Death and the Maiden (1994, dir. Roman Polanski)

Death and the Maiden (1994, dir. Roman Polanski)

What Is It?: A film adaptation of the Ariel Dorfman play about a woman in an unnamed South American country who captures the man she believes tortured her years ago and exacts "justice."

What About It?: Following, as it did, the silly Bitter Moon, this was hailed as a return to form for the great/disgusting director Roman Polanski, though this was ultimately followed by The Ninth Gate, so go figure, right? Either way, the movie is riveting work, if a little stage-bound. Polanski saw no need to "open it up", and, really, it would feel weird if he did. This is mostly about the finely honed performances by both Sigourney Weaver and Ben Kingsley -- no disrespect to Stuart Wilson, the third actor in this three-actor play, but the others are the stars of the show, to be sure. The central dramatic questions of "Is She Crazy?" and "Did He Do It?" are asked again and again to great effect. The thematic question of "Why Do We Torture?" is answered in a way that might be illuminating to those who wish to plumb the depths of the detritus of torture, as salient a topic as one is likely to be confronted with via the free movies ON DEMAND.

Why Should I See It?: If, for no other reason, for Weaver's stunning performance as the woman tortured. Weaver, to our mind, is a prime example of a Lost Classic actor -- one that is woefully underappreciated and misunderstood. We think that the moviegoing public prefers cerebral acting like Jodie Foster or Meryl Streep and the physicality of Weaver is maybe offputting. The Official Wife of the Lost Classic thinks that maybe it's because of Sigourney's role in Aliens, as the sci-fi genre is hardly well respected. We think that she may have a point, though we think that it's a secret prejudice harbored by the masses against tall people. Weaver's performance is this movie is up there with her best. Watch how she uses her feet. She's just amazing.

What Else Is It Like?: Gaslight, The Dancer Upstairs, Salvador.

When Is It Showing ON DEMAND Until?: 1/25/07

Watch It ON DEMAND on Comcast Cable.

-- ddt/pdx

What's New This Week (That's Worth Watching to One Degree Or Another)?: Better Off Dead..., The Glenn Miller Story, Marie Antoinette, Bull Durham, Mad Max, Geronimo: An American Legend.