Day 211: Play Misty For Me

Play Misty For Me

But you didn't say "Please".

I have been a radio DJ on and off since college. I really enjoy bringing new music to people and helping out lesser-known bands reach an audience. It's always nice to get requests as it's a confirmation that people are listening and I'm not just shouting into the darkness of radio. Thankfully, I've never had to deal with angry listeners. I did receive mail from a prisoner, but it was all positive. Being in any form of entertainment opens you up to a wide variety of people, some good and some not so good. All it takes is one person off the medication or off their rocker to become obsessed and fixated.

Play Misty For Me is a 1971 thriller horror movie directed by and starring Clint Eastwood (Gran Torino, Million Dollar Baby) as radio DJ Dave Garver. Dave broadcasts on KRML in California, playing a mix of music and poetry. One night at a bar, he meets a woman named Evelyn Draper (Jessica Walter, Arrested Development, PCU). She reveals that their meeting is not a coincidence as she is a fan of his radio show and has requested him to play the song “Misty” for her on several occasions. Dave is slightly uncomfortable, but Evelyn coerces him into sleeping with her with the agreement of no strings attached. The next day, Evelyn shows up at Dave's home to his surprise. He is a little taken aback, but does not object too much. She begins to show up unannounced and uninvited to places where Dave shows up. She alternates between saying she loves him and claiming to hate him and Dave tries to break it off gently numerous times. His ex-girlfriend Tobie Williams (Donna Mills, Knots Landing, Melrose Place) has come back to town and Dave tries to rekindle their relationship. Evelyn continues to follow him, even ruining a business meeting and a potential job for Dave. She attempts to kill herself, but manages to survive. She breaks into Dave's house, destroying his things and attacking his house keeper. She is committed to an institution and Dave begins a relationship with Tobie. Time passes, and Evelyn calls Dave, saying she has been released and is going to work in Hawaii. That night, she attacked Dave in his sleep, but was unsuccessful and escaped. How will Dave stop Evelyn and will he be able to protect Tobie? 

Who could say no to those sideburns?

We all know Clint Eastwood as the quiet, tough cowboy or the older, gruff father figure later in his career. Play Misty For Me takes Eastwood out of his comfort zone and makes him a sort-of heartthrob, complete with feathery hair. Eastwood's Dave has his flaws and tries to make things right with Evelyn, but by then it is too late and the audience is cheering for him. All this is helped along thanks to the phenomenal Jessica Walter. She is incredibly convincing, going from calm and loving, to manically dangerous. The audience knows pretty quickly that something is wrong, but Dave doesn't catch on and we watch in horror as things go from bad to worse. The movie has some good scares and thrills, culminating in a harrowing final scene made all the scarier thanks to a lack of music. Sometimes scenes are far scarier with real sounds instead of orchestras and music telling us how we should feel. There are some good scenes of violence, though they are tame compared to movies today.

The movie is a strong, simple thriller that is perfect for Eastwood's directorial debut. Things play out as you expect, but that's good because Play Misty For Me is the type of movie that does not require tricks or twists. The movie paved the way for other stalker movies like Fatal Attraction and The Hand That Rocks The Cradle. The only real problems from the movie are due to it being a victim of it's time. The 70's weren't exactly a great time and the movie is steeped in the era, from the clothes to the hair. Despite the aesthetic issues, there are scenes that reflect filmmaking at the time, like an extended music festival scene or the long reconnection of Dave and Tobie complete with cheesy love music playing while the walk along a beach and kiss during sunset. These scenes take away from the flow of movie and certainly don't appeal to modern audiences.

Wow! I can hear the ocean in your ear!

Play Misty For Me is a by-the-numbers stalker movie and there is nothing wrong with that. The movie is carried by the great performance of Jessica Walter and the good performance of Clint Eastwood. Eastwood does a fine job directing, especially so since it was his first time in the director's chair. The movie has good thrills and suspense with some decent action. It tends to be a little slow in parts and the style of the movie is steeped in the 70's which doesn't translate well to the 2010's. Play Misty For Me is a fun movie that can be watched by a wide audience.

8/10

Day 183: P2

P2

FU

Parking garage's are pretty scary places. Despite being only steps away from your office or the mall, it's like being transported into a dark and grimy underworld full of shadows. The concrete walls are cold and without detail. Sounds bounce off of everything, especially footsteps, leading you to believe that someone may be following you. There are isolated spots where anyone or anything can be lurking, just waiting to grab you. It should be no surprise that parking garages have become the setting for a few horror movies.

P2 is a 2007 horror film starring Rachel Nichols (Alias, Conan The Barbarian) as Angela Bridges, an overworked businesswoman trying to see her family for Christmas dinner. She is the last to leave her Manhattan office and when she gets to her car on level P2, it won't start. She goes to the security office and meets a security guard named Thomas (Wes Bentley, American Beauty, The Hunger Games). She asks him to let her onto the elevator to go upstairs and call a cab, but he insists on trying to help start her car. Thomas also invites her to have Christmas dinner with him, but she rebuffs his invitation When that fails, he agrees to let her use the elevator. When her cab arrives, she discovers that she is locked in the building and the cab drives away. When she returns to the garage, someone grabs her from behind and knocks her out with chloroform. She awakens in the security office wearing a dress and chained to a table. Thomas confesses that he has been watching her via the security cameras and is in love with her. He takes Angela to a secluded part of the garage where he has tied up her co-worker, Jim. Jim drunkenly advanced on Angela at a party, but she later accepted his apology. Thomas, angry at Jim for forcing himself on Angela, viciously beats him with a flashlight before repeatedly hitting him with a car. Angela escapes and tries to use an elevator, but it flushed out by a fire hose from Thomas. She goes around smashing the security cameras while Thomas has to deal with two police officers. Will Angela be able to escape the parking garage?

You just beat my high score on Angry Birds!

The biggest problem with P2 is that it's boring. Don't get me wrong, it's not one of those horror movies where nothing happens, like YellowBrickRoad. In fact, P2 has a lot of action and violence, it's just not particularly thrilling or entertaining. The movie is your average girl versus a stalker movie and we've seen that before. The real world setting of the parking garage does serve the movie well as it is believable and people have a genuine fear of them. P2 doesn't do enough character development in my mind which makes it feel so boring. We need to route for Angela to make it out alive and I never felt much connection with her. Part of the problem is making her a workaholic and not enough of a loving or caring person. I understand they were going with a connection between Angela and a lonely Thomas, but her character just felt too cold and distant. Most of the movie is your usual cat-and-mouse game seen in lots of other horror movies.

Wes Bentley's performance is very good and helps keep the movie from falling into a painful watch. His gleefully delirious Thomas is fun to watch as he is both vicious towards and hopelessly devoted to Angela. He wants to help her out of the car when she's hurt but then curses her when she leaves him. Rachel Nichols plays Angela well, I just think the character needed more layers for me to really cheer for her. Her cleavage deserved a supporting actress spot because it is prominently on display. P2 has a lot of violence and a surprising amount of gore. There was a scene where Angela fights Thomas's dog which I didn't like because I am not a fan of violence towards animals, especially when the scene is so vicious and bloody as this one was. The movie kept showing shots of “P2” painted on the walls of the garage, just in case we forgot the name of the movie. It's understandable because there is no real reason to remember it other than that's the level Angela's car is parked on. 

That's one lucky axe

P2 has some good moments of violence and gore and good performances, but that's about it. There isn't much of a story and character development could have and should have been much better. It actually had a wide release in theaters and did horrendously, earning just over $2 million. While the movie is not horrendous, it just wasn't good. There is nothing special about it and no real entertainment.

4.5/10