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Rating: 
Summary: A slow moving tale of Gothic horror and murderous revenge
Review: Any horror film starring Max von Sydow, Trevor Howard, Liv Ullmann and Andrew Keir has got to be worth a look and "The Night Visitor" is certainly deserving of a gander. The story is the brooding tale of Salem (von Sydow), a convict who wants revenge on his family, who had the gall to put him in an insane asylum after a brutal ax murder. Each night Salem sneaks out of the asylum to take vengeance on his accusers. Howard is the Inspector trying to catch-up with the murders. Based on Samuel Roeca's story, the script by Guy Elmes is fairly ingenious. This 1971 film was directed by Laszlo Benedek ("The Wild One," yes, the biker flick with Brando), and is certainly a bit slow moving at times, but it does have a couple of chilling moments. However, given the cast and the director, "The Night Visitor" is going to be something of a disappointment simply because you expect better from this bunch.
Rating:
Summary: A slow moving tale of Gothic horror and murderous revenge
Review: Any horror film starring Max von Sydow, Trevor Howard, Liv Ullmann and Andrew Keir has got to be worth a look and "The Night Visitor" is certainly deserving of a gander. The story is the brooding tale of Salem (von Sydow), a convict who wants revenge on his family, who had the gall to put him in an insane asylum after a brutal ax murder. Each night Salem sneaks out of the asylum to take vengeance on his accusers. Howard is the Inspector trying to catch-up with the murders. Based on Samuel Roeca's story, the script by Guy Elmes is fairly ingenious. This 1971 film was directed by Laszlo Benedek ("The Wild One," yes, the biker flick with Brando), and is certainly a bit slow moving at times, but it does have a couple of chilling moments. However, given the cast and the director, "The Night Visitor" is going to be something of a disappointment simply because you expect better from this bunch.
Rating:
Summary: A slow moving tale of Gothic horror and murderous revenge
Review: Any horror film starring Max von Sydow, Trevor Howard, Liv Ullmann and Andrew Keir has got to be worth a look and "The Night Visitor" is certainly deserving of a gander. The story is the brooding tale of Salem (von Sydow), a convict who wants revenge on his family, who had the gall to put him in an insane asylum after a brutal ax murder. Each night Salem sneaks out of the asylum to take vengeance on his accusers. Howard is the Inspector trying to catch-up with the murders. Based on Samuel Roeca's story, the script by Guy Elmes is fairly ingenious. This 1971 film was directed by Laszlo Benedek ("The Wild One," yes, the biker flick with Brando), and is certainly a bit slow moving at times, but it does have a couple of chilling moments. However, given the cast and the director, "The Night Visitor" is going to be something of a disappointment simply because you expect better from this bunch.
Rating:
Summary: Great Thriller
Review: Filmed in Scandinavia, Max Von Sydow, Per Oscarsson, and Liv Ullman are first rate in this psychological thriller. During this time The Emigrants, Scenes from a Marriage, The New Land and other Nordic pictures took center stage above the Night Visitor. Although the aforementioned 3 occupy the absolute elite of all-time Nordic cinema, The Night Visitor is well worth watching and an interesting departure from stereotypical Scandinavian pictures. The ending of this movie is great. Watch until the end.
Rating:
Summary: Details down to the last thread
Review: This is a thinking mans movie. Keeps you on the tips of your brain stem. If you liked the TV series "Mission Impossible", because of the technical details, you'll love this movie. Reason is, the man that created those details for TV, also created the escape scenes in this movie. Everything is thought out and shown in major detail, except one. What is that one mistake? You won't hear a peep out of me!
Rating:
Summary: Near perfect thriller
Review: This is an excellent European thriller, with a cast culled from both Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) and England. Max von Sydow as Salem, the inmate in an asylum for the criminally insane, does a fine job as the lead, (supposedly) unjustly accused and sentenced for a crime he--maybe--didn't commit. Liv Ullmann (who's Norwegian, not Swedish as some people may think) is just as good as his sister, married to a doctor played by Per Oscarsson. The two of them, with the help of a greedy lawyer and a conniving sister, managed to have Salem convicted of the murder of an innocent farmhand. And Trevor Howard plays the investigating inspector who is equally strong--and certain there's more to the case than meets the eye. Now someone is killing off the people who had Salem committed. Who could it be? Salem himself is locked away in the asylum, surely one of the dingiest and most desolate institutions ever shown on film. But the doctor shows some loopy behavioral tics, so there's a real chance it could be him. The answer to the mystery is fascinating. This is not a horror film, as an earlier, extremely well-known and highly regarded reviewer for this venue has said (see below), but a thriller whose details are developed quite well. However, there are two logic gaps that are somewhat puzzling: 1) Why doesn't the bird make any noise before the climactic scene?
2) What happens to the rope once it's used? Does it magically reappear under the boat again? Don't worry, I'm not giving anything away. You have to see this film to appreciate these questions. And it's definitely worth seeing.
Rating:
Summary: Near perfect thriller
Review: This is an excellent European thriller, with a cast culled from both Scandinavia (Norway, Sweden, Denmark) and England. Max von Sydow as Salem, the inmate in an asylum for the criminally insane, does a fine job as the lead, (supposedly) unjustly accused and sentenced for a crime he--maybe--didn't commit. Liv Ullmann (who's Norwegian, not Swedish as some people may think) is just as good as his sister, married to a doctor played by Per Oscarsson. The two of them, with the help of a greedy lawyer and a conniving sister, managed to have Salem convicted of the murder of an innocent farmhand. And Trevor Howard plays the investigating inspector who is equally strong--and certain there's more to the case than meets the eye. Now someone is killing off the people who had Salem committed. Who could it be? Salem himself is locked away in the asylum, surely one of the dingiest and most desolate institutions ever shown on film. But the doctor shows some loopy behavioral tics, so there's a real chance it could be him. The answer to the mystery is fascinating. This is not a horror film, as an earlier, extremely well-known and highly regarded reviewer for this venue has said (see below), but a thriller whose details are developed quite well. However, there are two logic gaps that are somewhat puzzling: 1) Why doesn't the bird make any noise before the climactic scene?
2) What happens to the rope once it's used? Does it magically reappear under the boat again? Don't worry, I'm not giving anything away. You have to see this film to appreciate these questions. And it's definitely worth seeing.
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