Don't Look Now (1973)

7.1R110 minDirector: Nicolas Roeg

1973 film by Nicolas Roeg

Don't Look Now (Italian: A Venezia... un Dicembre rosso shocking, lit. 'In Venice... a shocking red December') is a 1973 English-language thriller film directed by Nicolas Roeg, adapted from the 1971 short story by Daphne du Maurier. Julie Christie and Donald Sutherland portray Laura and John Baxter, a married couple who travel to Venice following the recent accidental death of their daughter, after John accepts a commission to restore a church. They encounter two sisters, one of whom claims to be clairvoyant and informs them that their daughter is trying to contact them and warn them of danger. John at first dismisses their claims, but starts to experience mysterious sightings himself.

Don't Look Now is an exploration of the psychology of grief and the effect the death of a child can have on a relationship. The film is renowned for its innovative editing style, recurring motifs and themes, and for a controversial sex scene that was explicit for the era. It also employs flashbacks and flashforwards in keeping with the depiction of precognition, but some scenes are intercut or merged to alter the viewer's perception of what is really happening. It adopts an impressionist approach to its imagery, often presaging events with familiar objects, patterns and colours using associative editing techniques.

The film's reputation has grown in the years since its release and it is now considered a classic and an influential work in horror and British film.

Plot summary adapted from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0.

FAQ

What is Don't Look Now about?
Don't Look Now (1973) — John and Laura Baxter are in Venice when they meet a pair of elderly sisters, one of whom claims to be psychic. She insists that she sees the spirit of the Baxters' daughter, who recently drowned. Laura is intrigued, but John resists the idea. He, however, seems to have his own p
Is Don't Look Now based on a true story?
See the production background and source material details on the official Wikipedia article.
Is Don't Look Now scary?
Content rating: R. See the reviews tab for parental guidance and tone notes.