The greatest film that Alfred Hitchcock never made, Henri-Georges Clouzot's Diabolique is set in a provincial boarding school run by headmaster Michel Delasalle (Paul Meurisse). A ruthless lothario, he becomes the target of a murder plot concocted by his long-suffering invalid wife Christina (Vera Clouzot, the director's own spouse) and his latest mistress, an icy teacher played by Simone Signoret. A dark, dank thriller with a much-imitated "shock" ending, Diabolique is a masterpiece of Grand
Guignol suspense. The simple murder plot goes haywire, and Michel's corpse disappears, prompting strange rumors of his reappearance which grow more and more substantial as the film careens wildly towards its breathless conclusion. Later remade as a greatly inferior 1996 Hollywood feature with Sharon Stone and Isabelle Adjani. ~ Jason Ankeny, Rovi
So dependent on visuals, many horror films do not wear well except as kitsch. But crafted fright films like Diabolique maintain their power by creating atmosphere through what is not seen.
With barely any music, Clouzot unfolds the action with precision timing and suspense, culminating in one of the cinema's first and most memorable twist endings ever.
set the bar high in terms of both its murderous, yet sympathetic characters and its tense scenario that mixes the conventional thriller elements of lust, jealousy, and homicide with the possibility of supernatural horror
An absolutely stunning cinematic achievement. Clouzot not only unfolds a great mystery before our eyes, but for being over 55 years old it is still more terrifying than anything that the recent spat of modern horror directors could serve up. The story isn't convoluted and there is a constricted atmosphere that
permeates the entire two hours. The camera remarkably serves as the omniscient observer, delightfully teasing the horrors to come. The music isn't leading nor is the editing flashy. Clouzot just makes us wade in the horror and it is riveting. Throw away your Hostel collection and your Nightmare on Elm Street reissues, this is this only thriller you need on your shelf.
October 10, 2011
Reid Volk
Super Reviewer
Quite a caniving plan for Murder for a film of it's time, told in a very much a Hitchcock fashion. Twists and turns keep this a gripping tale and whilst the start is a little slow, this soon becomes an intriguing story.
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