Experiment in Terror (1962)

First off - did anybody else notice the close resemblance of James Lanphier who played the Landlord and Ross Martin? When Lanphier walked into frame I thought for the longest time that HE was a probable suspect... (Do a Google image search for James Lanphier to see what I mean)Anywhoo, a good solid, police procedural with a number of plot holes that didn't spoil the fun.Lee Remick, was gorgeous and gave a convincing show of terror, Stefanie Powers when SHE was menaced in turn turned into a shivering wreck.Glenn Ford was personable and believable as an FBI agent and from telling somebody he'd "never had to shoot anybody" managed to up his body count by the movie's end.The final crowd scenes at Candelstick Park added tension but kinda telegraphed what the finale would be...

"Experiment in Terror" is a smart and entertaining crime/noir thriller from the 1960's. The opening 10 minutes are superb, and beautifully filmed in crisp black & white, as Lee Remick is menaced by the villain in her own home. The rest of the movie (2 hours!) charts her predicament as she wavers between contacting the police and going along with the criminal's plan. Glenn Ford plays a very cool FBI officer who assists her, and There's an appearance from a young Stephanie Powers as the heroine's sister.Action is tight all the way through, and the film hold your interest. The photography is beautiful, noir style. Fluid camera movement, unusual angles and inspired framing crop up regularly. The scene in the mannequin workshop is very reminiscent of scenes in "giallo" thrillers from the 1970's, except this film was made in 1962! Could it have been an influence?Lee Remick is perfect in the lead role of Kelly Sherwood. She looks gorgeous and acts realistically throughout. Kelly is no damsel in distress, she's brave and clever, a great heroine. Glenn Ford plays FBI agent Ripley as a total professional who never loses his cool. He plays well as the strength that gives Kelly the courage to withstand the situation she is in. If anything lets the movie down, it is the amazing amount of man power given to support the heroine by the FBI on the strength of one anonymous phone call! She sure is one lucky lady. Bit on the whole, a real pleasure to watch and very enjoyable.

Fine b/w thriller with noir leanings is very well shot including some stunning sequences, not least the opening credits, first scene and last sequence and plenty more in between. Sure, today this would have been speeded up a little with 20 minutes or so shorn, but this is 1962, as witnessed by the cars and fashions, so we have what we have. Tense and surprisingly bold and edging towards a grubbiness at times, this is well worth seeing and has clearly been well seen by makers of subsequent movies. Reference has been made to David Lynch and you will smile when you see the street sign and hear the character surname, but not any really substantial influence, I would have thought. Lee Remick has made very many films but apart from The Omen, this is probably the only one I've seen. Very good she is too, in the difficult, constantly harassed, role.

Almost unbearably tense noir/ suspenser, has an unknown, unseen (and asthmatic) madman threatening to kill an innocent girl's younger sister unless she cooperates and commits robbery. She discreetly contacts police for help, and they attempt to protect her and her sister, while trying to track down this wheezing nutjob.Effectively filmed in high contrast black-and-white, with a great jazz score. Its opening terror scene is tense, sadistic, and surprising; it comes from out of nowhere, just like film's villain. A perfect opening scene to set the tone of the film.Villain is completely obscured in shadows in his first scene as he attacks, threatens, and taunts his innocent victim; his face and body are slowly revealed in his subsequent appearances throughout the film. The more we -the audience- learn of him, the more of him we see, physically, in a technique seemingly borrowed from M. This asthmatic is later learned to be a rapist and killer, who has made it a habit of coercing young girls into committing various crimes for him before he kills them.Bizarre scenes of mannequins in another chick's apartment, followed by her death and subsequent hanging amongst them, is a memorably chilling moment.This film was shown (along with Odds Against Tomorrow, Elevator To The Gallows, Sweet Smell Of Success, and Anatomy Of A Murder) at a small cinema, as part of a mini film festival they called Jazz Scores Of Film Noir; this, and Elevator To The Gallows, were my favourites of the lot.