, as she attests, had some college, and who is vulnerable yet acerbic, impenetrable yet exposed. Whether speaking with her therapist, walking jauntily down the street or turning a trick, Bree as embodied by Fonda is fascinating to watch.
Some mention that the "thriller part" is weak because you know the identity of the killer. I would disagree. Knowing the identity of the killer is part of the suspense. In this claustrophobic world of shadowy stalkers and anonymity, it's like knowing the bomb is under the table, as Hitchcock once said. The claustrophobia and isolation also are deeply reflective of both New York and the character of Bree Daniels, revealing the irony of her "freedom." Surveillance tapes also figure largely in this film and were a big thing in the 70's. They would also figure largely in Watergate.
Aside from Fonda and Sutherland, the supporting players (including Roy Scheider and Jean Stapleton) perfectly embody their roles and add to the authenticity, and there is also a great tingly soundtrack by Michael Small. It's one of the finest films to come out of the 70's. I also get a kick out of seeing Fonda reading "Linda Goodman's Sun Signs" which was a rage in the 70's. Let it all hang out, baby!
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32 of 35 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Incredible!, September 4, 2002
Oh come on, any movie where Roy Scheider plays a PIMP is good in my book! Actually, I tend to rent these older films and then take a couple weeks before I watch them. I was a bit reluctant heading in to Klute, but was hooked from the opening credits. I think I liked the same things that people disliked about it. There is a certain uncomfortable weirdness that permeates through this film, that was not in the least bit accidental. Donald Sutherland plays his part to the hilt! I loved those scenes where he wouldn't say anything at all. I get the impression, that we are so used to a certain style of dective films these days (lots of acrobatics and explosions and shooting) that we fail to appreciate subtle films such as this. I've never been a fan of Jane Fonda. I've really had no impression of her whatsoever. This film, however, really changed that. She was FULLY deserving of her Oscar for this role. Anyway, I highly recommend this film. Buy it. Now!
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12 of 12 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Klute comes to DVD, February 17, 2002
Klute represents the seventies rebirth in films as directors took charge and the studio system diminished. A gritty, psychological exploration into character, form and space, Klute remains one of the best this genre has to offer. Note Pakula's attention and utilization of space and subtext. It also represents one of the finest performances of any actress from that time period. Jane Fonda's untouchable in this film. The levels she develops in this role are amazing. A reviewer questioned the Irish accent she uses while auditioning to play Joan of Arc in a play. In answer to that, Klute was filmed when Irish actress Siobhan MacKenna was receiving praise for her performances (including, yes, one as Joan of Arc onstage utilizing an Irish accent).
This DVD is a solid transfer. I would have bought it in pan and scan just to have it for my collection but thank God it's in letterbox. I would have liked it if the credits had allowed a more complete listing for Jane Fonda & Donald Sutherland's filmography (Alan J. Pakula and others credited don't get filmographies). I also would have loved if this edition had a commentary track. (Pakula is deceased but they still could have gotten Fonda & Sutherland to do a commentary track.) That said, the documentary on the filming (which is really more of a promotional film) was interesting to watch. The trailer offers historical insight. I first saw Klute, many years after it's release, on television. I'd never seen the trailer but often wondered how the studio sold this film to the public. In cookie cutter fashion: an indepth exploration of soul, mood and character gets reduced to a check list of sex, drugs and thrills.
The film remains one of the best to come out of the seventies and a wonderful addition to any DVD collection.
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