THROUGH NAKED EYES

 

David Soul

THROUGH NAKED EYES (1983 telefilm). Director: John Llewellyn Moxey. 

In an apartment complex in Chicago, an unknown murderer is killing both men and women. One of the chief suspects is flautist William Parrish (David Soul), who uses binoculars to watch a neighbor, Anne (Pam Dawber), across the way and discovers that she is looking at him with a telescope. Eventually the two meet, even as obnoxious Sgt. Scopetta (Gerald Castillo) follows Parrish' every move and even warns Anne about him. Anne is convinced that William is just a nice, lonely guy with artistic abilities but then she discovers some photographs in his possession ... 

Pam Dawber and David Soul

Through Naked Eyes, written by Jeffrey Bloom, is a better-than-average TV movie with some good performances and a considerable amount of suspense. The biggest problem with the film is that it has no style, even though it somewhat apes Brian De Palma (although De Palma's Body Double did not come out until a year later) and Dario Argento -- minus the gore. Soul never gives away whether he is guilty or not, Dawber is bland but effective, and William Schallert steals the film as Parrish' father, who is given a very affecting, well-delivered speech in which he tries to address the gap between the two men and the lonely life that he, too, is living. The telefilm is capped by an exciting and satisfying conclusion. Supporting and bit roles are played by Rod McCary, Dennis Farina, John Mahoney, and Ted Levine. The plot of this film has some similarities to the Italian film The Case of the Bloody Iris. 

Verdict: Absorbing thriller with an interesting storyline. ***. 

CHRISTINE

Keith Gordon in his Plymouth

CHRISTINE (1983). Director: John Carpenter. 

Dennis (John Stockwell) is best friends with the somewhat nerdy Arnie (Keith Gordon), who comes across an almost dilapidated old Plymouth and falls in love with her. Working on the car day and night, the car -- Christine, by name -- is not only transformed, but so is Arnie, becoming "cool" in his dress and manner like something out of the 1950's. Then the kids and others who taunted him become subjects of the wrath of Christine. But Christine, who can magically transform herself when she needs to, will not be easy to destroy. 

Robert Prosky

Based on a novel by Stephen King, Christine was not an improvement on an earlier and much better "killer car" movie entitled The Car. The Plymouth is beautiful, and some of the attack sequences are well-handled, although the alleged climax to the film is comparatively slow and dull. Stockwell and Gordon give good performances, although Alexandra Paul as Arnie's girlfriend isn't much of an actor; considering her 100 credits she must have gotten better. The movie is stolen by Robert Prosky, who makes the most of his scenes as Will Darnell, the grizzled, often dyspeptic owner of a body shop where Arnie works on the Plymouth. William Ostrander is notable as Arnie's main nemesis, Buddy. The film is at least twenty minutes too long and has no real tension or suspense. The director's mediocre score doesn't help at all. 

Verdict: Yet another schlocky John Carpenter movie. **1/4.