Nik Lackey’s review published on Letterboxd:
70 From The 70’s Part II: #55
The 1970’s just simply rocks for making films like this. Political thrillers with excellent delivery. ‘The Parallax View’ (1974) is sleek, suspenseful, exciting, dark, and so much more. There are not many moments in the film where I wasn’t fully engaged, and it’s all a testament to how thrilling this movie really is. I had no idea what I was walking into when I put this on, but I sure am glad I got around to seeing this, because it is an excellent example of why the 1970’s was the best decade of cinema.
Thrillers were all over the place in the 1970’s, due to a lot of political term oil happening in the world at the time. Movies like ‘Three Days Of The Condor’ (1975), ‘Night Moves’ (1975), ‘Sorcerer’ (1977), and of course, ‘Jaws’ (1975). There are so many more you could run through, and they are all great. Suspense, thrills, horror, everything was the name of the game in the 1970’s. ‘The Parallax View’ (1974) is a great example of why this genre was so big. Real world issues were being discussed in a fantasy aspect through the eyes of the viewer. Issues today are all muted in forms of media like this, so being able to see how the audience truly felt, and their fears towards the establishment is one great way of viewing the films.
‘The Parallax View’ (1974) manages to turn up the suspense right from the beginning and really run with it. The opening starts with an assassination that I did not see coming at all. I was hooked right away, and the fact that it never let up was so good. Even by the end of the film, I couldn’t look away, and yes, I know what you’re thinking, “happy endings only happen in the movies” unless those movies are made in the 70’s. A very dramatic and dark ending, but it is part of the corse for a film like this. ‘The Parallax View’ (1974) really is a fun picture that’ll keep you hooked all the way through.
This was not the start of Warren Beatty, that was back in the 1960’s. However, the 1970’s was the time when he really made a name for himself in films like this. His handsome looks mixed with his skillful acting blended together and launched him into the 1980’s and 1990’s with ease. In ‘The Parallax View’ (1974), Beatty shows off his skills as an actor with a wide range of emotions. This is not a glamorous role like ‘Bonnie And Clyde’ (1967) or ‘Shampoo’ (1975), but it is an impressive one. He balances out the right amount of subtleties on the screen when he needs to be nervous or anxious or in peril. Beatty proved his acting chops to me here, and it makes me excited to watch some more of his work.
Director, Alan J. Pakula is a name some people might not recognize, but when you look at the films he made, especially in the 1970’s, he had a great impact. Some amazing films like ‘Klute’ (1971), ‘All The President’s Men’ (1975), and ‘Starting Over’ (1979). After all that, he would go on to make some more classics like ‘Sophie’s Choice’ (1982), ‘Presumed Innocent’ (1990), ‘The Pelican Brief’ (1993), and ‘The Devils Own’ (1997). Pakula clearly has his tone of high concept storytelling, with really clear visuals. Not all of his films land, and frankly he’s made some stinkers, but ‘The Parallax View’ (1974) is by far one of his strongest films.
What more do I have to say to get you to go find this movie? This is a really classic 1970’s thriller that delivers on so many levels. The horror of the film, is set in the mystery of reality. This is really a strongly written, wonderfully directed, and perfectly acted film that I will absolutely be going back to watch again. If you don’t believe me on how good this picture is, you have to go and watch it yourself. You’ll be happy you saw it for sure.
