Play Misty for Me

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Clint Eastwood (making his very assured directorial debut) is a poetry-spouting stud-muffin DJ stalked by a maniacally amorous fan after a misguided one-night stand in this enjoyably schlocky, undeniably effective film about good intentions gone murderously wacky. Although many of the very '70s trappings presented here may ultimately be too dated to be taken seriously (including a very self-indulgent jazz number and a hilariously gooey seduction number between Eastwood and Donna Mills), the core premise of infatuation taken out of bounds remains uncomfortably plausible--and was influential enough to be appropriated by one of the biggest hits of the '80s. (Here's a hint--it starred Michael Douglas, Glenn Close, and a very unfortunate bunny rabbit). A well-staged and occasionally very frightening thriller worth watching for Jessica Walter's peerlessly unhinged performance alone. Frequent Eastwood collaborator Don Siegel (director of Dirty Harry, Coogan's Bluff, and The Beguiled, to name but a few) has a nice cameo as Murphy, the mustachioed, chess-playing bartender. --Andrew Wright

Customer Reviews:

Clint Eastwood Classic!!!.......2007-09-11

This is a classic Clint Eastwood film. It is scary and suspenseful without all of the complex technical additions of today's suspense films. If you like suspense...and Clint Eastwood...get this movie!!!

Play Misty For Me.......2007-05-07

Play Misty for Me A Good movie for an early 1970's suspense/thriller. By today's vstandards it would be considered "sappy and predictable". Clint Eastwood does a grat job playing a DJ in the early 1970's and Jessica Walter does a great job of playing an obseesed stalker.

Good movie if you want to see Clint Eastwood play something other than a cop or cowboy.

The Originals Are Always the Best........2007-04-02

In an age when Hollywood can seem to do nothing original, and the Silver Screen is awash with remakes, it's nice to go back and revisit the artistry of which the film industry has made hash.

A tense psychological thriller, Play Misty for Me is the template from which the likes of Fatal Attraction sprang.

Clint Eastwood plays a terminally cool yet sensitive late night jazz DJ who, while estranged from girlfriend Donna Mills, has a one night stand with Jessica Walter.

As her obsession grows, her violent emotions manifest themselves first against herself in a manipulative suicide attempt, and then against the others in Eastwood's life.

Edgy, hard, and oh, so seventies, the tension ramps smoothly with Walter's character's escalating psychosis until the final scene where bloodied and exhausted, a single punch to the face sends Walter through a french door, and over the edge of a terrace to fall to the cold Pacific below.

Clint Eastwood as actor and director does a good job of making the characters believable and sympathetic. Bravo.

Jim Bob says - Spend the money; it's worth a night in a darkened living room with a bowl of popcorn, wondering whether or not your ex-girlfriend really meant what she said when you dumped her.

An oldie - but a GOODIE!.......2007-02-06

Good "stalker" flick. Forerunner of Basic Instinct. This movie is really
"dated" in terms of dress & hair & music, but it is worth viewing for the performances of the young Clint Eastwood, Jessica Walter and Donna Mills.
This is one of my all-time favorite "rainy afternoon" movies!

Wears well.......2007-01-10

I first saw this movie on release as a teenager, and thought it was a great scary movie. The main reason I bought it now was to get a hold of the great Jerry Mulligan soundtrack. The whole family have enjoyed the film now, and leaving out the 70's gear and hairstyles, its a great thriller.

Average customer rating:

Beneath Olivera's Best, But Still A Worthwhile Effort.
"He Made Her Sing. She Made Him Die."
Steamy 80s Soap Stars star in Movie

Play Murder For Me
Starring: Jack Wagner , Tracy Scoggins , William Paul Burns , Ivory Ocean , and Rodolfo Ranni
Director: Héctor Olivera
Manufacturer: New Horizons Home Video
ProductGroup: DVD
Binding: DVD

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ASIN: B000228SOQ
Release Date: 2004-07-06

Customer Reviews:

Beneath Olivera's Best, But Still A Worthwhile Effort........2005-02-17

Argentinian director Hector Olivera does not always aim his films directly toward a mass audience, as is the case here; however, combined funding from United States and Argentinian origins are decisive in his selection of subject and mood for this English-language effort, shot in Argentina and starring television performer Jack Wagner in his initial feature not made for T.V. For a production not given a theatrical release, Wagner plays Paul Slater, a tenor saxophone jazzman who has drifted into Buenos Aires where he is booked into a small night spot, coming to the attention there of an American mobster and "jazz fan" (William Burns) whose wife Tricia (Tracy Scoggins) is Paul's former lover, and soon the call of lust refuels their affair. Their amorous renascence is heightened when Fred is shot by a gangland rival, and his subsequent wheelchair confinement reduces his social graces to a level where he is physically abusive toward Tricia, and her plight and pleading are instrumental in convincing Paul that he should murder Fred, leading to expected complexities. Olivera's films are marked by tight construction and editing, but here overmuch cutting elides footage important for the storyline, resulting in logic and continuity flaws yet, in spite of these weaknesses, the director, once noted primarily for exploitative movies, manages to create an interesting piece, distinguished by his customary dark and sardonic tone and creative camera and lighting skills.

"He Made Her Sing. She Made Him Die.".......2003-04-23

Catching one of Paul Slater's (Jack Wagner) jazz shows in a Buenos Aires nightclub, a millionaire and jazz fan named Fred Merritt (William Burns) invites him to play at one of his mansion parties. Unbeknown to Fred, Paul had been lovers with his wife, Tricia Merritt (Tracy Scoggins), five years ago, before she left Paul for Fred, due to Paul's overzealous drinking. Not surprisingly, Paul and Tricia hook up about halfway through the movie, making for some steamy scenes and sexual innuendoes on his tenor sax.

While at the above-mentioned party, Fred is shot, which paralyzes him from the legs down (I'm assuming it's not from the waist down, since he has some function of that area, as I mention below) and confines him to a wheelchair for life. Consequently, Fred does a 180 personality change and becomes highly suspicious of his wife's activities, as well as those around him. He's eager to get revenge on the person who did this to him, so he hires a private investigator/hitman to find him/her, leaving a long blood trail of possible suspects.

Most of the characters in "Play Murder For Me" are pretty seedy and unsympathetic, namely the two male leads: Paul, an alcoholic has-been, and Fred, a paranoid rapist. Tricia I didn't really have a problem with, but the thing that bothered me the most was her out-of-character reaction when her handicapped husband rapes her. The scene was totally unbelievable, almost laughable if it weren't so abusive. Sure, the guy's built for his age, but Tricia is no weakling either. She could have held her own (which is seen at the ending) if they'd kept to her character.

The ending's not too surprising either, seeing how they've given a really big "clue" in the tagline. But if you're looking for an adequate B-grade erotic thriller with a jazz theme, then "Play Murder For Me" certainly delivers--sex/nudity, murder, music, and all.

Steamy 80s Soap Stars star in Movie.......2000-11-17

First, I am a Jack Wagner fan; so, I liked the movie just for that reason. The movie stars two Aaron Spelling soap stars and the movie is much like a cable soap opera. The combination of no chemistry between the stars, dark sets, cheap jazz music, and steamy night scenes make for a great made for tv type movie. Not for someone who is not a fan of either star.

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