Escravas do Medo

Just saw this movie for the first time and the DVD transfer just released is fine.

From the moment this film opens, I couldn't help but wonder how many times Lynch has seen this movie. Those of you who've seen Experiment should know what I mean.

The score, the angles, the subdued dialogue all help to create one heck of a moody, brooding piece of work. I couldn't agree more with some of the other IMDB comments here...this is a great piece of film noir, if not the last great piece of film noir for a particular generation!

What I so admire about classic film-making from years past is how directors, like Blake in this instance, don't or couldn't resort to gratuitous blood and nudity to creat atmosphere. Unlike Lynch, who exploits graphic gore and nudity, Blake thrills with mere thoughts of sexual deviency and violence.

The opening scene to Experiment is one I shall not forget soon! As our villain forces himself on Remick and proceeds to dirty her ears with the filth of what he could do to her is just simply incredible film-making. It reminded me of the scene from Lynch's Wild at Heart where Dafoe's character has Dern's character in his filthy clutches. Except in Experiment, I think it works even better...why? Because there were no profane words or over-the-top characterizations, just simple text and superb acting that later matches a villain who seems quite normal as he strolls the streets of San Fran. I really believed the characters in this film...Blake puts everyone in context.

Congrats to Blake Edwards on his only serious movie...I wish you had done more! And, Mancini is as sly as ever on the score. I could go on and on. Suffice it to say, I really enjoyed this movie and am happy to have it as part of my DVD collection. Although, I'd love to see Criterion get a hold of this one...I'd love to learn more about the history of this film.

There are so many things to praise about this frightening little picture. The performances are uniformly excellent. San Francisco is captured in a 40 year old time capsule yet the fear and terror are as vivid in 2002 as they must have been in 1962. Ross Martin is an able and elusive villain with some ability to engender loyalty in friends. As has been noted, the terror visited on Lee Remick's character Kelly Sherwood, is real and intense and persistent. In an age that equates terror with fanaticism and major special effects, all that this little noir required was poor breathing, a telephone, skilled camera work, great performances and a slam-bang script. Bravo.

When the bank clerk Kelly Sherwood (Lee Remick) arrives home after hours, she is intimidated by a stranger that knows her routine habit. He threatens Kelly and her sister Toby (Stefanie Powers) to force her to heist $100,000 from her bank; otherwise he will kill her. Kelly does not see his face but notes he is asthmatic. Kelly succeeds to lure the criminal and contacts the FBI agent John 'Rip' Ripley (Glenn Ford) that advises Kelly how to behave and assigns a group of agents to keep Kelly and Toby under surveillance. But when Toby is abducted by the stranger, Kelly tries to stay calm to help the FBI to catch the criminal.

"Experiment in Terror" is an above average thriller from the early 60's in a noir style directed by Blake Edwards and with Glenn Ford, Lee Remick (whom we all miss so dearly) and Stefanie Powers on the lead roles. The story has flaws but the storyline is excellent and Ross Martin performs a great villain. When Lee Remick's character Kelly is attacked for the first time, her eyes are impressive even in a black- and-white film. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Escravas do Medo" ("Slaves of the Fear")

Before Ross Martin became the amiable Artemus Gordon on "The Wild, Wild West," and before Blake Edwards began making those Pink Panther movies, they joined up for this complex, thoroughly convincing story of a sadistic thief who terrorizes bank teller Lee Remick to gain her complicity in a heist. Edwards makes effective use of the San Francisco locations, of Glenn Ford's portrayal of a tough FBI agent, and of Henry Mancini's jazzy score to weave this taut, psychological suspense tale.

Since my exposure to Blake Edwards beyond his comedies has only been `Days of Wine and Roses', which is one of the most depressing films I've ever seen, I wasn't sure what to expect in the way of a thriller from a director who I largely respect. `Experiment in Terror' which stars Lee Remick and the always great Glenn Ford, turned out to be an outstanding and slick film which was thoroughly enjoyable.

While the story, about a bank teller who is threatened with the kidnapping of her younger sister if she doesn't steal 100K from her employer, and the FBI agent (Ford) who tries to both protect her and find out who the extortionist is, does not rely on cheap thrills in order to create suspense. Rather, the black and white film and noir-like shadows help build the tension while not taking away from the story. The cinematography is extremely crisp, and, like many well-made noir films of the 40's-mid 60's, you can almost imagine each frame as a beautiful photograph.

While I'd never heard of this film until coming across it on one of the movie channels, it is well worth looking for.

--Shelly