Obsession (1976)

Featured Audience Ratings

• Nicki M

  
  Good suspense movie - I have to admit I had guessed the twist half way through, but it still threw up enough doubt to have me not quite sure! Really well filmed and mostly the acting was good. A little over the top at times, but I could forgive it in this type of movie.

• Ken S

  
  Beautifully shot, but it feels like Vertigo lite...but creepier.

• jay n

  
  Solid Vertigo inspired thriller with good performances and beautiful locations.

• Conner R

  
  I think I like and enjoy Obsession a lot more than I do Vertigo. Sure, it doesn’t have anything on Hitchcock’s experience, but this was one of Brian De Palma’s early films. Hitchcock made his at the tail end of his career. In terms of plot, Obsession is incredibly more… More
  I think I like and enjoy Obsession a lot more than I do Vertigo. Sure, it doesn’t have anything on Hitchcock’s experience, but this was one of Brian De Palma’s early films. Hitchcock made his at the tail end of his career. In terms of plot, Obsession is incredibly more disturbing and twisted. I think the fact that it’s predictable about halfway in is like complete torture to the audience, a great move and sense of humor from De Palma. I just love the overall look of the film and how fun it is to watch. The performances are great and really add to the viewing experience. The music also makes that final touch of bizarre, a vital element to the structure of the film.

• Tim S

  
  It might take me a couple of viewings to get this one. I was very very bored and nearly fell asleep during this one, and I'm a huge fan of Vertigo.

• Stephen M

  
  The Brian De Palma movie most overtly in thrall to Hitchcock, and the closest he's come to direct plagiarism. De Palma and Paul Schrader's borrowings seem more audacious today than at the time because, a critical and commercial flop in its day, "Vertigo" was… More
  The Brian De Palma movie most overtly in thrall to Hitchcock, and the closest he's come to direct plagiarism. De Palma and Paul Schrader's borrowings seem more audacious today than at the time because, a critical and commercial flop in its day, "Vertigo" was difficult to see by the mid-'70s, before the advent of home video. Though he emulates well the stately pace and elegant camerawork of his template, De Palma cannot quite capture the strange, ethereal atmosphere of the earlier film. His usual cinematic trickery is kept largely in check, excepting a bit of slow motion and some experimentation with split focus anamorphic lenses, a technique he would later use to great effect in "Dressed To Kill". A lot of people don't like Cliff Robertson in "Obsession" but I think he does really well as the lead; because his face is largely expressionless, rather like a Jean-Pierre Melville gangster, when he does react it produces a stunning impact, as with the final, beatific little smile which ends the movie. Genevieve Bujold is superb, and Bernard Herrmann's score, his penultimate, is quite the equal of some of his work for Hitchcock.

• Pierluigi P

  
  Vastly underrated. beautifully shot by Vilmos Zsigmond, haunting score by the great Bernard Herrmann. the ultimate De Palma homage to Hitchcock. a thriller that follows the same line of Vertigo. ending up in a truly heartbreaking way.

• cody f

  
  Brian DePalma is the king of all style and no substance. This movie is DePalma's homage to Vertigo except with a sick twist. The film looks great, has amazing photography by Vilmos, and great score by the genius Bernard Herman. This film fails with Paul Schrader's lazy… More
  Brian DePalma is the king of all style and no substance. This movie is DePalma's homage to Vertigo except with a sick twist. The film looks great, has amazing photography by Vilmos, and great score by the genius Bernard Herman. This film fails with Paul Schrader's lazy script. *Spoilers* You see who the bad guy is from a mile away and why he does it. I saw the twist coming but then some sick twisted shit happens to throw you off only to be confirmed later what you thought earlier. I know this sentence is confusing,but when you see this film you will know what I'm talking about. Worth watching,but typical dePalma here, good idea with poor execution.

• Anthony V

  
  See Brian DePalma channel Hitchcock to make a great thriller, that's slightly twisted.

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