Seldom Seen review | REFLECTIONS OF MURDER
In order to both honor the MFTV achievements of director John Badham and supply more much-needed coverage to the indisputable treasure trove of titles which graced the small screen 30-some-odd years ago, this double shot of Seldom Seen will look at two Badham-helmed MFTV offerings this time out -- 1974’s Reflections of Murder and 1973’s Isn't It Shocking?.
Oft-referenced as one of the pillars of the suspense genre, Henri-Georges Clouzot’s Diabolique receives a classy, taut MFTV reworking as Reflections of Murder courtesy of director Badham and a stellar leading trio of Tuesday Weld, Joan Hackett, and Sam Waterston.
Those already familiar with Clouzot’s film (or Jeremiah Chechik’s so-bad-it’s-kind-of-fun ’96 reworking) needn’t review the plot points at hand, but for anyone forgetful or unfamiliar here they are all the same. Hackett and Weld are the wife and mistress, respectively, of all-around asshole Waterston, the headmaster at a prestigious boys’ school. Tired of his abusive ways the women mastermind a plot to murder Waterston and dispose of his body in the school’s decrepit swimming pool, staging the event to look like an accident. When Waterston’s body isn’t found floating the next day – or seen anywhere else, for that matter – the women turn increasingly paranoid and suspicious and begin to suspect something has gone awry.
Reflections of Murder is a slick piece of tele-filmmaking. Through its meticulously build-up of dread and anxiety (culminating in Waterston’s supremely eerie “resurrection” – a sequence that should be seen and not spoiled), Murder manages to transcend its source material. Operating more as an atmospheric horror show than a traditional suspenser, it layers on a ghostly piano score and wet, fog-laden scenery from the get-go, expertly establishing a foreboding mood. When it comes time to turn the screws on Weld and especially Hackett, the film works with precision to build tension and unsettle without resorting to false scares or audio / visual bombast.
It’s a credit to the cast that their archetypes – submissive, dominative, all-around asshole – don’t consume their performances. Each is able to add depth, particularly Hackett as the long-suffering spouse. It’s a gas seeing Waterston play against type in a nasty turn. The featured child actors turn in refreshingly natural work.
Reflections of Murder’s rights situation is a dicey one. Produced by ABC (who still retains the film’s copyright), it was licensed for release on home video via Republic Pictures. Republic’s rights now sit divided between CBS, Paramount Television, and Lion’s Gate. Ugh. Another stellar MFTV effort featuring a number of reputable faces and names, Reflections of Murder will hopefully see the light of home video again someday soon.
