Not Polanski's best film.
Added 9/21/2009
I didn't like this film, I thought that Sigourney Weaver's character was annoying. I also found the film to be slow moving and somewhat dull. All in all, I don't recommend this film, and put it in the same class as one of his other films, Cul-De-Sac, which also was dull and boring. All his other films I enjoy though.
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One of Sigourney's top performances!
Added 4/23/2009
Sigourney Weaver, next to Meryl Streep is one of the best American actresses going today. I'm not sure why Oscar gold has eluded her for so long. Death and the Maiden, Gorillas in the Mist and A Map of the World to me are Sigourney's best performances to date. I have yet to see the made for TV movie, Prayers for Bobby. And if you are like me and enjoy the occasional action, suspense or horror film, you will remember her fine performances in the Alien franchise, Copycat with Holly Hunter or the Grimm Brother's Snow White: A Tale of Terror. Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby, Frantic) directs these wonderful actors in a very intense, thrilling drama that engrosses the viewer until the final frame. On a stormy evening, Paulina's (Weaver) husband Gerardo befriends a stranger who helps him with his car trouble. When he invites the stranger inside, Paulina recognizes the voice from the other room as Dr. Miranda, a man who may have brutally tortured and raped her years before. She runs from the house, steals his car and pushes it off a cliff but not before discovering a tape of classical music in the car that was playing at the time she was brutalized. Feeling her suspicians are confirmed, she returns to the house as her husband and Dr. Miranda are asleep. Bound and gagged, Paulina taunts the doctor and presses him to admit the truth about what happened and reveals her plan to eventually kill him. He denies the accusations and husband Gerardo doesn't know what to believe. All is revealed in the end about whether the doctor is innocent or guilty. With only 3 actors and one main setting, the film is an intriguing character study that quickly sucks the viewer into the story and makes them question what may be true and what isn't until the climatic ending. This doesn't seem to be as widely known as some of Polanski or Weaver's other films and that's a shame. This is really some of the best work put together. Hopefully more people will discover this sad, yet meaningful film.
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Very interesting movie
Added 3/25/2009
I am a fan of Sigourney Weaver and wanted this for my collection, it was more than I expected, quite an interesting and historical movie, very powerful.
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Death and the Maiden
Added 3/23/2009
Along with Gorillas in the Mist, this has to be one of the best movies S. Weaver has ever made. It is one of those Deja Vous movies where you wonder if what happened to her in Argentina could yet happen to you in this country (under the Patriot Act??). Don't blame 'er a bit for being furious.
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Good drama
Added 2/24/2009
Death and the Maiden is overall a very good drama. Roman Polanski creates another "Repulsion", this time with two additional characters. Based on a play and doesn't attempt to hide it's stage origins, the film flows remarkably well and doesn't get long winded.
It relies heavily on good performances and Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley are more than up to the task. Weaver is particularly effective as the film plays on viewer's emotions and for a good period of time, one doesn't know at all who's to blame and who deserves pity.
There's not much in the way of directorial touches that scream out POLANSKI, but as in "Repulsion", he milks the isolated setting for all it's worth.
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Not Polanski's best film.
Added 9/21/2009
I didn't like this film, I thought that Sigourney Weaver's character was annoying. I also found the film to be slow moving and somewhat dull. All in all, I don't recommend this film, and put it in the same class as one of his other films, Cul-De-Sac, which also was dull and boring. All his other films I enjoy though.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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One of Sigourney's top performances!
Added 4/23/2009
Sigourney Weaver, next to Meryl Streep is one of the best American actresses going today. I'm not sure why Oscar gold has eluded her for so long. Death and the Maiden, Gorillas in the Mist and A Map of the World to me are Sigourney's best performances to date. I have yet to see the made for TV movie, Prayers for Bobby. And if you are like me and enjoy the occasional action, suspense or horror film, you will remember her fine performances in the Alien franchise, Copycat with Holly Hunter or the Grimm Brother's Snow White: A Tale of Terror. Roman Polanski (Rosemary's Baby, Frantic) directs these wonderful actors in a very intense, thrilling drama that engrosses the viewer until the final frame. On a stormy evening, Paulina's (Weaver) husband Gerardo befriends a stranger who helps him with his car trouble. When he invites the stranger inside, Paulina recognizes the voice from the other room as Dr. Miranda, a man who may have brutally tortured and raped her years before. She runs from the house, steals his car and pushes it off a cliff but not before discovering a tape of classical music in the car that was playing at the time she was brutalized. Feeling her suspicians are confirmed, she returns to the house as her husband and Dr. Miranda are asleep. Bound and gagged, Paulina taunts the doctor and presses him to admit the truth about what happened and reveals her plan to eventually kill him. He denies the accusations and husband Gerardo doesn't know what to believe. All is revealed in the end about whether the doctor is innocent or guilty. With only 3 actors and one main setting, the film is an intriguing character study that quickly sucks the viewer into the story and makes them question what may be true and what isn't until the climatic ending. This doesn't seem to be as widely known as some of Polanski or Weaver's other films and that's a shame. This is really some of the best work put together. Hopefully more people will discover this sad, yet meaningful film.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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Very interesting movie
Added 3/25/2009
I am a fan of Sigourney Weaver and wanted this for my collection, it was more than I expected, quite an interesting and historical movie, very powerful.
0 out of 0 people found this helpful.
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