This little seen sleeper from director Jonathan Demme (Melvin and Howard, Stop Making Sense) is a textbook example of how to make a successful Hitchcockian thriller. The opening premise has Roy Scheider as a CIA agent whose wife's murder (partly due to his negligence) leaves him a shaky and cautious man. Prematurely coming out of psychiatric treatment, he becomes convinced that someone is trying to kill him. Is he paranoid? Or is he in serious danger? Around this ambiguity, Demme weaves a mind-boggling series of twists and turns that keeps the audience guessing right up until the riveting climax over Niagara Falls. Janet Margolin is alternately charming and threatening as the mysterious femme fatale, and Christopher Walken has a nice minor role as Scheider's cynical, morally empty boss. From the wide variety of camera angles right down to the stirring Miklos Rozsa score, this is one Hitchcock imitation that truly earns the comparison. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)[DVD/Blu-ray Review—Oct. 21, 2014—Kino Lorber, 102 min., R, DVD: $24.95, Blu-ray: $29.95—Making its latest appearance on DVD and debut on Blu-ray, 1979's Last Embrace features a solid transfer and a DTS-HD mono soundtrack on the Blu-ray release. Extras include an interview with producer Michael Taylor (10 min.), and a trailer. Bottom line: a fine sleeper thriller from director Demme.]
Last Embrace
(1979)/Drama/102 min./R/$59.95/Key Video/Closed-captioned. Vol. 1, Issue 5
Last Embrace
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