Seance on a Wet Afternoon

Stunning film of the staged kidnapping of a child by a demented medium and her cuckolded, guilt-ridden husband. Beautifully photographed in b&W, the film has a grey, somber feel to it that illustrates the emptiness of the childless couple's lives. The plan is to kidnap the child then stage a seance to help "find" the child to further enhance the medium's reputation and career. The husband trembles with fright and guilt while the medium is convinced that this is the "answer". She is "guided" by Arthur---her "spirit" guide---that is actually the child they lost at birth as stillborn.... more

This is a 5 star film across the board: terse screenplay, stunning performances, haunting John Barry score, wonderfully understated cinematography, but the transfer was terrible. The audio transfer is the worst. The television had to be turned way up and, as the other reviewer said, then certain parts would be very shrill and make the set vibrate. The little hairs and other things that appear when transferring old film negatives don't bother me as much as poor audio. I really wanted to hear commentary from anyone on this disc, I am also a big fan of subtitles (I don't know why). All that... more

I coincidentally watched this along with the excellent "Repulsion". These two films go together very well. They were both filmed in beautiful black-and-white, showing the incredible power and atmosphere that color film cannot capture. I suggest getting these two films together. If you enjoy one, you'll probably enjoy the other. This film features one of the most stunning pieces of acting I have ever seen. Kim Stanley is extraordinary, walking a tightrope throughout the whole film. She is truly breathtaking. You can watch her facial expressions and mannerisms shift within a single sentence,... more