Audrey Rose (1977)

Synopsis:

A couple, Janice (Marsha Mason, The Goodbye Girl) and Bill Templeton (John Beck, Rollerball), and their daughter Ivy (Susan Swift, Harper Valley PTA), lead a normal life in New York City. However, after The Templetons discover that a stranger (Anthony Hopkins, The Father) is stalking Ivy, their lives will never be the same.

Reaction & Thoughts:

“Daddy, help me! It’s so hot!”

If any movie deserves to be labeled as an “underrated flick,” it’s Robert Wise’s Audrey Rose. It garnered mostly negative reviews, and audiences ignored it. Coming off the heels of William Friedkin’s rancid The Exorcist (1973), people probably expected this movie to be another no-holds-barred pea-soup-vomit-fest. But this isn’t your regular possession horror movie at all — it’s really a think piece on death and the afterlife.

Wise (West Side Story) directs this unconventional tale with elegant discipline, building suspense one frame at a time. Based on Frank De Felitta’s novel of the same name, the deliberately paced story may not grab viewers conditioned to today’s shaky-camera movies. But it’s worth watching for those blessed with a little patient.

Audrey Rose looks and sounds great, that’s the trademark of movies from Mr. Wise. This IS an exceptionally well-crafted movie. Victor J. Kemper’s (Dog Day Afternoon) cinematography, the editing by Carl Kress’s (The Towering Inferno), the sets, the music score by Michael Small (The China Syndrome), everything is top-notch.

Even though most reviews give away the “twist,” I’m going to refrain myself from revealing too much, just in case. What I will say is that this is the only horror movie I can think of that revolves around issues of faith and spirituality. It isn’t a battle of good versus evil, it’s a battle of ideologies represented by the three main characters.

I thought director Wise did an outstanding job at taking this rather offbeat story and making it into something that engages us emotionally. I felt genuine compassion for the characters and their problems. The final scenes are gut-wrenching. I’ve seen the movie many times, and the ending still gets to me — it is like a punch in the gut.

Plus, there are some great performances. The actor were so convincing in their respective roles that I was able to accept the kooky premise without any reservations. Marsha Mason is wonderful as the mother who is willing to accept the impossible in other to save her daughter. The underrated John Beck plays the pragmatic father with authority. Sir Anthony Hopkins plays the mysterious stranger beautifully, of course. And little Susan Swift gives Linda Blair a run for her money as the troubled Ivy.

Conclusions & Final Thoughts:

I guess calling Audrey Rose a horror movie is like calling Gone with the Wind a western. It doesn’t have jump-scare moments, nor does it have violence and gore. But it’s thoughtful and spooky, with an undercurrent of emotions. It also has many serious conversations about life and death. The film’s premise is hokey, yet it is executed perfectly. A fine horror movie for non-horror fans. Color, 113 minutes, Rated PG.

Theatrical Trailer: