Review of Other, The

Introduction

I can`t understand how a movie as good as `The Other` could, in the main part, fall off the average critical movie-lovin` radar. When most horror fans think about seventies horror, inevitably it`s with reference to `The Exorcist` or `The Omen`, and all the derivative movies that came in their mighty wake. But `The Other` is quite distinct. It`s uniquely paced and complex, a slow-burner that never patronises and which has rejected the easy use of previously enjoyed horror clichés.

Set in 1930`s New England, it reads initially like `Little House on the Prairie`, with no early hint at the horrors that follow. It`s a potent mix of reflective, gooey nostalgia (like Director Robert Mulligan`s slightly earlier schmaltz-athon, `Summer of `42`) and warped, off-kilter nightmare horror.

It`s strongly cast with highly convincing child actors, the Udvarnoky twins (who, to my knowledge, never did anything further of note) playing key roles as Holland and Niles Perry, and doing a better job than most their contemporaries too.

Set on a back-water farm, to begin with it seems that the two boys are just up to standard boyish games, running through the nearby woods and causing chaos with the farmer`s neighbours. But it soon becomes apparent that all is not what it at first seems. We learn that the boy`s father has recently died in an accident, having fallen down some cellar steps, and their Mother is unable to get over the loss. The boys keep their father`s ring (as well as another `keepsake` which I won`t specify) in a tin-box which is a secret that only they share. That is until it`s discovered by an annoying neighbour, a small boy, who shortly afterwards meets his end by leaping onto a pitchfork concealed in hay.

It`s then that really strange things start to happen, weaving a complex web that is difficult to piece together until the film`s dark ending. The children`s Grandmother (Uta Hagen) encourages the young Niles to participate in flights of imagination which she refers to as a `game` but which seem far more significant. With her encouragement, he seems able to transfer his soul/spirit into other beings, including that of a flying crow.

The film gets progressively darker, with a revelation about the boys past (with a suspected `twist` being confirmed about an hour in) and with a series of events that seem go from bad to worse. These include their mother falling down steps and becoming mute and paralysed as a result, a visit to a carnival that seems to have more than its fair share of freaks, and an old lady neighbour dying in mysterious circumstances. It`s only in the final twisted ending that all the strings are drawn together and the horrible truth finally revealed (and I won`t be revealing that here!).

It`s a demanding but rewarding film that is beautifully shot (Robert Stokes), tightly cut and wonderfully played, held together by a haunting score (Jerry Goldsmith).

Video

This is a fine transfer with rich colouring and only very occasional signs of wear and tear, in the form of scratches and blips.

Audio

Original mono only though it holds up well, with crisp dialogue and a nice mix of atmos and score, with it`s repetitive refrain proving to be positively haunting.

Features

There`s a theatrical trailer (don`t watch till after as it`s full of spoilers!), some stills and then a couple of very worthwhile Adobe PDF documents, accessible via Explorer from the DVD-Rom. These include a screenplay (shooting script) as well as Goldsmith`s original score. A film-buff`s dream and well-worth having, which is not something that could be said about most `special features`.

Conclusion

I`ll stick my neck out and suggest that `The Other`, despite falling off the radar since its release some 35 years ago, is a better movie than some of its horror contempories, like `The Exorcist` and `The Omen`. It`s certainly more complex, less patronising, less cliché-riddled and less tawdry.

But it`s a slow-starter, and for that reason will perhaps not suit all tastes.

It`s also a curious mix of nostalgia and horror which demands much of the viewer. It doesn`t rush to deliver.

It`s a fantastically strong mix of excellent casting (see those twins go!), fantastic cinematography, an evocative (Jerry Goldsmith) score, and a highly imaginative screenplay.

I hope that it enjoys something of a reappraisal following this release. It certainly deserves it.