06 July 2010

The Conversation (1974)


Trailer

I'm not following you, I'm looking for you. There's a big difference.
So basically: Gene Hackman plays paranoid surveillance man, Harry Caul, who has been hired to record the wife of the Director and the man she's been cheating with. A routine job, but when Caul listens to the recording over and over, he suspects that the couple are in danger of murder. Already his job has lead to the deaths of three people back in his native New York. Now, Caul must prevent the Director from hearing the tapes and try and save the young couple.

The first twist ending of the list, I believe - Mulholland Dr. doesn't count - and completely not worth it. The entire "twist" relies on changing a part of the story already presented to the audience. The line that makes us think that the young couple are in danger changes in the way it is read - albeit slightly, but enough to change the meaning - to make the twist. You can't do that to the audience. It's only a twist if everything is the same throughout the movie. What Coppola did is called CHEATING! The first half of the movie was really good as the audience tries to figure out what is going on with the Conversation and why it's important. But after an hour, the plot drags on and becomes boring. It'd skip this film.

No list "prestige" for this one. And I don't get all the hype about it. The beginning is well crafted, but if you can't hold up till the end of the movie, then it's defs not a good movie.

Ziggi seal of disapproval!

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