Schreie im Wald

I saw "In The Deep Woods" yesterday on the Lifetime Movie Network. I expected an entertaining, but formulaic movie (i.e. the typical woman in jeopardy type of thing that Lifetime often shows), but this film, which depicts the story of a serial killer who preys upon successful young women and leaves their bodies in the deep woods, is well acted, well crafted, and keeps you guessing until the very end. It is a dark movie, very atmospheric and almost noir-ish, and reminded me somewhat of the 80's classic, the Jagged Edge.

Rosanna Arquette turns in a solid performance and it made me wish we had the opportunity to see her act more often in challenging roles. Anthony Perkins, probably in one of his last film roles, is also very effective as a mystery man on a mission who is investigating the deaths of the victims for his own reasons.

In summary, it's chilling and involving and much better than most films of this genre. A good film for a snowy Sunday or even better, for one of those nights when you just can't get to sleep.

I'm sorry but rosanna overacts and is unbelievable. Somewhat entertaining as a whodunnit but predictable. Thank goodness for Mr Patton and Perkins who at least held up the story somewhat.

I watched this solely to see Anthony Perkins in his last role. Luckily, Perkins was able to play a character with some psychological depth. Besides Perkins, the other actors are good too (I especially liked the performances of Rosanna Arquette and D. W. Moffett). This film was certainly better than I expected, with a neat mystery and some eerie moments. One scene I particularly enjoyed was a scene of panic where Arquette runs outside into the pouring rain at night. That scene reminded me of Akira Kurosawa's predilection for using extreme weather as a way to heighten the emotions. Perhaps this film isn't a classic, but it is good.

Back to back, from one decent TV thriller ('Through the Eyes of a Killer') to somewhat another. Yeah somewhat. I'm kind of lukewarm on it. 'In the Deep Woods' had the ingredients for a tight, relentless and interesting thriller, but director Charles Correll's sinuously pedestrian handling and Robert Nathan and Robert Rosenblum's material (adapted from Nicholas Conde's novel) piles on the red herrings and all too convenient developments. By being a knotty plot, it keeps you off balance and never strikes me as predictable. It's just hard to believe some incidents, as some things that occur just had me thinking "Oh, why?". Everything seems to move at a snail's pace, but you stay with it because you want to know how it'll pan out. There's a few effective suspenseful sequences and a very dreary tone streaming through it, but there's just too many generic and replicate patterns. Its well shot, edited and leanly scored. This would be Anthony Perkins last role, and it's a blank performance (just think of his failing condition), but his stable presence eventually wins out. The perky Patricia Arquette is suitably fine in the heroine role. As for Will Patton, he looks lost at sea with his character.

Lots of twists and turns, Anthony Perkins was great, the love interest was the most unappealing love interest, and the brother and sister are Folgers Coffee level of closeness, but it was a nice way to kill a rainy afternoon.